Do I need to defrost chicken before frying? Defrost in hot water

You can quickly defrost chicken in several ways: in water, using household appliances: a microwave oven, oven, multicooker, double boiler. The latter methods are the fastest, it will take only 8 - 10 minutes, and you can start cooking. With proper defrosting of poultry, the necessary proteins, vitamins and amino acids will remain in the meat product, and pathogenic bacteria will not have time to develop.

Natural defrosting

The most correct way is to defrost chicken in the refrigerator:

1. Remove the carcass from the freezer compartment and put it in a large bowl: it is important that the water that appears during the defrosting process does not leak out and stain the shelves or food.
2. Put the bowl with the bird on the shelf of the refrigerator where the temperature is highest: in old-style units it will be the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, in modern models it will be the top one.

The method of natural thawing takes a lot of time, but you should not worry about the safety of the product: harmful microorganisms will not have time to spoil chicken meat, as relatively low temperatures inhibit their reproduction. A carcass defrosted in this way can be stored in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours and at the same time preserve the taste of fresh meat.

It is better to transfer the carcass of a bird for soup or baking from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment the night before, and then in the morning it will be possible to prepare the intended dish. If the idea to please the family with a dietary product arose in the morning, it is enough to put the chicken in the refrigerator before leaving for work, and by the evening the meat will defrost evenly.

Water use

If you need to quickly defrost the chicken, you can put it in cold water and keep it at room temperature. This method allows you to get meat for cooking in a shorter time compared to defrosting in the refrigerator. Sequencing:

1. Pick up a voluminous pan or bowl in which the whole carcass will fit. For a few pieces of chicken fillet, a small container is suitable.
2. Putting the meat in a plastic bag is a must, otherwise all the nutrients will go into the water during the thawing process. Secure the top edge of the bag so that water does not get into it.
3. Fill the chicken with water so that it completely covers the carcass.
4. Leave at room temperature and check the condition of the meat from time to time.
5. Change the water every half an hour, and after defrosting immediately conduct a heat treatment.

If there is no need to preserve the integrity of the carcass, after partial thawing, it can be removed from the bag, cut with a hatchet, put back into the bag and continue defrosting in water. Chicken cut into pieces will thaw much faster.

Do not use warm, especially hot water for defrosting, otherwise the taste of the product will deteriorate, and tender meat will become tough after cooking.

When defrosting in water, the meat must be placed in a waterproof bag.

Appliances

To defrost poultry meat at home, housewives have learned to use various household appliances, and one of them is a microwave. The defrosting process is simple:

Remove the packaging from the chicken and place the bird on a microwave-safe plate or bowl.
Select the defrosting mode for the products and set the estimated time - it will vary depending on the size of the carcass. On average, one broiler will take 15-30 minutes.
Turn the chicken over every 3 minutes so the meat thaws more evenly.

The method of defrosting in the microwave is rather ambiguous: the carcass is still icy in one place, and in another it has already heated up to high temperatures. It is advisable to use it only in extreme cases, when you urgently need to cook lunch or dinner.

You can free chicken meat from ice without a microwave. Help in this kitchen "assistants":

Oven. It should be used if the defrost function is built into the device. If there is no such option, you can set the “convection” mode, place the carcass in a bowl and place the dishes on the middle rack. At the same time, it is not necessary to additionally set the heating of the oven - the air flow pumped by the fan will significantly speed up the melting of ice and at the same time allow the product to retain its delicate taste.
Multicooker. Remove the carcass from the freezer, put it on a stand designed for steaming. Pour water into a special bowl, set the steaming mode and wait 8-10 minutes. A bird of small mass will thaw during this time and will be ready for cutting. The disadvantage of defrosting in a slow cooker is the deterioration in the taste of cooked meat due to heat treatment.
Double boiler. Take the chicken out of the package and place it in the steam basket. Put the frozen product on the upper tier so as not to cook it ahead of time. Pour water into the bowl (at least ¼ of the total volume). Set the automatic heating mode and set the time to 8-10 minutes. This method will allow you to quickly defrost the chicken, but does not guarantee that the meat will retain proteins and other useful substances.

