Although almost all microwaves have a function to defrost food, not many families use it. In part, it is easier to defrost food in the refrigerator: after 24 hours the food will be in perfect condition and we do not have to worry about anything else.
But defrosting in the fridge requires some planning, which we don’t always have. And if we use the microwave correctly food can be defrosted perfectly, without running the risks associated with defrosting food at room temperature or using hot water: very common methods, but not recommended.
As the food safety expert explains Beatriz Robles In his book Eat Safe Eating Everything, the microorganisms that were alive and kicking in the food just before freezing it revive in thawing. So, aim, food should never be defrosted outside the refrigerator: “The temperature of the product will rise until it reaches those twenty or twenty-five degrees that are in the kitchen, an oasis for the resuscitated bacteria to multiply again without anyone hurrying them.”
In urgent cases, it is much better to use the microwave and cook the food immediately. And, following a few basic tips, the result can be just as good as using the refrigerator – but infinitely faster.
The trick of the glass of water
As explained by Alicia Foundation In his book Microwave Cooking, the water molecules in a frozen product, which are in the solid state, react very differently to microwave waves than in an unfrozen product. “The little free water that thaws during the process is the one that receives the greatest impact from the microwaves, and for that reason”, points out the book, “it can cause a product to begin to thaw at the tips and that they are overcooked. ”.
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To avoid this, we must always use the defrost function of the microwave, which usually coincides with the lowest wattage of the appliance. That’s obvious. But it is also very important to put the food in a covered container, which retains the water vapor as much as possible and, if possible, add a little oil or water to the product to be defrosted, which helps it cook evenly.
Another easy trick to make freezing easier is to put a glass of water next to the container with the product to be defrosted. “This will make most of the microwaves act on this liquid water, so that the food will receive the softest and most homogeneous waves, which will prevent some parts from burning,” explains the Alicia Foundation. Defrosting will be somewhat slower, but more uniform.
The importance of the times
By following these tips, we just have to be patient with defrosting times. Ideally, defrost in two minute sections and stir the food at each stop, so that it cooks evenly.
If the food is divided into portions, such as croquettes or stacked fillets, we can take the opportunity to separate these and continue defrosting in 2-minute intervals. If the piece is very large, after every 2 minute period we must move it, so that it is overheated everywhere.
In the case of fish, shellfish and many vegetables, which are done very quickly, the ideal is cook them directly without defrosting. However, there are preparations such as fried foods in which this is not possible. In this case, the defrosting period is in many cases less than 2 minutes: the fish has to be cold, otherwise it is most likely that we will go over the top.
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