Is it safe to defrost meat then put it in fridge?

[jessicacarr]

Is it safe to defrost meat in the microwave then put it in the fridge to cook later?
My husband saw me do this and questioned whether it is safe.
Thank you for your input.

 

[daisy]

Depends on how long you keep it in the fridge! I'd certainly use it the same day it was defrosted, or the next day at the latest.

It also depends on how big the meat is. A roast, for instance, would keep a little longer than, say, minced meat.

Poultry - definitely same day for me.

 

[Michael in FtW]

NO! According to the FDA, as posted on the Mississippi State University Extension Service website:

"Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing."

 

[Gretchen]

"immediately". That very minute--or that very day. I cook it within the day. What if you are defrosting it in order to marinate it, for example.

 

[mugsy27]

Is it safe to defrost meat in the microwave then put it in the fridge to cook later?

i always though u were supposed to put meat in the fridge to defrost and then cook it in the microwave?!?

 

[GB]

"What if you are defrosting it in order to marinate it, for example.

Then do not use the microwave to defrost. Use the fridge or a cold water bath instead.

 

[karadekoolaid]

If I'm going to use frozen meat I put it in the fridge for a day so it will defrost slowly over 24 hours. Only when I'm going to cook with it do I defrost it completely, either in water or in the microwave.

 

[FryBoy]

You can use the microwave for defrosting, but it raises the temperature of some of the meat (mostly the edges) to a higher temperature than is safe, far higher than if you defrosted the meat in the refrigerator. That invites the rapid growth of bacteria. Prompt cooking of the meat is therefore essential.

 

[VeraBlue]

NO! According to the FDA, as posted on the Mississippi State University Extension Service website:

"Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing."

Michael, you are absolutely right. I feel funny tossing this about, but I'm certified in food sanitation and safety. I believe that if people just read the course book(s) they'd never thaw on the counter or in the microwave.

 

[Hades]

Michael, you are absolutely right. I feel funny tossing this about, but I'm certified in food sanitation and safety. I believe that if people just read the course book(s) they'd never thaw on the counter or in the microwave.

Michael and/or Vera... What's wrong with defrosting meat in the microwave? I have a defrosting programme on my microwave and I use it all the time because I was told it's the safest way to defrost "dangerous" (poultry, meat,fish,...) food items. You got me worried now

 

[Andy M.]

Defrosting meats in the microwave is the fastest way but usually cooks the edges of the meat.

Also, since it raises the temperature of the meat into the danger zone for the growth of bacteria (40 to 140F), you should plan on cooking microwave defrosted meats right away. If you defrost meat in the microwave then set it aside, harmful bacteria could grow.

 

[BreezyCooking]

My microwave (Panasonic) has a wonderful, efficient, & (I feel) completely safe defrost program. While I never defrost large items like whole poultry, etc. (just boneless, skinless poultry pieces, sausages, & ground poultry), what I do defrost in this appliance is always still cold to the touch, with none of those hot, cooked edges that some microwaves produce.

However, I also do only use my microwave to defrost items I am going to cook right then & there or within a few hours. I don't see any reason to use the microwave to defrost something you don't plan on cooking right away.

 

[vagriller]

However, I also do only use my microwave to defrost items I am going to cook right then & there or within a few hours. I don't see any reason to use the microwave to defrost something you don't plan on cooking right away.

This makes a lot of sense. If you plan on marinating something its always best to beging planning that a few days in advance.

 

[VeraBlue]

Michael and/or Vera... What's wrong with defrosting meat in the microwave? I have a defrosting programme on my microwave and I use it all the time because I was told it's the safest way to defrost "dangerous" (poultry, meat,fish,...) food items. You got me worried now

Hi Hades

The problems with microwave defrosting is that the microwave really doesn't know what it's defrosting. Sure, there are panels and numbers to punch with weights and times, but still, it's extremely black and white. It cannot tell if the meat is thicker on one side, or if it's sitting on styrofoam, or if bones are involved, etc.
Instead, what can(and does ) happen is that someone can press those buttons and simply walk away, letting a blind appliance do a dangerous job. Meat or poultry should defrost evenly to keep the temperature below 40 degrees at all times.
Cool or cold to the touch is not necessarily 40 degrees. Once meat is defrosted you begin a countdown, regardless if it's in the fridge or not. Defrosted meat has a life expectancy in the fridge, and an even shorter life out of the fridge.

Defrosting in the microwave is a convenience and should only be used that way.(Yeah, I know no one wants to hear that.) Since there is a great propensity for some of the microwave defrosted meat to be higher in temperature than other parts, it's imperative that you bring the whole thing up to a proper cooked temperature as quickly as possible. That doesn't necessarily mean 140, either. 140 is only the holding temperture of cooked food. It first has to reach the cooked temperature first.

There are three acceptable ways to defrost food according to my certification. Some have conditions.

1. Defrost in the refrigerator
2. Defrost under running water. Running water is the operative word. If the water cannot continually run, it must be changed every half hour.
3. Microwave. The defrosted product must be cooked immediately upon removing it from the appliance.

The first example is the safest and preferred method. They are listed in order of safety after that.

I know many people defrost on the counter, or in the mic, and say "I always do it this way, and I'm just fine'. The way I look at it...I wear a seat belt even though I'm a good driver. I see the risks as similar, plus the defrost example also puts others in possible danger.

At the end of the day, my preference is to buy meat or poultry, keep it in the fridge, and then use it within a day or two. I no longer store meat in my freezer.

 

[jessicacarr]

thanks y'all. especially verablue this was insightful.

 

[goboenomo]

Is it safe to defrost meat in the microwave then put it in the fridge to cook later?
My husband saw me do this and questioned whether it is safe.
Thank you for your input.

Put it in a sink full of cold water.
Once it is defrosted, cook it.

 

[TATTRAT]

Put it in a sink full of cold water.
Once it is defrosted, cook it.

If thawing in the sink(on the fly thaw), you need to have the water constantly moving, not sitting in a pool. This is because if it is parked, it will act like an ice cube and chill the standing water....but on another note, it is just bad practice due to the lag and log phase of growth.

Thawing in the refer is always the optimum way to go. Alot of other ways can breed contamination(like the sitting in a sink full of water) and can harm you. It is standard practice to thaw in the refer prior to attempting any other method. Large scale F&B operations have whole entire walkins dedicated to nothing more then thawing before production.

 

[goboenomo]

right... I left that out... my bad!
I do it at work all the time, so I was under the impression it is assumed.

 

[DaCook]

The danger is in storing the food after it has micro-thawed. Some areas of the meat get heated to too high of a temp. The only time I microthaw meat is for immediate use.

 

[thecactuswill]

All very simple. If you use heat to thaw, it must be used immediately. If you thaw in the fridge, use same day or next.