How Do You Defrost the Meat for Tonight's Dinner?

For tonight? Soak it in water--shrimp.

Usually, I take it out around 4 in the afternoon the day before. I then let it sit out for a while, and then I put it in the frig. I find it needs more than a night in the frig to defrost usually, so I like to get it stated on the counter.

If it's a last minute thing, I will use the microwave.

I move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Leaving it out on the counter is not an option for two reasons - spoilage and pets. If one didn't ruin it, the other would.
If it's not thawed enough to cook by the time I want to start dinner, I put it in the sink and run hot water over it.

I've never gotten sick from doing it this way, and neither has anyone in my family.
I have only had food poisoning once in my life, and that was from Taco Bell. My ex had it once, after eating applesauce that he could SMELL was fermented, but he "didn't want it to go to waste." I told him that once it smelled like hard cider, it was already wasted. My daughter had it once after eating pasta in alfredo sauce for lunch that she had left in a doggie bag in the car overnight.

Typically, I take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge overnight (sometimes two depending on the cut/size of meat). If it forget, I'll put the wrapped meat in my iron skillet and sit on the counter. This speeds up the thaw.

Ack! I did PR for the meat industry years ago and some of you having me cringing! I wrote a lot about e. coli and now I totally understand how people still pick it up.

Do NOT thaw on the counter! Ever. Don't, don't, don't. DANGEROUS.

Best way by far is to put it in the fridge the day before. You'll keep the temperature consistent and it will thaw nicely.

If I forget, I microwave thaw. Not ideal, but I'll do it in a pinch. You can also soak in cold water to thaw, but that's also uneven. Key thing is to cook immediately afterward, in case there are parts susceptible to foodborne illnesses cropping up.

Here are some good tips for the entire process:
http://meatsafety.org/ht/d/sp/i/26023/pid/26023

I pull it out of the freezer an put in the fridge at least 24 hours, but not more than 72 hours before I am going to use it. Never thaw on the counter or in warm water. You can thaw in cold water, as long as you change the water frequently.

If it's going into the crock pot in the morning, I put it out the night before and let it thaw. I usually put it in the sink so any excess moisture can drain.

If it's going to be cooked that evening, I put it out in the morning.

I never use a warm water bath. Heat grows bacteria. This is not good food-handling technique. A cold water bath will thaw the meat more safely if you're really in a pickle.

I've defrosted in the microwave before, but I don't like how it defrosts and I've found that a cold water bath seems to defrost pretty quickly.

If all else fails, I'll just go get a fresh item from the grocery and remember to put tomorrow's dinner out to thaw in time. :-) Or choose something else that I don't have to thaw.

The food handling practices I was taught instructed us to defrost meats IN the refrigerator. Unless your fridge is on an arctic setting, I would try that. Doing it the night before is better.

If you were home, honestly, I'd just say 'set it on the counter and check it once in a while.

If you do the warm water method, the meat eventually gets started 'cooking' on the outside while the inside stays solid and cold.

If it is frozen solid you can safely set it out on the counter top for an hour or two, maybe 3 to thaw. Keep an eye on it if it starts to feel warm to the touch put in on a plate and in the refrig. I put raw meat on a plate of some sort to stop the meat blood from dripping onto other things in the refrig.

When I thaw in the microwave I set the weight for about half of the actual weight of the meat. This way it does start to thaw but doesn't start to cook.

Another vote for NEVER EVER thawing on the counter or under warm water. Any temperature above 40 deg F allows already existing, dormant bacteria to start multiplying. People get sick more often than they realize from poor food handling techniques. Bacteria multiples rapidly between the temperatures of 40 to 140 deg F - keep cold food cold and hot food hot.

I put the meat in the fridge the night before. But if I forget, I do one of two things - change my meals (and take out the frozen meat right then and there, putting it in the fridge so it will be ready for the next day) OR if it's not a thick cut of meat, I will set it under running cold water. The continuously running cold water helps evenly defrost the meat and keeps the temperature from rising and causing bacteria issues. However, I have to make sure the packaging is secure or the meat gets watery. I hate wasting all the water to defrost so typically I change my meal plans.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov

I put it in the fridge one to two days before I plan to use it.

I typically have a menu - so I take it out the night before or the morning of.

I work from home - so I have a tad bit of luxury and freedom in defrosting. However, when my menu gets messed up? I put it in water and let it defrost that way.

The only way to get around defrosting in the microwave and it not cooking it? Make sure you do not have it in a bag or package, make sure you spread out as much of the meat as you can and flip it half way through.

It would be nice if I planned ahead more but I tend to decide what I am going to prepare the day of preparation.

So, I tend to put the frozen meat on a plate at room temp and check it often. If I decide early enough in the day, I will put the plate in the fridge.

