Why Should You Rotate Food When Thawing It? [Full Explained]
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You might be wondering “Why should you rotate food when thawing it?”. We may think, is there any reason or some benefits why rotate food while thawing?
There may be different thoughts and queries about why should you rotate food when thawing it food handlers especially! By reading this blog, you will have a clear idea, “What is the best way to thaw meat and food?”.
Did you have ever heard about this before?
Is that really the best way to defrost food quickly? “if you rotate food when thawing!”
Today, in this blog we will figure out “which method is a safe way to thaw food” & the reason why people rotate food when thawing!
Let’s start without wasting a time!
Also read: A Must-Have Ingredient For Chicken Fry
Here Is Why Should You Rotate Food When Thawing It?
The main purpose why you should rotate food when thawing it is because when it is stirred the heat would be distributed equally and correctly throughout your food to reach a safe internal temperature.
Especially when thawing food items using the microwave, there could be trapped ice under the frosted food. As you rotate it, uniformly directing heat melts the covered ice flawlessly. Therefore if you are defrosting foods, it is necessary to rotate the food so that it reaches the safe internal temperature that prevents the bacterial and other micro organisms to not grow or spread over it.
Therefore, whenever you are defrosting food items having bigger portions and sizes, you need to rotate them at least a few times when thawing. That makes the food optimize the nutrients and their taste as well.
3 Safe Ways To Defrost Food
Unsafe methods of food thawing can create a perfect environment for bacteria to grow and multiply and that can lead to foodborne illness. Perishable food items such as raw meat, poultry, and egg products must therefore be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. Such food items should never be thawed on the counter or in hot water.
The general rule is that frozen food should never be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
As the food item thaws out on the counter, the outer layer of the item thawed first while the center may still remain frozen, this means that the inside of the food item is still frozen. Consequently, the outer layer may be entering the danger zone, meaning a temperature between 40-240 degrees Fahrenheit, this is the temperature at which bacteria multiply.
To tackle that safely, you can follow the below-listed methods at your convenience.
1. Thawing In Refrigerator
Refrigerator thawing is best used if you know well ahead of time that you will be using food items as this method takes a long time. This is the easiest and safest method of thawing as there is minimal handling. This method takes a long time consequently, time may vary depending on the size of the food products. For example, a pound of ground beef can take up to a day to thaw in the fridge.
While thawing, the refrigerator should be maintained at a temperature below 5° Celsius. This thawing method simply involves putting your food item on a dish putting it into the fridge and waiting until it thaws at fridge temperature.
- Easiest & the safest method
- Minimum handling
- Takes almost 24 hours (Depending on the product)
- Thaw to a core temperature of 1-5°C
2. Thawing In Running Potable Water
Thawing with running water is much faster than refrigerator thawing. It requires more involvement however you should be able to thaw about a pound of meat per hour.
While using this method, a dedicated sink is required and you should keep your product submerged in water. This method is good for frozen seafood, especially shellfish. Make sure your frozen food packets are sealed with no leakers or punctures. And then submerge the packaged food item into a bowl of cold running water, where the water will need to be changed every thirty minutes to ensure that it stays cold and that the food item stays out of the danger zone.
Once the food item is completely thawed it needs to be cooked immediately to ensure food safety.
- Place vacuum-sealed food in a bowl
- Fill the bowl with a cold running water
- Make sure all pieces are totally submerged
- Wait until 15-20 minutes
- Uncover the food item from the packaging
- Rinse with cold water
- Make them dry and cook them immediately
Tip: Don’t use hot or lukewarm water.
Also Read:- Reasons To Put Mustard On Chicken Before Frying
3. Thawing In Microwave
The next instant method of throwing is through a microwave, microwave thawing is the fastest thawing method however, some parts of the food item can become warm or begin to cook during the thawing process entering the danger zone. Henceforth, it is suitable for smaller portion sizes.
While thawing, your product may be unevenly defrosted leading to poor quality or even bacterial growth. So it’s important to remember that heat is not distributed evenly through your food. Hence, it is necessary to rotate food when thawing using a microwave.
This method is recommended only for food items that are to be cooked immediately after defrosting.
Conclusion
We hope now you are totally aware of which method is safe to thaw food and why you should rotate food when thawing it.
Take note that frozen items must be labeled with a defrost date, and defrosting food at room temperature can cause bacterial growth or may lead to food poisoning. So, do practice these methods for safe processing because food safety is important!