# 5kg of chicken breast - £20



## glennon (Jul 14, 2015)

Going to my local farm shop tonight to pick up 5kg of chicken, just wanted to ask what's best way to defrost your chicken once frozen?

I absolutely hate defrosting chicken as prefer to buy it fresh and cook it the same day but it's so expensive so will have to resort to freezing it, defrosting it then cooking it!

Is it best to take out and leave stand for 24hrs, defrost in microwave, pour boiling water over it????? I would ask my mrs to do it but she's as clueless as me.

Cheers,


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## anaboliclove (Oct 9, 2010)

Allow to defrost at room temp then refrigerate mate


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## glennon (Jul 14, 2015)

anaboliclove said:


> Allow to defrost at room temp then refrigerate mate


cheers buddy, how long shall I leave to defrost roughly?


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## Paul40 (Mar 25, 2009)

The real problem is to make sure that it is cooked through when you've finished, and how you are cooking it. I've found that I can cook from frozen if in slices. Or slice/ cube it fresh then freeze it


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## RexEverthing (Apr 4, 2014)

glennon said:


> Going to my local farm shop tonight to pick up 5kg of chicken, just wanted to ask what's best way to defrost your chicken once frozen?
> 
> I absolutely hate defrosting chicken as prefer to buy it fresh and cook it the same day but it's so expensive so will have to resort to freezing it, defrosting it then cooking it!
> 
> ...


Are you buying it from the farm shop fresh or frozen? When I get mine fresh I separate it into freezer bags with two breasts in each one then whack it in the freezer. Then take a bag out 24hours before I'm due to cook to leave defrost in the fridge. As long as it's not still like a full on ice cube I just cook it regardless. Into the oven in a dish and leave it till it's hot / cooked throughout.


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## glennon (Jul 14, 2015)

Paul40 said:


> The real problem is to make sure that it is cooked through when you've finished, and how you are cooking it. I've found that I can cook from frozen if in slices. Or slice/ cube it fresh then freeze it


im exactly the same mate! I've cooked some before after defrosting it, gone to eat it the following day with some rice and the fvcker is still pink! I might buy one of those things that you insert into the chicken to make sure it's cooked right through.


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

Personally I just take it from the freezer and put it in the fridge each day then cook it. Takes about a day to defrost in the fridge but you can leave it for a few days without any problem.I wouldn't leave my food out and then put it back in the fridge .


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## RexEverthing (Apr 4, 2014)

glennon said:


> im exactly the same mate! I've cooked some before after defrosting it, gone to eat it the following day with some rice and the fvcker is still pink! I might buy one of those things that you insert into the chicken to make sure it's cooked right through.


Slice the breast in half, look at it and touch it. As long as it's white throughout and boiling hot to the touch you're fine. Doing this does mean it's not quite as juicy the next day but I drench mine in piri piri sauce anyway.


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## glennon (Jul 14, 2015)

@MuscleFood fancy sponsoring me, give me a year and I'll be huge!


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## andyboro (Oct 1, 2006)

we take ours out the night before/the morning of the day that they will be cooked, defrost at room temp and then store in the fridge once they are there or thereabouts.

dont use hot water, microwave is ok so long as you are planning to cook them as soon as they are defrosted. Otherwise there is warming and cooling and a greater risk.


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## glennon (Jul 14, 2015)

cheers for the advice boys, ive just been given a link which is also useful!

apparently the wire can go in the oven and the alarm goes off once the chicken is cooked.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20103016/


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## p.cullen (Jun 6, 2014)

I just take mines out the freezer before i go to bed, get up at 6am, fire it in a maggys oven bag put it in the oven for 35 minutes and its cooked perfectly


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## Gary29 (Aug 21, 2011)

I take mine from freezer night before, stick them into some salty water in a dish and leave them out to soak overnight, stick them in the fridge in the morning, then they're ready to cook at 6pm.

Not killed me yet, and the salt water helps them retain some moisture when cooking.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

gearchange said:


> Personally I just take it from the freezer and put it in the fridge each day then cook it. Takes about a day to defrost in the fridge but you can leave it for a few days without any problem.I wouldn't leave my food out and then put it back in the fridge .


Are you sure about leaving it a few days after it's defrosted? The usual advice is it should be eaten within a day I thought.

I cut fresh chicken up into the portion sizes I want and then bag these up separately to freeze. My chicken for tonight I put in the fridge last night to defrost.

I also cook large batches of chicken for lunches, which I chop up and weigh out into portions to freeze. As the pieces are smaller I can make my lunch in the morning with the chicken still frozen, and it's defrosted by the time I want to eat it .


