Thawing meat on the counter

[Zandy595]

I know you've all been doing this for years and you've never gotten sick, but that still doesn't make if safe. I'd call it luck. I would rather not take that chance.

I leave meat in the sink to thaw each day from 8am until I cook about 4 p m. Not in the sun, but so far so good.

I have heard food network chefs suggest letting meat come to room temperature before cooking.

No offense, but listen closer next time. They mean for a short period of time, like 30 minutes to an hour, not all day.

I'm in the meat industry . It is safe to thaw meat this way.

Oh really? Forgive me if I don't believe you.

I've heard you are supposed to thaw it in the refrigerator. Either that or run cold water on it. If in a hurry use the microwave.

If others say it is safe to thaw on the counter, I am sure it is...I just didn't know it.

You're going to believe what a bunch of people on the DIS say over people who actually know what they're talking about, like the USDA? Good luck with that.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

My mom did thaw things on the counter when I was growing up and she still does to this day, as far as I know none of us ever got sick from it. I am pretty paranoid about food handling so I thaw my meat in the sink with cold water, changing it every hour or so, when it feels thoroughly thawed I put it in the fridge. I remove it from the fridge a half hour before cooking.

 

[HubbDave]

Just eww. My mom did it too--thawed everything on the counter. Gross.
I can just hear the bacteria growing, lol! See safe food prep guidelines state food needs to be kept under 40 degrees or above 140 degrees. Otherwise bacteria multiply. Shhhhhh....you can hear it!
I don't know, I never got sick, that I know of when I was a kid, but I've gotten food poisoning before, and it's not fun. I just can't do it.
Time to turn vegetarian...

Bacteria can't multiply...they can barely add and subtract

But they do have culture...

 

[Zandy595]

Eating raw meat or not thawing it correctly is only a problem if it's infected with certain bacteria, which most meat is not. However, on that off chance that you do get infected meat and you don't handle it properly, that's when you will get sick.

 

[tasha99]

Guilty here. I usually use the fridge or microwave, but I have been known to let frozen meat sit on the counter for a few hours. It's still cold when it's thawed--heck, for a decent steak, you have to let it get room temperature. Never gotten sick from it.

I know you've all been doing this for years and you've never gotten sick, but that still doesn't make if safe. I'd call it luck.

Not luck. It's a small risk. Kind of like if you eat runny eggs, you might get salmonella. I eat them anyway--it's worth it to me. It would not be worth it to me in my 80's or if I had a compromised immune system.

You're going to believe what a bunch of people on the DIS say over people who actually know what they're talking about, like the USDA? Good luck with that.

Of course I'd listen to the people here and my own experience, even when it all seems to conflict with what the USDA says. The USDA is being uber safe--and it's okay to live like that, but not most people's choice. It's like speeding--probably gonna be okay unless you're just stupid about it and let the meat actually get warm on the counter. I eat runny eggs, rare hamburger, raw cookie dough and sashimi, all of which could cause food poisoning--haven't gotten it yet, though.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

No offense, but listen closer next time. They mean for a short period of time, like 30 minutes to an hour, not all day.

Nobody is suggesting setting thawed meat out all day. Something from your deep freeze won't even be up to room temp if it sits in the sink a few hours.

 

[Southernmiss]

Nobody is suggesting setting thawed meat out all day. Something from your deep freeze won't even be up to room temp if it sits in the sink a few hours.

Thumbs up

 

[Minnesota!]

always thaw on the counter. just did a pork loin that way today! same way my mom did it. she would take it out at 5am and cook it at 530pm.

and usda has to say that - to cover their ***** should anyone get sick. the risk is so small....I will take it.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

and usda has to say that - to cover their ***** should anyone get sick. the risk is so small....I will take it.

I helped pack hams one time at a local place. If the average home did 10 percent of the things USDA required at those plants, dinner would NEVER be ready

 

[MissMichigan]

Add me to the list, too. I've been living on my own 7 years now and that's the only way I've ever done it, and it's how I always will I'm sure. My mom has always done it that way, so did her parents, etc.

The only thing I've ever gotten food poisoning from was cheesecake.

 

[ChristmasElf]

If anyone is interested; and you have granite countertops,

If you take chicken or steak that has been packaged with a (styrofoam tray with the plastic wrap around it) out of the freezer.
Placing the package upside down (plastic wrap down) the meat will thaw faster. It seems to cut thawing time almost in half when I do this.

 

[disykat]

I try not to thaw on the counter. I do cheat a little though. I usually try to take out whatever I need for the next day the night before. I let it set out for an hour or two to get a jump start on thawing and then put it in the fridge until the next day. That way it will be totally defrosted, but I'm also confident nothing reached below refrigerator temps.

It makes me nervous eating at my husband's family members houses because they do everything old school and don't follow any food safety rules.

I fudge a little here and there (like sneaking some cookie dough and jump starting the thawing) but generally I"m pretty careful.

 

[Hrhpd]

Sitting in the sun. Who does this?? My DH, that's who. Drives me out of my mind that he INSISTS on leaving frozen meat on the counter to thaw. I'm talking about hamburger , hot dogs and pork. Today he left in in the sun.
I am really careful with handling food-completely grosses me out that he does this....

Me. Do it all the time. I never plan ahead enough to thaw meat in the fridge. So, I always pull out something in the morning, throw it on the counter and it is thawed when I get home from work (part time.) Then I throw it in the fridge till dinner.....sometimes.

I am a littler pickier with poultry. But beef - all the time.

When we were little, my Mom used to give us mouthfuls of raw ground meat to check the seasoning for her. We *loved* it. It's a wonder we survived. I adored my mother, God rest her soul, but sometimes I think she was a bit psycho.

My parents threw huge cocktail parties back in the 60's. Some of my first memories are parties with ladies in pearls, martini glasses, cigarettes and the most popular appetizer...steak tartare. raw meat and a raw egg. It is a wonder we survived

yum...steak tartare with capers, anchovies, egg yolk and other stuff served on rye bread:

 

[Zandy595]

Nobody is suggesting setting thawed meat out all day. Something from your deep freeze won't even be up to room temp if it sits in the sink a few hours.

Just to be clear, I was commenting on what a pp said about Food Network chefs telling you to let meat sit out (30 min. to an hour) before you cook it. They're talking about from the fridge, not the freezer.

 

[Heidict]

I have always pulled something out of the fridge in the morning before heading out to work (about 6.30) and then throwing it in the fridge or cooking it when I get home (3.30 or so). Never had a problem, nor has anyone else I have cooked for.

Of course, I'm not a germaphobe or paranoid about those things. I know some people are and the thought of doing it makes them ill and that's fine. I think the chance of someone actually getting sick from it though is pretty low.

 

[eliza61]

I still do. I take some thing out the freezer in the morning, come home from work and cook. No one killed yet.