To make chicken meat thaw faster, but remain tender and juicy after cooking, you can combine any of the above methods. For example, put the carcass in the microwave for 5 minutes, turning every 1-2 minutes, and then leave to thaw in water.

Chicken is the most popular meat product on our table. Every housewife has a carcass of this bird in reserve in the freezer. It happens that guests suddenly come and you need to cook something tasty, spicy, original, but in a hurry. The chicken will be the lifesaver. And how to quickly defrost a chicken, you will find out right now.

Let's discuss all options

Almost every woman faces the question of how to quickly defrost chicken at home. If the carcass of a bird lies in the freezer for at least a couple of days, then it can be beaten on the road, but not cooked in any way.

It turns out that defrosting chicken is a whole science. One wrong action, and all the fibers, muscles of the meat are destroyed, and the original taste is lost. To prevent this from happening, experienced housewives and cooks have invented several ways to get rid of the chicken from the ice crust:

classical;
in water;
on air;
with kitchen gadgets.

In order to properly defrost the chicken carcass and not spoil its taste in advance, let's consider each of the methods in detail. For the sake of experiment, you can try out all the practical methods, and then choose the best one for yourself.

Classic in detail

How to quickly defrost chicken without a microwave? This question constantly flashes in the global network. Previously, our ancestors somehow managed without kitchen gadgets. Let's try it too. In addition, the classic way of defrosting meat, according to the hostesses, is recognized as the best.

In a broiler, we are attracted by the most tender meat and muscle tissue. Fresh chicken carcass contains a certain amount of moisture. Under the influence of low temperature, this moisture is converted into ice. Simple laws of nature. If you use intensive defrosting and temperature contrast, the ice can damage the fibers and structure of the meat. As a result, we will get porridge that cannot be presented to the table.

So that the chicken carcass does not suffer, it must be thawed in a day. The algorithm of actions is simple:

Remove the chicken carcass from the freezer.
We release it from the packaging.
Remove by-products if necessary.
Now put the chicken carcass on a dish and put it on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator.
In 24 hours, the bird will melt naturally. And most importantly, it will retain its appearance and original taste.

Not always in the head of a woman is kept information about the timely defrosting of meat. Sometimes it has to be done spontaneously. In this case, you can perform all the same steps, only make chaotic cuts on the surface of the chicken carcass. The deeper and longer they are, the sooner the poultry meat will defrost. The only negative is that the presentable appearance of the chicken will be hopelessly spoiled, and it is no longer possible to bake it in its entirety. There is a way out - cut the carcass into portions and cook according to your favorite recipe.

Around one water

Many housewives use water to speed up the process of defrosting chicken meat. Indeed, with the help of such a simple method, you can turn a block of ice into meat in just one hour.

To do this, the bird carcass is placed under running water and left until completely defrosted. If you have 2-3 hours at your disposal, then you can put the chicken in a deep basin and pour water at room temperature. An important condition is that the water must be changed every half an hour.

But hot water is strictly prohibited. A sharp temperature contrast can play a cruel joke on a chicken carcass. Hot water will steal the natural taste and aroma of poultry meat. This method of defrosting cannot be considered suitable and harmless.

How to quickly defrost chicken fillet?

Particular attention in this context should be given to chicken fillet. We often use this dietary, low-calorie and delicious product for salads or snacks. If you plan to just boil the fillet, then you do not need to defrost it.

It is enough to slightly warm the water, salt it, and then lower the breast. In this mode, you need to cook the product until fully cooked.

For frying or stewing chicken fillet must be thawed. The best option is the classic way to get rid of ice. You can resort to water procedures. And even better - take a fresh-frozen product.

Under the influence of air

The classic method of defrosting a chicken carcass involves exposure to a minimum positive temperature in the refrigerator. If you need to double this process, you can leave the poultry outside.

