Grilling for memorial day weekend? Don’t neglect to correctly thaw your frozen meat first. That means that you must transfer your frozen grill meat to the fridge right this moment. Experts warn in opposition to cooking frozen meat as a result of the inner temperature usually does not get excessive sufficient to kill lingering micro organism, particularly round bones and extra central buildings. If consumed, this will pose a really severe well being threat. We requested Diego Campos Vargas, govt chef at CAMP in Greenville, South Carolina, an knowledgeable in terms of churning out high-quality dishes for carnivores and agrees with this recommendation. I lately dined at his institution the place I noshed on the whole lot from seared scallops and grilled octopus to steak pinchos and merguez agnolotti — all of which had been cooked completely and left a long-lasting impression. “Unfortunately, we live in a society where we expect things to move fast and to be ready, but food shouldn’t be that way. You shouldn’t speed up cooking methods and processes,” he says. “You can cook meat from frozen, but not with all products,” he provides.That stated, Vargas shares with us one exception to the thaw course of. Here are his prime suggestions for anybody who could also be brief on time, however not on attaining flavorful mealtime success. Best practices for safely thawing meat Poultry and different massive cuts if meat must be thawed slowly within the fridge for security. Getty Images1. The gradual thaw is greatestNothing beats a gradual thawing technique to protect the integrity of meat and put together it safely. “Ideally, you want to thaw proteins slowly in a fridge,” says Vargas. “At CAMP, we plan ahead. When we get our delivery on Wednesday, we know we will need to prepare the duck confit, octopus, etc. over the weekend.””Instead of storing in the freezer, we will store it in sheet pans inside our walk-in. This way, the product slowly gets to the same temperature as the walk-in. By the second day, the protein is ready to be processed and cooked as needed,” he provides. 2. Thaw underneath chilly operating water But if time is of the essence and also you’re in a scenario the place meat have to be thawed instantly, Vargas says that one of the best follow is to put the protein in a container underneath the sink and permit chilly water to run constantly over it. “This will ensure the water stays at a constant temperature,” he says. “The Department of Health and Environmental Control recommends that you run cold water when practicing this technique because bacteria love that 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit environment.”Read extra: How to Properly Thaw Turkey3. No time to thaw? Braising is your greatest guessIf there’s one cooking approach that yields probably the most profitable cooking-from-frozen final result, it is braising. Not solely does the preliminary excessive temperature and subsequent prolonged cooking time kill micro organism and break down the meat’s powerful fibers, but it surely’s a technique that additionally permits the layering of flavors alongside the way in which. “You will be able to infuse more flavor and moisture to the end product throughout the cooking method,” Vargas says. The greatest approach to thaw frozen meat is within the fridge over night time. Annick Aanderschelden Photography/Getty ImagesTo braise frozen meat, begin by searing both sides of the reduce (see beneath on one of the best reduce varieties) with olive oil or butter in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high warmth. The meat ought to develop a crust and switch golden brown. Once this occurs, take away the meat from the pot and set it apart. Next, add aromatics reminiscent of garlic and onions and soften them within the leftover fats. You might have to scoop out a little bit of the protein’s juices beforehand, as frozen meat will launch extra liquid than thawed meat. Deglaze the pan with a liquid of selection. This will usually be inventory, broth, wine and even beer. Bring the pot to a simmer and add your meat, guaranteeing that the liquid does not utterly cowl it. Instead, the protein must be sitting in a shallow bathtub on low warmth.Cover the pot and permit for the meat to cook dinner for a pair hours or till it reaches desired tenderness. You also can add greens, herbs or the rest to reinforce flavors, although cooking occasions will fluctuate by ingredient (i.e. a potato goes to take longer to cook dinner than celery). It’s additionally suggested that frozen meat be reduce into smaller items earlier than or after searing, as it’ll cook dinner extra evenly and well timed. Safety tip: The sort of meat and reduce issues Tender cuts of steak must be thawed earlier than cooking, no questions requested. ChowhoundIt’s no shock that totally different protein cuts usually require totally different cooking methods and occasions to maximise their taste and tenderness. Vargas recommends, at the very least with beef, that you just take the reduce of meat into consideration earlier than deciding to braise from frozen. Typically, bigger cuts that demand longer cooking occasions reminiscent of osso bucco are perfect for braising. If it is a filet mignon that solely requires a couple of minutes of sear, the meat have to be thawed. A great rule of thumb: If the protein will actually remodel and break down via braising, it must be OK to cook dinner from frozen. Anything smaller and with much less fats content material would require a thaw. How lengthy you freeze your proteins matter, too Simply inserting meat within the freezer will not suffice to increase its life. Different varieties profit from totally different freezing methods and lengths of time. Some meats will thaw faster than others Qwart/Getty ImagesExcessive-fat cuts like rib eyes can actually final within the freezer for longer, but it surely’s clever to comply with these really useful freezing occasions for extra widespread choices: Octopus: one monthChicken breast: two monthsChicken legs and thighs:three monthsPork butt: three monthsPork chops: two monthsBeef filets: two monthsChuck beef: 4 months “As a rule of thumb, I would say that you want to freeze proteins for less time if they cook at a lower temperature,” recommends Vargas. “For example: fish is cooked ‘well-done’ at 135 degrees Fahrenheit while beef is cooked well-done at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You want to freeze fish and all other seafood for less time than you would beef and pork.”Proper sealing is vital through the freeze To obtain most freezer capabilities, Vargas recommends investing in a vacuum seal machine with correct storage baggage. “I freeze leftover raw proteins all the time in my house,” he reveals. “The bags also make it easy for thawing in the fridge.” Fish may also be frozen, however not for so long as beef may be. Ilia Nesolenyi/Getty Images”When freezing, water molecules freeze, but when thawed out, the molecules melt and become the liquid that leaks from the protein,” explains Vargas. “All those juices could be part of the protein, but they are lost after freezing. This influences the quality of the product greatly.”Looking for the newest and biggest fashions to maintain meat and all of its parts intact? Check out our round-up of the highest vacuum sealers of 2025.
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