Defrosting meat in the microwave

[bekah]

Is this really so wrong???

My parents have always done it and it did me no harm, but my partner (a farmer) nearly turned me to stone with the evil daggers he gave me when I suggested he shoved the frozen mince in to defrost. What is the problem with it????

[andyjevs]

We do it all the time...chicken breasts, mince etc. Most microwaves have a "meat defrost" section too

[Goodsoulette]

It does also effect the texture of the meat if you defrost it in the microwave. Chicken and pork I think is much safer to defrost it in the refridgerator over night, that is how you defrost everything in a commercial kitchen.

Microwaves are evil anyway!!

[shazbang]

If i need mince in a hurry i'll throw it in a jug of hot water. doesnt take that long to defrost. i wouldnt defrost any meat in the microwave, did it once with chicken and it was like rubber.

[natalie_1982]

Ok Bekah, I don't know why but I feel have to side with your partner.

Our microwave has a defrost setting but I hate using it! I never do, but my fella insists on defrosting meat in there for us to eat. I, however, like to get it out the night before and if it is still a bit frozen then I stick it in a bowl of hot water. Job done. I am completely irrational as I have no idea why I don't like defrosting in mic's (they surely have a defrost setting for a reason) but I just don't. Sorry!

[Goodsoulette]

oh, i also when handling chicken go really ocd. I imagine the little salmonella bugs crawling on to my hands then every thing I touch after. We dont eat that much chicken in my house.

[CheekyChops]

bekah, I do it too - not all the time but if I forget to get something out of the freezer the night before, I have no problem with whacking it in the microwave for a few minutes to defrost.

[natalie_1982]

Goodsy! I know what you mean! I see them too! They're every where, my face and they're crawling to my mouth, and the door handles, and the phone and....... I better go calm myself.......

[Xollob]

I never feel good about defrosting meat in a microwave. If I freeze mince, I press it nice and flat in a large freezer bag about the same size as my frying pan. You can then fry it straight from frozen.

[Goodsoulette]

Natalie I am so chuffed someone else does it too... other than crazy guy from big brother. Its a horrible affliction as you spend the next day or so worrying you might have killed someone. I microwaved a knife to break ours to stop my chap from arguing with me over this. What a sneaky girl I am!!

[Bohne]

I hardly ever do it, however, on the few occasions when I did, it was no problem at all.

[CT]

Mince can probaly be done from frozen anyway. I defrost chicken in the microwave. Just have to make sure it's cooked all the way through. Usually, I cook it all the way through, then add whatever sauce/mix i'm having and then simmer for another 5-10 mins.

[noxlumos]

It really won't hurt you, if you're in a hurry do it, if not then leave it to thaw naturally whichever is your preference, there's nothing dirty or wrong in using a microwave to defrost food, that's why it has a defrost option. Can you just imagine all the law suits if they had a defrost option on their mocrowaves and it was unsafe to use?

[WendyS]

We do defrost meat in the microwave when we're sufficiently disorganised not to have time to let it thaw overnight in the fridge. However, with raw red meat particularly I can't help thinking that this method somehow affects the fibres and the quality. Also, as meat is expensive these days we prefer to eat it fresh from the butchers unless we have processed it in a bolognaise sauce or chilli etc, in which case thawing it from frozen in the microwave seems to work perfectly well.

[DESIREE]

meat must be defrosted in the fridge. if the temperature goes above 8 degrees max, harmful bacteria would have a field day. i would strongly advise you against putting it in the microwave or in hot water