Put the chicken on a dish and leave it on the table. The temperature difference will be about 20 °, therefore, the carcass will defrost two to three times faster. In this case, you can also make cuts on the skin, but remember that the appearance will be spoiled. If you want to bake the whole carcass, then still give preference to the classic defrosting method.

Let's resort to the help of a kitchen gadget

Of course, we are talking about a microwave oven. Basically, these devices are equipped with special functionality. You can choose the weight of the product, and the smart gadget will calculate the duration of the heat treatment on its own.

When choosing this method of defrosting poultry meat, consider a few points:

the chicken must be removed from the package;
so that the skin does not dry out, it can be covered on top with food paper or film;
the average defrosting time for a 1.5 kg carcass varies from 9 to 13 minutes;
study the instructions for the microwave oven, especially pay attention to the power of the device;
after 4-5 minutes, the bird carcass must be turned over.

If you notice that individual parts of the chicken have already begun to cook, just cover them with parchment. Another little trick: give the chicken time to "rest". For example, we defrost it for 5-7 minutes at moderate power. Then we leave the carcass of the bird alone for 15 minutes. During this time, the thawed ice crust will begin to thaw. Now you can make another call and subject the meat to heat treatment. This alternation of actions will allow you to defrost the chicken quickly and correctly and without loss of taste.

How can you tell if a chicken is defrosted? There are several signs:

the color of the skin of the bird became uniform;
the skin is soft to the touch, and you can easily press on the meat and muscles;
legs and wings are easy to rotate;
the carcass is at room temperature;
without much effort, you can cut the chicken into portions.

Nowadays, chicken is considered a real lifesaver if you urgently need to cook something quickly. But sometimes the process of defrosting a bird takes much longer than the cooking process itself. How to quickly defrost a chicken carcass while maintaining the quality of meat and its beneficial properties - you will learn about this and much more from our article.

Ways

Often we buy whole frozen chicken carcasses in the store. They have a number of advantages over fresh meat, which may include longer storage. But often you have to buy fresh chickens. They are good if you cook them right there, within a couple of hours from the date of purchase. But if cooking is postponed until later, then the chicken should be stored in the freezer.

There are various ways to freeze chickens.

Shock freezing. It is possible if there is such a function in the refrigerator. The quick freezing process freezes the chicken completely and quickly. In this case, it must first be placed in foil or a special bag. If this is not done, the carcass will get a cold burn, which will subsequently affect the taste of the meat in a bad way: its structure will become slimy and loose. The temperature of shock freezing is up to -20 degrees Celsius.

Deep professional freezing produced only on special equipment of manufacturers. The process starts in chambers with air circulation at a temperature of -32 degrees Celsius. Thus, all important substances and elements are preserved in the meat.
Freezing in ice glaze often used by stores selling this type of product. They freeze fresh chickens or parts of them after soaking them in water so that they are properly soaked with it. Ice crystals quickly "seize" the structure, creating a protective barrier against the penetration of bacteria and microorganisms.

You should know that chicken meat does not need a fermentation process, as is the case with beef or pork. It does not contain bacteria that can “prepare” tissue fibers for further assimilation, so chickens can be frozen immediately.

A deep freeze bird takes longer to defrost than a shock freezer. Dry chicken carcass is preferable to wet, so before placing it in the freezer, it must be thoroughly dried with a paper towel.

Butchered poultry is easier and more convenient to defrost. Therefore, it is recommended to partially cut it before placing it in the freezer. If a whole carcass is required for cooking according to the recipe, it is simply placed in a bag, and then in the freezer. Whole poultry takes an average of 17 hours to defrost.

In order for the chicken carcass from the freezer to retain its properties, it must be properly defrosted.

To preserve the structure and properties of meat, it is necessary to thaw the process gradually, since sharp temperature fluctuations have a bad effect on the muscle fibers of the tissue, which lose their structure and elasticity. Therefore, the best way to properly defrost is to place the frozen chicken carcass on the bottom of the refrigerator. There the chicken will thaw for about a day.

