Many people often have the habit of soaking meat in water first to quickly defrost it with hot or cold water. Compared to defrosting meat at room temperature, soaking meat in water is not only easier to do but also saves a lot of time. However, this can both cause the meat to become contaminated with bacteria and lose nutrients.
Harmful effects of soaking meat in water to defrost
1. Increased risk of infection
When meat is frozen, the bacteria in the meat only stop growing or reproduce slowly but cannot be completely destroyed. After taking them out of the refrigerator and thawing, the bacteria will continue to grow, the longer the thawing time, the higher the temperature, the more active the bacteria and microorganisms.
If you soak meat in water to defrost, it will take at least an hour for a 1kg piece of meat to completely thaw. In this case, with a humid, nutrient-rich environment with suitable temperature and sufficient time, bacteria can easily multiply in large numbers and pose a potential risk to food safety.
2. Loss of nutrients in meat
If meat is soaked in water and thawed, the amount of soluble protein, amino acids, vitamin B, etc. in the meat will be lost, and the taste will also become worse. In particular, when using warm water below 60oC, the thawing speed will be faster but the loss of nutrients will also increase.
Even at temperatures above 60°C, the phenomenon of “cooked outside, frozen inside” can occur, meaning the meat on the outside is almost cooked but the meat on the inside is not yet thawed. This greatly reduces the flavor of the meat.
How to defrost meat
1. Defrost in microwave
This may be the fastest, most convenient and safest way to defrost at home. Nowadays, many microwaves have a special defrost function, just put in the food to defrost, select the weight, type of meat… the food is very quickly completely defrosted from the inside.
2. Cooling and defrosting
Instead of leaving the meat in the freezer until close to cooking time to defrost, you can put the meat in the refrigerator to defrost in advance. The temperature of the refrigerator is usually 0 – 4 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, most bacterial activity will slow down and be inhibited.
This method of defrosting is not only safe but also helps to preserve the nutrients in the food as well as the flavor at its best. However, this also requires planning the cooking in advance. It is best to take the meat out a day before cooking and put it in a box, stored in a separate fresh food compartment in the refrigerator.
3. Put the meat in a plastic bag and dip it in water.
Although you should not thaw meat directly by soaking it in water, you can thaw it by placing it in a plastic bag and soaking it in water. This method will save more time than thawing it in the refrigerator.
Place the meat to be thawed in a plastic bag (make sure it is not punctured or leaking) and then soak it in clean tap water to thaw. You can change the water after half an hour for better results. Also, do not use water that is too hot.
Also note that once the food has been defrosted, it is best to cook it as soon as possible to ensure quality. If you cannot eat it right away, cook it and then continue to store it in the freezer for later use.