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## anaboliclove (Oct 9, 2010)

glennon said:


> cheers buddy, how long shall I leave to defrost roughly?


i leave mine about 12 hours over night (4x 200g fillets) some will say defrost in fridge. But that's the way I do it bud


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## superdrol (Aug 9, 2012)

Took 1kg out of freezer one night, leave it on the side wake up next morning and fridge it, then cook that night, having left a kg In fridge for a few days and it was still froze in the middle I'm happier with it being out for a night


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

I've just been freezing single individual Chicken Fillets approx. (200g each) then leaving them in very hot water for an hour or 2 and then cooking them on the grill?


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

> I've just been freezing single individual Chicken Fillets approx. (200g each) then leaving them in very hot water for an hour or 2 and then cooking them on the grill?


When I've forgotten to defrost chicken before I've done it quickly in hot water (keeping the frozen chicken in its bag), although not for as long as 2 hours. I prefer this to to defrosting in the microwave as I always find this ends up cooking the outside a bit before the inside is fully defrosted.


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## Test-e (Mar 26, 2014)

You can roast chicken from frozen, I do it on a regular basis, about 20 minutes to half an hour at 200c, then take the chicken out and apply the seasoning should be totally defrosted by now, can skewer some of the chicken so the flavour seeps in then cook as per usual.

Alternatively put it in a zip lock bag and put the chicken in a pan of cold tap water, should take about 4-5 hours to defrost.

There's no difference in taste if the chicken is seasoned.


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

Ultrasonic said:


> When I've forgotten to defrost chicken before I've done it quickly in hot water (keeping the frozen chicken in its bag), although not for as long as 2 hours. I prefer this to to defrosting in the microwave as I always find this ends up cooking the outside a bit before the inside is fully defrosted.


Their is quiet a stir about defrosting in warm water, claims that it exposes the meat to a greater chance of bacteria? yet different sources beg to differ. This method is usually for smaller cuts of meat, chicken, fish, such as fillets, chicken breasts, steaks. It is not for large roasts. I wasn't actually aware of there being an issue of them being thawed in warm water? I may revert to thawing them out longer in Cold water, just to be more precautious. but, if I'm pressed for time, hot water it is.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/dining/a-hot-water-bath-for-thawing-meats-the-curious-cook.html?_r=0


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

> Their is quiet a stir about defrosting in warm water, claims that it exposes the meat to a greater chance of bacteria? yet different sources beg to differ. This method is usually for smaller cuts of meat, chicken, fish, such as fillets, chicken breasts, steaks. It is not for large roasts. I wasn't actually aware of there being an issue of them being thawed in warm water? I may revert to thawing them out longer in Cold water, just to be more precautious. but, if I'm pressed for time, hot water it is.
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/dining/a-hot-water-bath-for-thawing-meats-the-curious-cook.html?_r=0


When I've defrosted chicken I do indeed do it quickly, and cook the chicken immediately it's thawed. That's why I mentioned your 2 hours seemed a bit long, and that to my mind may make it risky as it gives time for bacteria to multiply.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

> I freeze all mine and cook it 1kg a time from frozen boil in a pan for 45mins job done


You boil chicken?


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

I put it in a bowl of cold water to defrost and change the water every half hour or so.


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## AlexHealy (May 27, 2012)

I bag two breasts together and put in the fridge to defrost. It normally lasts 2-3 days that way.

Although it depends if the cat has opened the fridge and eaten it first or not.


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## H_JM_S (Mar 27, 2012)

Ultrasonic said:


> When I've forgotten to defrost chicken before I've done it quickly in hot water (keeping the frozen chicken in its bag), although not for as long as 2 hours. I prefer this to to defrosting in the microwave as I always find this ends up cooking the outside a bit before the inside is fully defrosted.


What this man said! I freeze in bags of 2 when fresh and take them out pf the freezer and put them in the fridge then night before. If I forget I put the bag in a bowl of warm water for an hour or so. Defrosting in the microwave never works for me.


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## H_JM_S (Mar 27, 2012)

FelonE said:


> I put it in a bowl of cold water to defrost and change the water every half hour or so.


This is the right way to thaw chicken, keep changing the water so its cold. I use warm water because normally I've forgotten and need it defrosted asap.


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## DC1 (May 5, 2014)

I bought this metal tray thing from some home catalogue and it defrosts the chicken from frozen in about 4 hours.

I just leave it out in the morning and its fully defrosted by lunchtime. Fire in the fridge and cook later that night.


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