In order for the chicken to be tasty and juicy, you need to cook from meat at the optimum temperature. Therefore, the defrosted carcass from the refrigerator should be held in the kitchen for a while before being sent to the pan, oven or slow cooker.

There are several ways to quickly defrost chicken at home: in the refrigerator, at room temperature, in water, in a slow cooker, in the oven, in a double boiler, and even in an air grill. Each of the methods has its own subtleties, with which every hostess must get acquainted.

On the fridge shelf

The ice carcass is taken out of the freezer and placed in a container, after which it is placed on one of the lower shelves of the refrigerator. It is better not to remove the cellophane from the chicken so that the meat does not “breathe” and does not absorb unnecessary aromas from neighboring products.

At room temperature

If you want to defrost the bird a little faster, you should remove it from the freezer and place it on the table in a special cup. So it will defrost several times faster than in the previous case: it will take five hours to thaw. For a quick process, the carcass can be cut in several places. However, if you need it whole, then it is better not to break the cover, since the cuts prevent the whole chicken from roasting.

If time is rushing and guests are on the doorstep, you can resort to more emergency methods of defrosting.

In cold water

An ice bird is placed in a deep container with water. It is denser than air, so the chicken will thaw faster. If necessary, you can add heated water to the dishes and constantly change it to a new one as it cools. It is better not to remove the packaging: this way the chicken will retain its taste and juiciness.

Do not pour strongly heated water for defrosting, otherwise the meat fibers may lose their turgor and shape, which will adversely affect the quality of the product.

Using a multicooker

To defrost a bird in a multicooker, you need to put it on a stand, pour water into a special section of the multicooker and turn on the steam mode. For a medium sized hen, 12 minutes is usually sufficient.

in the microwave

The most common way to defrost poultry is the microwave oven. The carcass without packaging is placed in it and programmed for the appropriate mode. After a few minutes, the carcass must be turned over for uniform heating. The degree of readiness is determined as follows: the chicken is taken out and examined for the presence of frozen areas inside. If there are any, then the product should be placed back in the microwave to completely thaw.

You need to make sure that the chicken is thawed and warmed, and not baked. Usually 25 minutes is enough on the minimum mode.

In the oven

The bird is also defrosted in the oven. To do this, it is taken out of the package (if any) and laid out on a baking sheet, turning on the minimum fire. This method is suitable if in the future the carcass will be baked in the same place. The process takes 25 minutes. Then the chicken is taken out, stuffed and sent back, preheating the oven for cooking.

You can also defrost the chicken carcass in the oven by placing it on a vertical or horizontal skewer.

In a double boiler

In a double boiler, you can defrost a bird in this way: first, remove the cellophane and put the carcass on the upper compartment of the double boiler so as not to scald, namely, let the meat thaw, then pour a small amount of water and defrost in automatic heating mode. With this function, the product warms up for two minutes with periodic stops. Everything will take 15 minutes.

Can you defrost in an air fryer?

Defrost a bird in an air grill in a special sleeve for baking. So she won't boil. The sleeve keeps the right temperature and keeps meat proteins from drying out. The chicken is placed in the convection oven, the lowest temperature is set and the fan is turned on. You need to set the timer for a few minutes and keep the grill lid slightly open. Ten minutes - and the bird is defrosted.

In hot water

It is not recommended to defrost the carcass in hot water. However, in particularly extreme cases, when you need to act quickly, this method is considered quite acceptable. In this case, there is a risk that the proteins will curl up and the dish will lose its benefits. So that the meat is not saturated with water, it is better not to remove the packaging from the carcass. You can add water several times as it cools. The entire defrosting process will take approximately 15 minutes.

Combined method

This method involves the preparation of a frozen product, during which the carcass will be defrosted and cooked at the same time. Thus, two processes are combined in one. Before freezing, the bird can be rubbed with spices and marinated. The frozen product in foil is sent to the oven directly from the freezer. First, turn on the defrosting mode, and then (after eight minutes) add fire and bring to readiness. This chicken will be ready in an hour.

