How to quickly defrost frozen meat without microwave

I’ve listed what kind of foods and dishes that I prepare and freeze in case of emergencies in my “The foods and dishes that every practical mama keep in their freezer” post. I freeze a lot of meat patties, meat balls, poultry and fish for last minute lunch/dinner prep.

When you freeze meat, any kind, the safest and healthiest way to unfreeze or thaw them is to plan for your dish in advance and thaw the frozen meat in the refrigerator for a day. However, as we all know, life of a parent barely works according to plan. Therefore, there are many times when I need to thaw the meat right there, right then.

In this case, I fill a big cooking pot with hot water. Then I put the meats in a ziploc bag in that water and thaw them out. As the meat thaws, I check the temperature of the water and renew the hot water as needed.

I prefer not to use microwave because the meat starts to cook at the edges or thin places.

I never ever leave the meat outside, under the direct sunlight for long periods of time. The longer the time raw meat is exposed to air, the more the bacteria multiply. So the shorter and less air exposure, the better.

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