How to defrost chicken or chicken fillet: quick ways, what not to do

Thawing chicken has become much easier and faster given the emergence of a large number of household and kitchen appliances, however, these methods have their drawbacks. Let's consider all the nuances of defrosting poultry, and also in what situations it is not recommended to do this.

The most effective way to defrost poultry is in a microwave or slow cooker, but not everyone has such equipment. For this reason, you can use standard kitchen items, the main thing is to follow the rules for defrosting.

How to quickly defrost fillet at home

Frozen chicken fillets are thawed by placing the frozen meat in a bag and tying it tightly. Then put it in a container filled with warm water and leave for 1-3 hours, depending on the weight.

If you use hot water, the fillet will become tough when cooked. It is necessary to place the product in a bag in order to preserve the beneficial elements contained in the pulp and to prevent the accumulation of liquid in the fibers.

Shelf life

After defrosting, you can store the bird in the refrigerator for a limited time - 2 days maximum. Immediately after defrosting, the carcass must be placed in a sealed package; a plastic bag or plastic container of the required size is suitable for this. It happens that after defrosting, traces of spoilage of the product are noticeable on the carcass; the most common conditions of the bird can be seen in the table:

If the storage period is exceeded, the bird must be thrown away. If there are signs of spoilage, consuming such a product is dangerous to health. No additional processing of the product will help with mold stains, since fungal organisms penetrate deeply into the structure of the meat. Using it as food for pets is also fraught, because their bodies are no less susceptible to poisoning.

Methods for thawing chicken in the microwave

A simple, convenient way to make a frozen carcass soft is to use the microwave.

Need to:

1. Remove film from chicken.
2. Remove the giblets.
3. Place the carcass on a large flat dish suitable for microwave use, back down.
4. Turn on the device to the “Defrost” mode, set the time – 3 minutes.
5. Leave inside without opening the door for 5 minutes. Then turn it over and turn on the microwave again for 3 minutes.
6. Repeat until the meat is tender.

When thawing poultry in the microwave, it is important to ensure that the meat does not dry out.

In the microwave, meat is defrosted in 10-15 minutes, depending on the power of the device and the weight of the chicken.

A whole carcass does not thaw well enough, so when cooking chicken, it should be thoroughly thermally treated to eliminate the risk of bacterial growth.

Can I cook frozen chicken right away?

If you're really pressed for time, you can start cooking frozen poultry right away, just follow certain rules.

Chicken should be cooked in the oven or on the stovetop (fry or poach) where the temperature is high enough to kill any bacteria. True, it is difficult to cook a whole chicken evenly, so it is better to freeze the bird in convenient parts, rather than the whole carcass. If I come across a frozen carcass, I simply cook it in a saucepan with carrots, onions and a stalk of celery.

How to defrost chicken without a microwave

Whole defrosting occurs in cold water.

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To do this you should:

1. Remove chicken from freezer. Leave the plastic wrap so that the meat retains its beneficial properties without being saturated with liquid.
2. Pour cold water into a large saucepan and place the chicken in it.
3. Leave for 2 hours.

Do you need to defrost chicken before cooking?

If the meat is not defrosted, it will become tough and dry after cooking. If there is a lot of ice on the chicken, then it may not cook at all. In extreme cases, you can do without defrosting when preparing broth so that the beneficial properties do not evaporate, but for use for other purposes, it is advisable to use long-term defrosting under running water or in the main compartment of the refrigerator. After the chicken has thawed, you can rinse it, so there will be no dirty foam.

There are a large number of options for defrosting chicken, but they have both advantages and disadvantages. Not every method will be suitable in a given situation, so the choice is yours.

Technology for thawing chicken in a water bath

A water bath is the most gentle way to defrost poultry, which thaws much faster when exposed to steam.

First you need to build a structure of two pans. One should be large, the second should be smaller, but the bird should fit in it. Place a large saucepan half filled with hot liquid on the fire, and place a small one inside. You must first remove the film from the carcass.

This method is best for chickens that are not too large. They will be ready for further use in 30-35 minutes.

How long does it take to defrost?

First, it is necessary to clarify that if you simply leave the chicken to thaw in a room at normal above-zero temperatures, then this process will take quite a lot of time - about several hours. In addition, this also threatens that the product may quickly deteriorate due to the proliferation of microorganisms in it. Therefore, it is worth using faster methods if there is an urgent need to cook something from chicken meat.

Chicken is an indispensable way to feed your family quickly, tasty and satisfying.

It should also be said that the most natural way is to defrost directly in the refrigerator. Then the carcass will thaw without spoiling, as can happen when left just in the room. To do this, you need to place it in a deep bowl to drain the water and put it in the refrigerator overnight. With this option, it will best retain all its beneficial properties and not lose its unique taste. It is also important that it is undesirable to freeze and defrost one product several times, because this greatly spoils it.

In the microwave

On average, when using a microwave for this procedure, meat will defrost in 10-15 minutes if its weight is 1.5-2 kg. If the weight is greater, then, accordingly, the process will take a little longer.