Also, the sequential defrosting of the carcass is considered a combined method: first - in the refrigerator compartment, and then - in cold water. The first stage will take three hours, and the "water procedures" - no more than an hour and a half.

The whole process should be done without removing the chicken from the package.

Defrosting at room temperature

Of course, defrosting chicken at room temperature is considered the most correct option. So it retains all its useful properties. In this case, the defrosting time is calculated from the mass of the bird:

large five-kilogram carcasses are thawed during the day;
defrosting the average carcass of a broiler chicken will take no more than 12 hours;
Butchered chicken thaws much faster - about an hour at room temperature.

You should know: often boiled poultry thaws much better, since its meat does not contain as much water as raw. Some manufacturers additionally pump chicken carcasses with water so that they freeze faster and better.

How long to store?

After defrosting, the chicken is stored in the refrigerator for an average of no more than 48 hours. Then it is not recommended to use it. After defrosting, it is first placed in a special container or bag, and only then in the refrigerator. At a temperature of +7 degrees Celsius, the chicken is stored for no more than two days, at zero degrees the product can be stored for up to three days.

If the chicken has taken on a grayish tint with yellow elements immediately after defrosting, most likely it has already been spoiled. Perhaps it has already been thawed and frozen again several times, which is a violation of storage conditions. Due to the wrong attitude to the product, microorganisms multiply in the chicken.

Blue carcasses with greenish spots also indicate spoilage. A sticky surface and a "cotton" texture are considered to be the main signs of a stale product, and the characteristic smell confirms this. Moldy chicken should never be eaten! It happens that the carcass is stored in the freezer for more than ten months, and when defrosted it turns out that it has deteriorated. Do not hope that washing off the mold will make it edible again. In fact, the spores of the fungus have already penetrated deep into the structure of the meat and managed to spoil it. The spoiled product is disposed of like all food waste.

Mistakes

There are a number of mistakes that housewives make in their desire to quickly defrost a bird's carcass.

Place the frozen carcass in boiling water or very hot water without a protective bag. In this case, the proteins coagulate and lose their properties, and only calories remain from the chicken.
When placing the carcass in the microwave, turn on strong heat. As a result, the chicken is boiled in places, covered with a crust, microorganisms begin to multiply in it. It also happens when the bird is thawed many times. In these cases, soil is formed that is very favorable for the emergence of various bacteria.
Place the bird in the double boiler on the lower compartment. Outside, it is boiled, but inside it remains icy. Violation of the technology of uniform defrosting also entails the appearance of microorganisms.
Defrost the chicken in an air grill without a fan. It turns out a fried crust on the outside and raw flesh with blood inside.

The main thing is to remember and follow one rule: the defrosting process must be uniform, then you will subsequently get tasty and healthy culinary masterpieces.

For how to quickly defrost chicken, see the video below.

It is very good if fresh rather than frozen meat is used for cooking. But this is not always possible. Therefore, in order to often defrost it. For this, several methods are used. Each of them is good in its own way and differs in time. In each case, you can choose a more suitable option. How to quickly defrost chicken?

The taste of the dish that will be prepared in the future depends on the quality of this process. The best option is the natural defrosting of products. At the same time, you can save all the vitamins and the right taste of chicken meat. However, it is not always possible to wait for the allotted time. In this case, you need to know how to quickly defrost chicken.

You can use a microwave to speed up this process. Even the most simplified model has a function for defrosting food. However, keep in mind that this method is not the best. Be sure to turn the meat over so that it thaws evenly. Set the defrosting time depending on the type of food and its volume. You can not exceed these norms, otherwise the chicken may turn out to be half boiled. Usually in the instructions for the technique there is a ratio of time and amount of product that needs to be thawed.

If in the future the meat will be marinated, then you can only slightly defrost it so that it can be cut into portioned pieces.

