Don’t thaw meat in water anymore! New way to thaw meat——

Review expert: Wang Xiaohui, deputy senior engineer in food science, editor-in-chief of Food Interesting Science Popularization

In our fast-paced life, frozen meat has become a common sight on many family tables. Do you have a lot of meat frozen in your refrigerator?

Whether it is a busy weekday or a leisurely weekend, are you used to taking a piece of frozen meat out of the refrigerator in advance and soaking it in warm or cold water? Some elders at home choose to rinse it directly with running water and cook it after thawing. But today, I must tell you a fact that subverts traditional cognition: meat should really not be thawed in water!

1. Why is it not recommended to thaw meat in water?

When preparing food for daily cooking, thawing meat in water seems simple and quick, but it actually hides many risks. It not only causes nutrient loss and bacterial growth, but also affects the taste and texture of meat.

Thawing blisters ≈ a breeding ground for bacteria

You should know that freezing cannot completely kill bacteria and other microorganisms in the meat, but it only slows down their growth and reproduction.

When the meat is taken out of the refrigerator and begins to thaw, the microorganisms "wake up" from their "dormant" state and prepare to grow. Soaking meat directly in water, especially in warm or hot water, undoubtedly provides an ideal breeding environment for bacteria.

It usually takes at least an hour to thaw a pound of meat in water, and the larger the meat, the longer it takes. In this way, bacteria and other microorganisms will grow more actively due to the warm water temperature, humid environment and rich nutrients in the meat, thus posing a food safety risk.

Thawing of water bubbles ≈ "loss station" of nutrition and taste

When the meat is thawed by soaking it in water, the nutrients rich in the meat, such as soluble protein, amino acids and B vitamins, will gradually be lost during the thawing process due to the long soaking time. At the same time, the taste will be greatly reduced, and the original freshness and deliciousness will be lost.

Some people may think that soaking meat in hot water to thaw quickly can avoid these problems. In fact, this seems to be a clever method, but it hides greater risks.

If you use warm water below 60℃, the thawing speed will be faster, but this also means that the loss of meat nutrition will be more serious. In the state of rapid thawing, the moisture of the meat will be lost at a faster rate, making the meat tougher, the taste worse, and bacteria and other microorganisms more likely to multiply.

If hot water above 60℃ is used, the situation will be even more difficult. The meat is likely to be cooked on the outside and frozen on the inside. Especially for large pieces of meat, the outer layer may be almost cooked, but the inside is still frozen, which not only greatly increases the difficulty of cooking, but may also cause the center of the food to not be fully cooked, affecting the eating experience and increasing the risk of foodborne diseases.

2. There are some tips for thawing meat

Please remember these three scientific methods!

Since there are many disadvantages to thawing meat in water, what is the correct way to thaw it? These three methods are safe and efficient and are recommended to everyone.

01

Refrigerator low temperature slow lysis method

The most robust thawing option

Place the meat in a fresh-keeping box or bag one day in advance, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator, and use the stable low temperature environment of the refrigerator (generally maintained at 0-4°C) to achieve slow thawing.

Although this method is time-consuming, the low temperature environment can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms, maintain the freshness of the meat to the greatest extent, and reduce the loss of nutrients.

02

Microwave fast thawing method

A powerful assistant in emergencies

When you need to defrost meat urgently, microwave thawing is the fastest and most convenient choice at home. Many microwave ovens are now equipped with professional defrosting functions. You only need to set the time and put the food to be thawed in. When using, you can also cut the meat into pieces of appropriate size to increase the heating area and speed up the thawing speed.

03

Cold water immersion modification

A safe choice for fast thawing

If you need to defrost quickly and don't have a microwave, you can try the improved cold water thawing method, which is faster than refrigerating.

Seal the meat in a fresh-keeping bag or box, and then soak it in clean tap water. However, when thawing it with cold water, you need to be careful: you cannot soak it in warm or hot water. At the same time, control the soaking time and change the water every half an hour.

3. Defrosting Tips

1. Plan first

No matter which thawing method you use, you should plan ahead to avoid last-minute preparations. Refrigerator thawing requires at least one day of preparation in advance.

2. Avoid repeated thawing

Thawed meat should be cooked and eaten as soon as possible to avoid refreezing. If it is necessary to preserve it, it should be cooked until it is thoroughly cooked, then cooled and refrigerated or frozen.

3. Pay attention to hygiene

During the thawing process, keep your hands clean at all times, and clean and disinfect used containers and tools in time to prevent cross contamination.

Remember, every time you cook is a commitment to your family’s health. Forward this to your parents and tell them not to soak the meat in water anymore!