Most housewives tend to stock up on large quantities of poultry during Ramadan, as it is a staple on the iftar table during the fasting month. However, some may resort to traditional and unhealthy practices of thawing frozen poultry before cooking. Nutrition experts therefore recommend following safe and proper methods when removing poultry from the freezer to ensure food safety.
Safe dissolving methods
Raw poultry contains a range of bacterial strains that persist even after freezing, such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli, and they begin to multiply at 4.4°C (40°F).
1- Use the refrigerator
This is the best and safest method because it keeps the chicken cold while thawing. Simply transfer the chicken from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw slowly for 12 to 24 hours, or until it's completely thawed. The only downside to this method is that it requires advance planning, as it takes a long time to thaw completely, especially if the chicken is whole or contains parts of the bones.
Dr. Margaret Cooper, associate professor in the College of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona, explains to Martha Stewart that it's best to place frozen chicken on a lower shelf in the refrigerator, and to ensure it's in a suitable container to prevent any juices from leaking out and mixing with other foods. "This method allows the chicken to be cooked within a day or two of thawing," Cooper adds.
2- Cold water bath
This method requires some effort, but if you decide to thaw chicken in a cold water bath, you can follow these chicken safety guidelines to ensure it is safe to cook and consume:
- Place the chicken in an airtight container or a leak-proof plastic bag to avoid damaging the meat tissue or spreading bacteria.
- Fill your kitchen sink or a deep bowl with cold water (21°C or cooler).
- Submerge the entire chicken in cold water, changing it every half hour to ensure it stays cold, or you can add ice cubes to it.
Thawing this way takes about two to three hours for whole chicken, while it will take an hour or less for boneless chicken. Chicken should be cooked immediately after it is completely thawed.
3- Using the microwave
You may not have enough time before breakfast and need a quick alternative to thaw frozen chicken. In this case, you can rely on the thawing settings in microwaves. Thawing takes about 5 minutes or more, depending on the power of the microwave and the size and thickness of the meat.
Start by removing the plastic wrap from the chicken, as, according to Dr. Margaret Cooper, this exposes the chicken to phthalates in the plastic. Make sure to place it in a glass bowl or other microwave-safe container.
Cooper says: Some microwaves rotate the food, which allows the chicken to thaw evenly. But if yours doesn't, check the thawing process yourself by rotating the bowl manually or removing the chicken and turning it over from time to time.
Cooper recommends cooking chicken immediately after thawing it in the microwave to avoid the growth of bacteria that thrive in warm areas. Microwaving can promote warm spots and cause other areas to begin cooking. If not cooked immediately, it can pose a health risk and cause foodborne illnesses such as food poisoning.
4- Cooking frozen chicken
You can cook frozen poultry without thawing it, but this option requires:
- Extend the cooking time by about 50% more than the recommended time. If your recipe calls for 60 minutes of cooking, increase the cooking time to 90 minutes.
- To ensure that chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F), you can check the internal temperature using a food thermometer.
- Use cooking methods that allow the chicken to heat quickly, such as on the stove or in the oven, and avoid cooking it in slow cookers or microwaves, as these cause the chicken to remain at unsafe temperatures for long periods.
Common mistakes
- Avoid thawing chicken and meat at room temperature. The USDA warns against leaving frozen meat on the kitchen counter or work surface to thaw. Room temperature is 20°C (68°F), which exposes meat to unsafe temperatures and increases the risk of bacterial growth.
- It is not recommended to refreeze thawed chicken and meat, but if you want to change your cooking plan or there is more thawed poultry than you need, only meat and poultry thawed in the refrigerator can be safely refrozen.
- Meat and poultry should not be thawed in hot water, as the risk of raising the temperature of meat to 4.4°C (40°F) or more encourages bacteria to multiply in large numbers.
- Do not use the cold water bath method with large poultry that may take more than 3 hours to thaw, such as turkey.
- In general, for the safety of your food and your family, poultry should only be thawed using the recommended methods, as some bacteria, such as E. coli, produce a toxin that remains in the food even when cooked at safe temperatures.
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