The most popular means for defrosting chicken carcasses is the microwave.

In the oven

In the oven, the carcass is exposed to a temperature that penetrates it evenly. Therefore, when using a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius, it will take about 5-10 minutes to defrost the meat.

This method is usually used if you plan to bake the chicken in the future.

In water

Water can be used either cold or hot; if you soak the carcass in cold water, it will actually be used only after two to three hours. When using hot water, this indicator is much better, because everything will be ready in 10-15 minutes. That is, if you don’t have time, then it’s better to take hot water.

Fill the chicken with water. This is the most optimal way to defrost chicken meat, in terms of time-quality ratio.

Note. The lower the temperature at which defrosting occurs, the lower the risk that bacteria will begin to multiply in it, which could cause it to spoil.

Accelerated defrosting under the tap

Thawing chicken can be done under running water. Place the carcass in a plastic bag, tie it tightly, place the product in a bowl of cold water.

Place the dishes in the sink under the tap and turn it on. The meat will defrost much faster than if it were simply placed in liquid.

You can speed up the process by turning on warm water, but in this case the chicken will lose most of its nutritional properties. It is better if the liquid temperature does not exceed +15 degrees.

Defrosting minced chicken

The procedure for defrosting minced meat is similar to meat, but it should not be saturated with water. For this reason, it should always be kept in a tightly closed package and not be carried away by high temperatures, since the crushed structure loses useful components much faster.

If you want to maintain the consistency and beneficial properties of the minced meat, then use the cold water option. Also, without loss of quality, you can use room temperature for defrosting. This option takes the longest, but the minced meat will remain juicy. It is not recommended to use kitchen appliances for heating, as minced meat loses its beneficial properties faster than a whole carcass.

Defrost at room temperature

To reduce the thawing time for a whole carcass or fillet, you can leave the chicken at room temperature.

How to do it:

1. Remove the packaging and plastic wrap and place the chicken in a deep dish. Leave it on the kitchen table.
2. The process will speed up if you make several longitudinal cuts on the carcass.

The bird will be ready for further processing in 5-6 hours. If the room is very warm, this period will be reduced to 3-4 hours.

What determines the correct methods for defrosting chicken?

Experienced housewives know many ways to quickly defrost poultry. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, before choosing the most acceptable option, we will try to understand some of the nuances of this matter.

How to defrost a carcass faster: in parts or whole

Tender chicken meat is truly indispensable in preparing lunches and dinners. Chicken is an almost universal find for a cook. But there is one not very good news: chicken meat takes a very long time to defrost. A large broiler carcass weighing 5–6 kg can take up to 30 hours to thaw. Of course, chickens sold in supermarkets weighing 1–1.5 kg defrost faster: 12–17 hours. This is why experts advise cutting up chicken before freezing. Wings, legs, breasts and backbone are frozen separately. Such portions are thawed for 30–60 minutes at room temperature.

It's easier to defrost a dressed bird

Which poultry is faster to defrost - boiled or raw?

We cooked a chicken leg or fillet, cooled it and put it in the freezer. And after a few days they decided to cook something delicious from them. Maybe in vain? And would fresh chicken defrost faster? Cooking removes most of the liquid from meat. It becomes drier and more fibrous. Fresh chicken contains a high percentage of water. If we bought frozen chicken, then it contains even more liquid - in the form of ice. Some production enterprises pierce the poultry with water and freeze it additionally for better preservation. Therefore, boiled chicken defrosts faster than raw chicken.

Raw meat takes longer to defrost than cooked meat

Types of freezing chicken meat

Blast freezing of chicken at home is carried out only if the refrigerator has a “quick freezing” function. The chicken quickly freezes through. But if you just put it in the freezer for blast freezing, without foil or a tight bag, then the chicken will get a cold burn. When defrosting, this will affect the structure of the meat, it will become more loose. But the taste, according to experts, is preserved when quickly frozen. The temperature regime remains the same as with regular home freezing: from -18 to -24 degrees. So the principle and time for defrosting a chicken after blast freezing is the same as that which was simply put in the freezer.

Deep industrial freezing of chicken takes place using special equipment, where the temperature drops to -32 degrees and faster air circulation occurs in the chamber. In chicken, with this processing, microelements and vitamins important for humans are preserved. Deep-frozen meat takes longer to thaw than what we freeze at home.

Fresh chicken frozen under normal home conditions thaws faster. Before the chicken goes into the freezer, it loses some liquid, which helps reduce the number of ice crystals when frozen. Additionally, if the chicken is cut up, it will also help it thaw faster. A whole chicken frozen at home can take 12 to 17 hours to thaw.

At home, a whole chicken carcass can take up to 17 hours to defrost.

Defrosting in a slow cooker, oven

A slow cooker or oven is a good place to quickly defrost poultry.

