Straha's Defrosting Tip

Straha · Post by **Straha** » 2004-02-24 12:13am

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.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-02-24 12:16am

Putting it in a container of hot water works too.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2004-02-24 12:18am

You know microwaves come with a defrost option.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2004-02-24 12:24am

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.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-02-24 12:43am

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).

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-02-24 12:44am

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.

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2004-02-24 01:49am

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.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2004-02-24 05:29am

I just put it in the refrigerator overnight and it's perfect in the afternoon.

Hethrir · Post by **Hethrir** » 2004-02-24 08:02am

aerius wrote:...Kinda like a heatsink working in reverse, it conducts heat into things instead of away from things.

A COLDSINK!!!

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-02-24 10:17am

For quick defrosting, It's hot water in the sink, drop it in, Defrosted in 15 minutes, If that.

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2004-02-24 03:18pm

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!!!!!

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2004-02-24 05:14pm

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.

The Aliens · Post by **The Aliens** » 2004-02-24 06:59pm

I just leave it in the fridge in the morning and come dinnertime it's good.

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2004-02-24 07:18pm

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.

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2004-02-24 09:07pm

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.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-02-24 10:39pm

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.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-02-25 12:01am

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.

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2004-02-25 02:41pm

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.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-02-25 04:04pm

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?

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2004-02-25 07:34pm

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.