How to Unfreeze Steak: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

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How to Unfreeze Steak: 8 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Unfreeze Steak: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Unfreeze Steak: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Unfreeze Steak: 8 Steps (with Pictures)
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The safest way to defrost pork chops is to leave them in the fridge overnight. The problem is, to do this, you need to plan ahead. The good news is that you can still make the steak for dinner when you get home and take it out of the freezer. Use cold water or a microwave to defrost meat quickly and safely.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Using Cold Water

Defrost Pork Chops Step 1
Defrost Pork Chops Step 1

Step 1. Take a bowl and fill it with tap water

Temperature is the key point when defrosting food safely. The water must always be cold. Fill the bowl with water until you can dip the chops.

Bacteria multiply faster from 4°C onwards, so using cold water will keep the chops below that temperature

Defrost Pork Chops Step 2
Defrost Pork Chops Step 2

Step 2. Place the pork chops in a leak-proof plastic bag

You can separate each chop or, if they're stacked, put them all in a zippered plastic bag. This protection will prevent water from reaching the meat and contaminating it with bacteria present in the air.

Defrost Pork Chops Step 3
Defrost Pork Chops Step 3

Step 3. Soak the chops in the cold water bath

Do not let the water come to room temperature! Change it every 20 or 30 minutes.

You can also place the bowl under an open faucet, but this will waste a lot of water

Defrost Pork Chops Step 4
Defrost Pork Chops Step 4

Step 4. Take the chops out of the cold water bath when they thaw

Individually packaged pork chops will take about 30 minutes to thaw. In the stacked ones, the top and bottom chops will defrost first. As soon as they defrost, take these chops out and put them in the fridge. Reseal the plastic bag and put the rest of the pork chops back into the cold water.

Once they have defrosted in cold water, you need to cook the pork chops before freezing them again

Method 2 of 2: In the microwave

Defrost Pork Chops Step 5
Defrost Pork Chops Step 5

Step 1. Place unwrapped pork chops on a microwave-safe plate

If you are defrosting just one, place it in the middle of the plate. If there are three, divide the space on the plate into three equal parts. Help them to defrost evenly by removing all the packaging.

If the chops are different sizes, put the smaller or thinner ones in the middle of the plate, as the edges get hotter

Defrost Pork Chops Step 6
Defrost Pork Chops Step 6

Step 2. Put on low (30%) or medium (50%) power for two minutes

Power and efficiency vary widely from microwave to microwave. The "high" or normal power of any microwave is too strong for defrosting meat.

The "defrost" option of the microwaves is equivalent to 30-50% power

Defrost Pork Chops Step 7
Defrost Pork Chops Step 7

Step 3. Turn the chops and thaw for another two minutes

Since microwaves heat food unevenly, it is necessary to turn and rotate the chops to help distribute the heat better. Take a fork or chopstick to stir the chops and continue heating until the chops thaw, which will take five to ten minutes (depending on how many chops there are).

  • If chops are stacked, start by placing 30-second intervals to separate them as soon as possible.
  • The edges of the steaks may start to cook during this process.
Defrost Pork Chops Step 8
Defrost Pork Chops Step 8

Step 4. Take the defrosted meat out of the microwave and cook it

Since thawed foods must be cooked immediately, defrost pork chops 10 minutes or so before cooking, grilling, or roasting.

As with the cold water method, you can freeze the chops again after they are cooked

Tips

  • Thawing meat in the refrigerator is the safest option. The size of the piece will determine how long it will take to thaw, but for pork chops, one night is enough. Whole turkeys, for example, take one to three days to thaw.
  • When defrosting in the refrigerator, the bottom shelf is the coldest in refrigerators that have a common freezer and the top shelf is the coldest in refrigerators with ice machines.

Notices

  • Never leave perishable foods, such as frozen pork chops, unfreezing on the sink counter. Doing so leaves food vulnerable to bacterial growth, which causes food poisoning.
  • Do not leave perishable foods that have been in the refrigerator or freezer at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and do the same with any utensils and surfaces that came into contact with raw steaks during defrosting.

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