Another way to quickly defrost chicken is to use running water. To do this, put the carcass in a container and put it under running water. It will take 1-1.5 hours to defrost. This is longer than but better for the palatability of the product.

You can also defrost chicken in the refrigerator. To do this, we take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Here, the defrosting time will be long, but at the same time the maximum amount of vitamins and taste will be preserved.

You can only defrost a chicken very quickly. If it is not a whole carcass, but portioned pieces, then the process is greatly simplified. It takes less time to defrost. If you plan to cook chicken dishes that require pre-marinating the product, then you can give the opportunity to thaw the meat in the marinade. To do this, prepare the sauce and put chicken pieces in it. It can be a drumstick, thigh or breast. In the marinade, the defrosting process is faster. It is only necessary after a while, when the meat has thawed, turn it over and mix well. After another 30 minutes, you can start cooking.

Before you quickly defrost, you should find out at least its approximate weight in order to choose the right time. If it will be boiled or stewed, then you can defrost it not completely. If it is fried, then the thawing process must be thorough here, otherwise there will be a lot of water in the pan and the chicken will turn out to be a little boiled. Also, at the end of defrosting, the carcass should be thoroughly dried using special towels.

Cooking in the microwave also has its own peculiarity. In order for them to be processed evenly, you need to turn the pieces over or mix from time to time.

Nowadays, every housewife has all the necessary equipment at hand, which facilitates her work in the kitchen and allows you to quickly and tasty cook any dish. You just need to use it correctly as needed and depending on the situation. The microwave is one of those things. It greatly simplifies some processes and allows you to quickly defrost the products you need for cooking or reheat already prepared dishes.

Chicken has become a complete replacement for expensive red meat. The variety of dishes prepared from poultry strikes the imagination of any hostess.

The only difficulty that you have to face before preparing dinner is defrosting a whole chicken carcass. This process takes a lot of time, so there are various methods of thawing among the people.

A quick defrosting of a chicken carcass, alas, is not as useful as the natural thawing of white meat.

Of the various methods for obtaining thawed poultry, preference should be given to the one that preserves the fibers and the “natural flavor” of the meat as much as possible.

Extreme methods of defrosting a bird can lead to a disastrous result:

loss of a significant part of the meat juice, and, consequently, the meat will be dry and tough;
deformation of the carcass and meat fibers;
winding a chicken outdoors.

Excessive exposure to high temperature on a chicken carcass leads to uneven thawing of the bird, as well as to the “cooking” of individual sections of the defrosted meat.

The need to defrost chicken before cooking

When a chicken carcass needs to be subsequently boiled or baked, it is not at all necessary to completely defrost it. Please note that the cooking process will take longer than usual. Before placing the meat in a pot of water, the bird must be washed, and during the boil, remove the foam.

Roasting chicken should begin with the oven set to a low temperature. After thorough “defrosting”, the carcass will be cooked juicy and tasty.

Ways to quickly defrost chicken

The preparation of a hearty meal can be accelerated thanks to several ways to defrost a chicken carcass. When choosing a particular method, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Water

Thawing chicken with ordinary water will not take much time from the hostess. If the carcass has a sealed polyethylene package, then it is not necessary to remove the package. This will protect tender meat from loss of taste.

For defrosting, a deep bowl is taken into which the carcass is placed. Next, cold water is poured into the bowl. The water needs to be changed every 30 minutes.

If half a carcass or a small chicken is defrosted, then after about an hour you can start preparing dinner. A larger carcass will take 2-3 hours.

Microwave

The microwave oven, despite its many-sided capabilities, is an emergency method of defrosting. This is due to uneven heating of the meat, partial cooking of the carcass and the need for constant turning. However, white meat can thaw fairly quickly in a microwave oven.

The chicken is taken out of the package and placed in the microwave oven. Almost every model has a special mode called "Defrost". Therefore, by clicking on the button and setting the necessary parameters, the program will do its job.

