Thawing Meat with Hot Water

[ohm]

?!?!?!?! Huh.....

Now there’s good news for last-minute cooks. It turns out that we can thaw frozen steaks and other compact cuts in as little as 10 minutes, without compromising their quality, and with very little effort. All you need is hot water.

This information comes, surprisingly, from research sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, though the methods aren’t yet officially recommended. The studies have been published in the Journal of Food Science and in Food Control.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/dining/a-hot-water-bath-for-thawing-meats-the-curious-cook.html

Not sure if I am comfortable with this or not...but I guess the proof is in the science. They do go on and say this is not recommended for large cuts of meats like pot roasts and stuff for now until those studies have been conducted.

Also I am by no way suggesting anyone do this I just though it was interesting.

 

[adiochiro3]

Call me old fashioned and cautious....

 

[ohm]

[quote name="adiochiro3" url="/forum/thread/107397/thawing-meat-with-hot-water#post_642899"]Call me old fashioned and cautious....[/quote]

heheh same!

 

[Dutch]

I'm gonna pass on this one- I'll stick to doing it the old fashion way-thaw in the fridge or do the running cold water bath.

 

[DanMcG]

When I get some time I need to read the article front to back, but if were talking a 1" steak that will be cooked to temp on a hot grill, I don't see  a problem as long as it's done before the 40°-140° rule kicks in. I'll add my useless opinion later when I get a chance.

Ok I just spent two minutes looking for the stir the pot smiley but couldn't find one. For what it's worth I pull steaks out of the freeze and throw them on the grill frozen, 350-400° seared on the outside and rare on the inside, the wife loves them.

 

[Bearcarver]

I read it twice, and as much as it strikes me funny, I don't see a problem, as long as you go right from there to cooking/smoking, and don't forget to include the time to your danger zone time. I know you don't have to worry about the danger zone for a couple steaks, but the article itself is talking about some larger cuts too.

Interesting---I never thought about it before.

Note:  that it also says to keep the warm water moving, so the water around the meat doesn't get cool, and hang around the meat, while the warmer water stays away.

Bear

 

[cowgirl]

I'm gonna pass on this one- I'll stick to doing it the old fashion way-thaw in the fridge or do the running cold water bath.

I'm with Dutch on this one.

but I've been known to throw a frozen steak on the grill at the last minute with no problems.

forgot to add... warm water turns meat an icky greyish brown color.  :)

 

[venture]

USDA has been all over the map with all their recommendations over the years.  They can't even be consistent on how they grade meat.  I always err on the side of safety, but all these scientists were the same ones that once told us they could make gold out of brass.  Also, when the government is involved, politics will always trump true science. Be safe, use common sense, and you will be ok.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[meateater]

No thanks. 

 

[SmokinAl]

Steaks yes, fish yes, pork butt no.

 

[Bearcarver]

I'm with Dutch on this one.

but I've been known to throw a frozen steak on the grill at the last minute with no problems.

forgot to add... warm water turns meat an icky greyish brown color.  :)

If the meat is wrapped in plastic, as the article says, how does it know it is in water?

Bear

 

[alelover]

I'm with Dutch on this too. How much extra time does it take to do it right? Unless it's a real steak emergency or something I'll stick with what mama taught me.

 

[Bearcarver]

I'm with Dutch on this too. How much extra time does it take to do it right? Unless it's a real steak emergency or something I'll stick with what mama taught me.

Absolutely!

That's the only time I would use it too, but it could come in handy for that emergency, like if I thawed out two steaks, and we get an unexpected guest or two.

Bear
 

 

[eman]

Absolutely!

That's the only time I would use it too, but it could come in handy for that emergency, like if I thawed out two steaks, and we get an unexpected guest or two.

Bear
 

I'll give ya enough notice before i show up so you can do it the right way!
 

 

[Bearcarver]

I'll give ya enough notice before i show up so you can do it the right way!

Thanks!

Then I can get it out the day before!  

Bear

 

[chefrob]

i've done it but i don't use 140 deg water...........

 

[Bearcarver]

i've done it but i don't use 140 deg water...........

Me neither.

I think if I try it, it will be the one they mentioned "at room temp, a steak should thaw in 20 minutes".

This one:

Air-thawing in the refrigerator took 18 to 20 hours, while the room-temperature water bath thawed the steaks in about 20 minutes, and the hot-summer-day bath in 11 minutes. These water-bath times are so short that any bacterial growth would remain within safe limits.

And then right to the grill.

This would only be if you or Eman (or others) didn't give me notice a day advance notice!  

Bear

 

[ohm]

I'll stick with what I know and have yet to be sick from.

:grilling_smilie:

 

[nwdave]

I'm with Dutch on this too. How much extra time does it take to do it right? Unless it's a real steak emergency or something I'll stick with what mama taught me.

Well, mama didn't do much teaching, fact is, she didn't do much "decent" cooking either.  I did get to be the fastest spud peeler though.  I'll stick with what you guys are teaching.  More accurately, Dutch'es old fashioned way.  Like Venture implies, you can't tell which side of the fence those people are going to sit on.  Can't afford to be on the wrong side just because some body with more book learning and lab time than me says it's ok, well maybe ok. 
 

 

[cowgirl]

If the meat is wrapped in plastic, as the article says, how does it know it is in water?

Bear

The warm water temperature partially cooks the outside of the meat....thus the brown icky color  . It doesn't matter that it is in water.. it's the "warm" part that effects the color of the meat.