Frozen food was one of the great innovations of the 20th century. Of course, that convenient new preservation method came with a corresponding inconvenience: having to thaw things before we cook them. The USDA endorses three defrosting methods: in the fridge overnight, in the microwave, or in cold water. While all three are effective, there’s…
The Two-Pan Hack To Defrost Meat
Here’s how it works:
• Take one metal skillet (or other shallow metal pan) and place it upside down on your counter.
• Lay the package of food you want to defrost (meat, poultry, etc.) on top of the first pan.
• Put a second metal pan on top of the food, right side up.
• Give it about an hour or so to thaw.
Tip: This hack works best with meat that’s packaged as flat as possible. Consider portioning the meat into freezer bags and using a rolling pin or an empty wine bottle to compress it.
You can speed things up by putting a bit of weight in the top pan, such as a can of vegetables or a cup or two of water. This is optional, but that added weight helps make sure there’s good contact between the meat and the metal.
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Now that you know how it works, you probably want to know why it works. Well, it’s basic science: Heat always moves from a warmer spot to a colder spot. When you cook, your skillets transfer the stove’s heat to your food; this thawing hack is just a slower version of that process, using the room’s ambient temperature as the heat source.
But What About Food Safety?
Quick weeknight meals are important, but food safety is even more important, of course. That’s why the USDA emphasizes overnight thawing in your refrigerator: It ensures your food always stays at a safe temperature. This skillet method falls into the same category as thawing in cold water: Only use it for food you plan to cook right away since it will get warmer than the safe range for storage. Still, it beats microwave thawing (which is uneven and gives you partially cooked spots) and water thawing (which can be messy and risks waterlogging your food).
This method won’t work for all cuts, of course. It’s best for things like thin steaks and chops, or packages of sliced or ground meat — especially if they’ve been packed flat to save thawing time and storage space. For larger items, such as a roast or a whole chicken, you’ll still need to use another defrosting method. They’re simply too large to thaw completely within a food-safe time frame, and their irregular shape means the top pan would just slide off.