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Algorithm of actions:

1. Remove the product from the freezer.
2. Place the bird on a plastic steam cooking rack.
3. Pour the required amount of clean liquid into the multicooker bowl. Set the “Steam cooking” mode.
4. During the defrosting process, you need to turn the carcass over from time to time. In 10-20 minutes it will be ready.

Housewives note that the method really works, but this technique worsens the taste of chicken. In addition, it defrosts unevenly in the slow cooker.

The carcass is defrosted in an electric or gas oven.

What should be done:

1. Remove the store packaging.
2. Take an oblong glass bottle and fill it with water.
3. Place a bottle with a mounted carcass on a baking sheet.
4. Place in the oven preheated to +180 degrees. Leave for 5-10 minutes.

In the oven, the chicken is treated with heat and thaws evenly. You should carefully monitor the carcass: if you overcook it, it will become too dry on the outside, cooking inside under the influence of steam.

How long can you store defrosted chicken?

Poultry thawed in the refrigerator can be stored for no more than a day. In all other cases, you should immediately begin cooking the meat.

If this is not possible, you should place the chicken pieces in the marinade and refrigerate. In this form, it will not spoil for another 2-4 hours.

The shelf life of dishes prepared from defrosted poultry meat also differs. It is advisable to eat them immediately after cooking and not leave them for longer than a day, even in the refrigerator.

Which product cannot be defrosted?

After removing chicken from the freezer, you need to carefully inspect it for signs of spoilage.

You cannot defrost and subsequently prepare dishes from poultry that:

• stored in the freezer for more than 9 months,
• has a gray-pink tint to the skin, inclusions of brown color: this indicates the process of microbial proliferation in the fibers due to repeated defrosting and freezing, improper storage,
• has an unpleasant odor, a sticky surface (this is detected after complete thawing),
• moldy: the meat is affected by spores of fungal microorganisms,
• has a green, grayish-green color: the chicken was spoiled before freezing.

There are many methods for accelerated preparation of a product for heat treatment. The correct way to defrost a bird is not quick, but natural.

It needs to be removed from the freezer, the packaging and pieces of ice removed, placed in a deep container, and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The product is defrosted for 12-24 hours, while completely retaining its taste and beneficial properties.

Is it possible to bake frozen chicken?

This question worries many housewives, especially when guests are on the doorstep. And you need to deal not only with the main course, but also with salads and even dessert. You can also bake the chicken frozen. However, some consistency needs to be observed. First, the temperature in the oven should be at a minimum, for at least 10-15 minutes. After this, take out the chicken, rinse it from ice and blood, brush it with spices, turn up the heat and put the carcass back in the oven. If you put the chicken straight into a hot oven, it will not cook evenly.

Some housewives prefer to marinate the chicken in advance. If you bought fresh chicken, rinse and marinate it before freezing - brush with salt and spices before putting the carcass in the freezer. Then, when an emergency arises and you need ready-made and tasty food within an hour, you can wrap the chicken carcass in foil and put it in the oven. First, keep the meat on low heat until the chicken is defrosted, then simply open the foil and add heat. A tasty and ready-made dish will be ready in 40 minutes.

Defrosting in hot water

The worst way to quickly defrost chicken is to immerse it in boiling water. Of course, after a couple of minutes you will get warm, soft meat, but after cooking it will become dry and tough.

This method is only suitable for subsequent preparation of broth. If you are not interested in cooked meat, but only need a rich broth, then this method is just what you need.

Unpack the chicken carcass and place it in a bowl of hot water. After some time it will cool down. You will need to drain it and add boiling water again. This way you will get the desired result quite quickly.

For faster results, place the carcass under running hot water.

Defrosting in the refrigerator

Perhaps the most correct option for preparing a frozen carcass for cooking is to gradually defrost it. In this case, the meat will turn out juicy and aromatic, melting in your mouth.

In order to do everything correctly, you need to unpack the purchased bird and put it in a deep bowl. This is necessary so that there is a place to collect the liquid that the carcass will release during the heating process.

Place the chicken in the refrigerator, preferably on the top shelf. According to the laws of physics, warm air predominantly collects at the top, everyone knows this. The refrigerator in this case is no exception.

Due to the fact that the poultry meat will defrost gradually, you will achieve the desired result in preparing the dish. It is worth saying that this process can take ten hours or more. It all depends on the size and weight of the bird. It would be wiser to defrost it overnight so that you get a chilled carcass in the morning.

Signs of a spoiled bird

It is quite easy to distinguish a good product from an unsuitable one. There are several telltale signs that chicken has gone bad.

You need to carefully examine the product for signs such as:

• strange greenish or bluish tint to the bird;
• brown spots indicate a pathogenic process (reproduction of bacteria or fungi);
• presence of mold;
• stickiness and foreign odor.

If any of these signs are present, the chicken should be discarded. Eating such a product can lead to disastrous consequences: poisoning or even death.

It is also not recommended to use a carcass that has been frozen for more than a year. There may be a hidden fungus in it.