If the microwave oven does not have a “magic” button, defrosting is performed at the lowest power of the device. A kilogram chicken carcass can be thawed in 1 hour.

Multicooker

To defrost a chicken in a multicooker, it is enough to place the carcass on a special grill inside the appliance and set the “Steam” program. If necessary, the meat is periodically turned. The disadvantage of this method is the uneven thawing of the chicken.

Brine

Thawing a whole bird in salted water is suitable for later roasting chicken in the oven. As a result, the meat will not lose its juiciness and become more tender. To defrost a carcass weighing 1.5 kilograms, you need at least 3 liters of water and 0.75 cups of table salt. The chicken is placed in the prepared solution for 1 hour, and then subjected to heat treatment.

Water bath

The most gentle method of defrosting poultry is to thaw the carcass in a water bath. To do this, you need two pans - one small, the other larger. A smaller dish with chicken is placed inside a large one half filled with hot water. The container with meat will begin to heat up, and the carcass will melt. The method is ideal for defrosting medium-sized chickens.

Double boiler

Another method of defrosting chicken is in a double boiler. Household appliances not only prepare exclusively the right food, but are also able to defrost a small carcass with the help of steam. During the operation of the device, you need to monitor the meat and turn it over in time.

Oven

An unusual way to defrost chicken meat is to place the carcass in the oven.

This method can only be implemented if the oven has the “Defrost” function or the ability to set the temperature to 30 ° C.

Moreover, during thawing, it is necessary to monitor the meat: when the temperature rises in the cabinet, the carcass will be covered with a crust, and inside it will remain raw.

Hair dryer

An ordinary household appliance will help to quickly defrost the carcass by directing a stream of warm air in the direction of the chicken. The flow must be exactly warm - the cold air of the hair dryer will only wind the bird. By the way, such a responsible mission as thawing a chicken can also be entrusted to a fan heater.

Bottom shelf of refrigerator

Natural thawing of the chicken carcass preserves the taste and smell of cooked white meat. The process of defrosting the chicken in the conditions of the refrigerator shelf will take about a day, so it is recommended to plan all actions in advance.

For a gala dinner, the carcass must be removed from the freezer the night before. The meat is cleaned, if possible, of packaging and ice crusts, and placed on a large plate.

The advantage of classic defrosting chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator is minimal damage to muscle fibers. Due to this, the defrosted piece of white meat looks fresh and beautiful. No wonder true gourmets talk about the need for quick freezing and long defrosting.

Prohibited actions during defrosting

In order not to get a spoiled piece of chicken meat after defrosting, you should follow some tricks:

Never defrost a carcass with boiling water or hot water. In extreme cases, you must use warm.
You should not leave the chicken carcass on the kitchen table and, moreover, in the fresh air. At room temperature, there is a high probability of bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms on the meat.
During defrosting, do not subject chicken meat to mechanical shock or piercing with a knife. Tender meat will lose its elastic shape as soon as it melts, and the result will not be juicy meat, but tasteless minced meat.

How long can thawed poultry be stored?

When the chicken fillet is completely defrosted, the bird can be stored in the refrigerator for some time. At a temperature of 4°C to 10°C, white meat will lie for no more than 2 days, so it is advisable to cook a dish from it as soon as possible.

The canons of proper and healthy nutrition state that the heat treatment of chicken meat should be carried out immediately after purchasing a thawed carcass or defrosting.

Is re-freezing of fillets allowed?

Thawed poultry should generally not be refrozen. This is fraught with spoilage of the product due to the multiplication of harmful bacteria on the surface of the carcass. It is also important that repeated freezing will completely deprive white meat of nutritional value and taste properties.

If there is an urgent need to freeze thawed chicken, then laying the carcass in the freezer should be done after the heat treatment of the meat.

Proper defrosting of chicken allows you to cook from white meat not only tasty, but also healthy dishes. Therefore, only prolonged thawing of the carcass guarantees the best result. Express methods should be used only in extreme cases.