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Straha's Defrosting Tip
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:13am
by Straha
I just tried this and it works great. Next time you want to defrost something like a steak instead of putting it through the microwave and pre-cooking it and adding that crappy taste, just take out some metal surface (I used a frying pan) put the frozen item on it, and let it sit. After ~15 minutes it will be totally defrosted and fine for cooking, and without microwave taste.
Enjoy.
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:16am
by Spanky The Dolphin
Putting it in a container of hot water works too.
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:18am
by Montcalm
You know microwaves come with a defrost option.
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:24am
by aerius
Saw that on the Discovery Channel a few weeks ago. The metal conducts heat into the food and defrosts it a lot faster than just leaving it out on the table. Kinda like a heatsink working in reverse, it conducts heat into things instead of away from things.
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:43am
by kojikun
aerius wrote:Saw that on the Discovery Channel a few weeks ago. The metal conducts heat into the food and defrosts it a lot faster than just leaving it out on the table. Kinda like a heatsink working in reverse, it conducts heat into things instead of away from things.
not even in reverse. its just transferring heat from the hot spots (CPU, air) to the cold spots (coolant, meat).
Posted: 2004-02-24 12:44am
by Howedar
Bleh you defrosted with a microwave?
Just leave it wrapped in the sink in the morning. Unless you've got your thermostat turned up to a zillion degrees, it will still be cool when cooking time comes.
Posted: 2004-02-24 01:49am
by Xon
Why the hell do you defrosted stuff?
Just add straight to the cooking, saves a heck of a lot of time.
Sure you need to wrap stuff in freeser wrapping to prevent the stuff from sticking together, but thats no biggy.
Posted: 2004-02-24 05:29am
by Faram
I just put it in the refrigerator overnight and it's perfect in the afternoon.
Posted: 2004-02-24 08:02am
by Hethrir
aerius wrote:...Kinda like a heatsink working in reverse, it conducts heat into things instead of away from things.
A COLDSINK!!!
Posted: 2004-02-24 10:17am
by Chardok
For quick defrosting, It's hot water in the sink, drop it in, Defrosted in 15 minutes, If that.
Posted: 2004-02-24 03:18pm
by Korvan
ggs wrote:Why the hell do you defrosted stuff?
Just add straight to the cooking, saves a heck of a lot of time.
Sure you need to wrap stuff in freeser wrapping to prevent the stuff from sticking together, but thats no biggy.
I'll do that with steak sometimes. You get it charred nicely on the surface, but inside it's still blue. Yummmm!!!!!
Posted: 2004-02-24 05:14pm
by EmperorChrostas the Cruel
Thawing meat with hot water is a BAD idea. Use cold water.
The hot water creates a zone of warm meat at the surface, allowing bacteria to multiply while the center is still frozen solid.(Salmanilla) Cold water solves the bacteria problem, and the time saved using hot water is minimal, compared to cold water. The hot water becomes cold soon, but not before the bacteria has had 20 minutes or so at the optimum reproductive temperature.
Food poisoning sucks.
Posted: 2004-02-24 06:59pm
by The Aliens
I just leave it in the fridge in the morning and come dinnertime it's good.
Posted: 2004-02-24 07:18pm
by Xon
Korvan wrote:ggs wrote:Why the hell do you defrosted stuff?
Just add straight to the cooking, saves a heck of a lot of time.
Sure you need to wrap stuff in freeser wrapping to prevent the stuff from sticking together, but thats no biggy.
I'll do that with steak sometimes. You get it charred nicely on the surface, but inside it's still blue. Yummmm!!!!!
I guess you dont know how to cook.
If you turn up the tempertaure too high, regardless of if its frozen or not, you just burn the outside and dont cook the inside.
More importantly, it is a health risk to have anything less that well cooked meat.
From what I can see when I visited America, their idea of 'well done' steak wouldnt even be a medium rare in Australia.
Hint: Asking for a 'well done' steak in Australia will normally get you something akin to a lump of charcole. Except more ediable.
Posted: 2004-02-24 09:07pm
by Korvan
Not being cooked is the whole point of eating meat blue. I just happen to sometimes like my steak extra rare, but I also like it well seared on the outside. Starting with a frozen steak, on my grill by the time the surface is just the way I like it, the inside of the steak is no longer frozen and is at a pleasant temperature.
if the steak hasn't been contaminated at the slaughterhouse, only the surface should harbour any significant amount of bacteria.
Posted: 2004-02-24 10:39pm
by Col. Crackpot
in cuts of meat the bacteria stays, for the most part, on the surface area and is killed off with even light cooking. the problem with rareness applies to GROUND meats.
Posted: 2004-02-25 12:01am
by Slartibartfast
I use one of those special metal plates from those infomercials that I got for free. It works pretty fast, about 5 minutes to defrost a steak.
Posted: 2004-02-25 02:41pm
by Korvan
It's good that you got it for free, 'cause there's nothing special about those defrosting plates. Many uncoated metal surfaces will do the same thing, how fast just depends on the metal's thermal conductivity and somewhat on its mass.
Posted: 2004-02-25 04:04pm
by Slartibartfast
Well, I think the point is that it is made from a metal with a specially high thermal conductivity, as opposed to, I dunno, iron?
Posted: 2004-02-25 07:34pm
by Korvan
Slartibartfast wrote:Well, I think the point is that it is made from a metal with a specially high thermal conductivity, as opposed to, I dunno, iron?
I saw a consumer reports show on them. They're plain old aluminum. They do what they claim, but don't pay anymore than you would for a similar sized slab of aluminum.