Do you thaw meat on the counter?

[Sheree Bobbins]

I thought we'd gotten away from this practice. It's just not safe. People, use your microwaves PLEEZ!

 

[claudia]

I've done it everyday (well almost) for all my married life....34 years and never had a problem.

 

[Kirby]

Me too.

 

[harleyquinn]

Yes, and I will continue to do so. I'm not hurting you, so I do see why you are telling me what to do.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

It's not just me. It's common knowledge, or so I thought?

Safety first!

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/meatsafety/preparation/thawing.html

 

[loco4dis]

Do it all the time. My mother did it. My grandmother did it. No one died.

 

[staley7580]

I do it too.. Never had a problem.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Using a microwave often results in partially cooked meat or seafood and that is not something I want to have to work with.

I thaw under a stream of cold running water (thin stream) if I haven't left enough time for the product to thaw in the refrigerator.

Have I ever just plunked it on the counter to thaw? Yep. Will I do it again? Depends on several factors. Weight of product, temperature of kitchen, what the product is.

 

[KimmyDisneyNerd]

I use the microwave only because I have cats that may be tempted. If I didn't, I would use the counter. I don't see why you care what others do?

 

[Anne34]

Do it all the time. My mother did it. My grandmother did it. No one died.

Me too!!

 

[RadioNate]

In 33 years I've never had a problem with this. Thawing in the microwave is gross and uneven. I'll take my chances.

 

[akhenaten]

In 33 years I've never had a problem with this. Thawing in the microwave is gross and uneven. I'll take my chances.

me too..!!

 

[cheermom1]

I thought we'd gotten away from this practice. It's just not safe. People, use your microwaves PLEEZ!

what prompted you to post this? out of curiosity.

 

[ozarkmom]

Ever tried to pat out hamburger patties after thawing in the microwave? I try to think ahead and thaw in the fridge but there are times it goes on the counter.

 

[pweyl36]

Same here,pull in out in the morning and when I get home from work its ready to go.

 

[harleyquinn]

It's not just me. It's common knowledge, or so I thought?

Safety first!

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/meatsafety/preparation/thawing.html

I know it's recommended, but I also know that like the others here, my family has been doing it for generations. Maybe we've had food poisoning because of it (I don't ever remember it tho), but that's our problem, not yours. Food poisoning isn't contagious.

 

[TaraPA]

Another 30+ years here thawing on the counter & no one has ever gotten sick. My generations before me have also always thawed on the counter.

I never thaw in the microwave because then it becomes partially cooked in parts, which alters the cooking time, and the end result if I'm not aware of how to manipulate the time/temp.

I grew up on a farm, and you wouldn't belive the things we've seen & done with meat & dairy products. We've eaten fresh meat & dairy (and I mean fresh - uncured meats & unhomogonized milk. Animals went from the slaughterhouse to the oven within minutes. Milk went from the udder to the cup in seconds. My grandmother would pack bologna sandwiches & a bottle of milk for the men & they'd keep them in their hot trucks or in the barn all day til lunchtime, no one ever got sick. Maybe my family is just immune because of this.

I'm not saying we don't take risks exposing raw foods to bacteria - but there's the chance for food contamination in EVERYTHING we put in our mouths. I'm not about to become obsessed with fighting that.

 

[themarquis]

if you do it in the microwave, bits of it end up rubbery and partially cooked

A lot of times, I use a bowl of hot water and put the meat in a sealed baggie in the bowl. Works great, but probably only for small pieces.

 

[golfgal]

I too have been doing this forever and never had a problem. We have some chicken thawing on the counter right now as a matter of fact. Maybe we are immune because we are not overly neat freaks and have allowed our immune systems to develop without all of the hand sanitizers and whatnot.

 

[JoBird]

what prompted you to post this? out of curiosity.

The pork chop wound thread.


And yep- round these parts, we thaw on the counter.

Jo