In the fridge a day or two ahead of time is best. When I forget I use the "under cold running water" trick. Works great for boneless chicken breasts.

Probably the experts would say it's safest to defrost it in the refrigerator. But that takes some time. A large piece of meat could take a couple of days. I always put it (well-sealed in a plastic bag) in a container of water and keep an eye on it until it is thawed.

Refrigerator is the correct way, but I have been guilty of putting smaller amounts of meat out on the counter to defrost (per health experts it's a no no and I work in health care field. lol ) . I keep an eye on it to make sure it is still cold. As soon as defrosted I cook it or put in fridge. We haven't been sick yet from it. Now something like large like turkey or a big roast I only defrost in the fridge or the cold water bath method.

Thank you for that explanation, plllog. I feel like an idiot for always defrosting on the counter. I will do better now.

Remember, when you're running raw meat, and especially poultry, under water, be careful not to splatter and you need to clean the sink well when you're done. While you're defrosting, you're also spreading bad bacteria.

Never do that! Mine is always thawed in packaging.

So when I defrost in the refrigerator I leave the meat in the packaging, correct?

James, I do leave in the packaging. But putting it on a plate.

I will sometimes put something on defrost in the microwave to get it started....for maybe the setting of 1/3 or so its actual weight to defrost. (ie a 3 pound pot roast microwave-defrosted as a weight of 16 oz). Then into the refrigerator to finish. I don't notice a decline in texture in beef or pork giving it a kick start that way.

I rarely freeze fish or any seafood other than occasionally shrimp, but if I do have a frozen piece its always thawed in the refrigerator - never faster.

The safest and most widely accepted method is to thaw in the refrigerator, still sealed in the packaging. I also put mine on a plate or within a glass casserole dish or something similar.

That said, I've also been known to toss a package of meat in the sink and forget about it, come back later and cook it for supper. What can I say, I'm a rebel. (grin) I never use the microwave to thaw, it makes things tough if you leave it in a nanosecond too long.

I've also been known to eat a fresh tomato right off the vine, just dusting it off on my shirt. I eat my eggs over easy and my burgers rare and indulge in various other risky behaviors which pale in comparison next to picking blackberries in the National Forest in a county that has a lively and large bear population!

Annie

I mean Ive never gotten sick from anything ive cooked.. And I only switch the utensil out when I serve it at the end.. This should be ok right?

James, there are harmful bacterial on food, more on meat than on vegetables. If your raw food has enough harmful bacteria it may make you sick. Food handling recommendations and cooking temperatures account for worst case. If your food was properly handled, you may not get sick for cross contamination, because there was nothing to cross contaminate.

If you want assurance from not following food handling recommendations, perhaps you should google, reassurance.com

Even with the preponderance of chickens born with salmonella already in them, the incidence of getting infected poultry is pretty low. The reason for the care is that if you should be infected the results are really awful and potentially life threatening if not treated right away. The worry about other raw meats usually comes from poor sanitary practices and shortcuts taken during the initial slaughter and handling, from what I've read, and it's more likely to be e. coli from an animal's digestive system contaminating the area (through said poor practices) than any kind of endemic infection. The results can be just as dire, if there's an infection, especially for the vulnerable like little kids, but the incidence is much lower than for poultry, from what I've been able to find out.

Annie grows her own, mostly or knows the growers, and the butcher, so her risks aren't the same, as those of us relying on city food sources.

Re utensils, it's better to switch out the raw chicken utensils right away, but if the meat has been cooking for good and long enough at high enough temperature to kill the germs (there are tables you can look up) then you can switch to your finished tongs, etc., then. What you don't want to do is keep rebacteriaizing your food as it cooks. If you do a marinade, after the meat is put on to cook, you can add the remaining sauce, but you should discard the rest right away. Similarly, if it's something that gets mopped with sauce regularly, you should pour a small amount into a dish for each basting and change over your basting brush as it gets to temperature.

All of that is "shoulds". In real life, most people manage not to poison themselves if they take any care at all. The problem is that even the people who are the remainder who do poison themselves may be a small percentage of the population but in absolute numbers it's a lot of people! Take some care, don't stress yourself out over exactitudes--just get into a habit of not spreading potential contamination, and be extra careful when cooking for small children, the elderly and people with illnesses or immunity issues.

Also, remember that with beef and pork, bacteria are on the surface of the meat.....and the more "surface" ..like ground beef or sausage or meat you buy already cut up, the more chance for bacteria....where a big roast doesn't have so much surface to be contaminated.
That's why you are pretty safe eating a rare steak but not a rare hamburger.

Sous Vide cookers are so popular and affordable now, and there are so many makers to pick from. I use a sous vide cooker to defrost. Quick and safe. Best thing is you don't even have to defrost, just cook from frozen. I have cooked whole 18 lb frozen turkey direct without thawing.

I also use a microwave to defrost.

Do not defrost a frozen turkey in your refrigerator unless you are sure that your refrigerator is actually below 40F. Many are not.

Regarding whole raw beef being safe, look into "mechanically tenderized beef".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tj3fZ1LD4w

dcarch

Yes, in the fridge to thaw. I can never use that word defrost, to me that is defrosting a refrigerator. To me it is always thaw any food that is frozen. :)

Sue