Step away from the kitchen counter!
Check out the safest methods for how to thaw meat quickly, without risking food poisoning.
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If theres one thing in life you dont want to take chances on, its raw meat.
Claire Rifkin, RDNis a NYC-based private practice dietitian.
Experts in This Article
Claire Rifkin, RDNis a NYC-based private practice dietitian.
a registered dietitian and owner of Podob Nutrition
The first step:Dontleave frozen meat on the counter.
While your grandmother may swear by this method ofthawing out meat, it is not safe.
(Odds are, she also never wore her seatbelt and her kids didnt have car seats.)
However, for the scatter-brained (or busy!)
So whats the best way to thaw meat ASAPwithoutrisking food poisoning?
I asked some fellow dietitians for some tips.
Hold on, why cant you thaw meat on the counter?
In short: Thawing meat on the counter is secretly really gross.
Claire Rifkin, RDNis a NYC-based private practice dietitian.
(Theres a reason why my microbiology professor fondly referred to salmonella andE.colias the two bucket diseases.)
Sure, the whole package of frozen meat eventually thaws out while sitting out on the counter.
Doesnt the bacteria cook off?
Cooking may kill bacteria, but it may not eliminate all toxins produced by them, Podob explains.
Plan to move items from the freezer to the fridge at least one day in advance.
Bigger frozen items typically requirea full day for every five pounds to thaw.
(Noted for next Thanksgiving.)
Use cold water
Did you forget to move that those frozen cutlets to the fridge?
Weve all been there.
Thankfully, using cold water is the next best optionand its way faster than the fridge method.
The quickest method to thaw meat involves a cold-water bath, says Podob.
The USDA recommends changing the water every 30 minutes or so as your food thaws.
Once you thaw the food completely, cook it ASAP.
Simply use the defrost button, or cook food at 20-30 percent power.
Check every so often while it defrosts, rotating or flipping over food as needed.
Be sure yourbig appliancesare doing their jobs, too.
Last but not least, cook your meat to theproper temperatures.
Other kinds of meat need to be cooked to a higher temperature.
Chicken, turkey, and other poultry should be cooked to 165F.
For ground or skewered meats, an internal temperature of 160F is necessary, Rifkin says.
Yet another reason why a food thermometer is anessential kitchen tool.
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