Last weekend, I made BBQ country ribs and I just frozen ribs in the crock pot with a little apple juice and BBQ sauce and slow cooked them all afternoon. They were great.

We like our beef rare so it is not unusual for us to start a dish with a mostly frozen steak or burger.

Like you, a microwave thawing is last resort because some of the meat cooks and I also think it is gross.

Personally, I actually cook most of meat frozen. That way the ice crystals in the middle melt and give the meat moisture inside while it cooks. This is especially good for cooking a whole turkey. I have found its the only way to make a really good moist bird. I also do it with frozen chicken pieces, I buy the tenderloins or breasts in the bags frozen, and have a lot of luck with them. Steak we don't freeze, we just buy it the day or two before we want it. But, that is the only thing we don't freeze.

NEVER EVER would I leave it on the counter or thaw it in warm water!!!! I have had food poisoning too many times to even risk that at all. I am also extremely careful with beans as they are a botulism factory.

I guess the answer to your question, is that I don't. I cook it frozen. If I have to, I will microwave it, but I have never really liked that option.

If I'm really on top of things (hahahaha), I put it in the refrigerator the night before. But I'll be honest, that rarely happens. Usually I put it in a warm water bath, and change out the water every few minutes. That thaws it out pretty quickly. Technically, according to Serv-Safe guidelines, you're supposed to thaw it by running cold water over it, but... yeah, I live in the real world, so hot water it is. ;)

Our microwave has a defrost setting which thaws perfectly without cooking it.
I usually take it right from the freezer, thaw it in the microwave then proceed with cooking it.
Sometimes I'll take from the freezer the night before and thaw in the fridge.
I never leave anything out on the counter - that's just food poisoning waiting to happen.

I always defrost meat in the microwave at 50% power. If yours is starting to cook then cut the time and power and flip or turn the meat more often.

If you own a cast iron pan or grill, you can set your wrapped meat on that. The first side will take 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to defrost, and the second side about 15-20 minutes. Cast iron absorbs and holds cold as well as heat and pulls the frost out of the meat in record time!

If I thaw out in the fridge I have to do it at least 3 days in advanced to be completely thawed. I do this for ground meat for meatloaf, steaks and most whole poultry. For meat I am just browning or chicken pieces I will submerge in tepid water in the sink for about 1 hour changing the water every 15-20 minutes. Very middle doesn't always thaw completely but it works.

Typically I set it out on the counter and stick it in the fridge while it's still cold. If I forget I'll put in warm water if it's in a sealed package. Depending on what it is I can cook the meat frozen or just make a meatless meal like baked ziti or something.

I put the meat on the counter in the morning. I work from home, so when I notice that it is defrosted completely I can just put it in the fridge. But it is usually just left out all day, honestly. I know you aren't "supposed" to defrost meat that way, but I have always done it, my mom always did it. I have never gotten food poisoning, nor has my family. I only defrost in water if I forgot to set it out in the morning. I agree about the microwave - yucky.

If I am going to be home all day or most of it, I will take the meat out and set it on the counter around 10 maybe...checking it periodically...once it seems very cold to the touch but not frozen anymore, I stick it in the fridge if its too early for dinner. I don't leave my meats out overnight, it seems too long! If I am on top of it, I will take something out of the freezer the night before the dinner plans and stick it in the fridge and that usually works well. The only time I cook frozen meat is in the crockpot oh high watching it closely. The warm water thing I do, ONLY when I need the meat right away, I don't want the temp to rise to warm unless its cooking time. I never defrost with the microwave, I am with you...yuck!

I set it on a plate in the microwave to thaw during the day.

I always "think" I'm going to plan ahead, but I never do. lol So I pull it out of the freezer in the morning, fill up part of the sink with hot water and let it soak in there for most of the day. Then I either throw it in the crock around 1pm or cook it for dinner later in the day. I have NEVER gotten sick and in fact, knock on wood, no one in my family has thrown up or had stomach issues for years and years. Good luck.

I put it in the fridge a day or two beforehand. Sometimes if it has just been a day it will still be a bit frozen. Then I put it in cool water or defrost it in the microwave. If my microwave is cooking it, I switch to a cooler setting (power 2 instead of 3) and that usually works!

what an awesome question! I'm glad you asked,

the fridge never seems to thaw it we prob have it on artic

planning a head is a joke,

the cold water works but sometimes takes a long time.

and yes microwave is gross, but i'll try reducing the time.

Depends on what it is. Solid cuts of meat can be cooked from frozen and doesn't need to be thawed.

I use microwave. This is the first microwave that defrosts meat perfectly. I only do that if I did not take anything out. If I take out night before I put it in frig. If in the morning, I leave it on counter