Find out how to defrost your products easily and quickly with this tip.
How do your products melt in the microwave?
A cup in the microwave – Source: spm
Whether you want to reheat frozen pizza or thaw ground beef for dinner, using the microwave is a quick and easy option to defrost food straight from the freezer. All you have to do is use the right pan, set a low power setting to cook your food evenly, and make sure you do it correctly and safely to avoid contaminating your food.
Defrosting food at room temperature outside of the refrigerator is usually the recommended method, and is the only option for defrosting fish. The disadvantage of this method is that it is very slow. And we don’t always have 24 hours to wait for the products to be ready to eat. Another alternative is to thaw the food by submerging it in water. It is a little faster than the previous option. But to do it safely, you have to do it with cold water. This delays the product from reaching room temperature.
The fastest option remains, which is to defrost food in the microwave. Just put a cup of water in the appliance next to the food you want to defrost. The water in the cup will attract most of the waves, which will allow the product to only receive the waves evenly, thus preventing overcooking the corners or the most exposed parts of the food that could burn.
Dish in the microwave – Source: spm
It is also recommended to add a little water or oil to the food so that it dissolves evenly.
Finally, special attention should be paid to the time of defrosting. Ideally, when thawing food in the microwave, do so in 2-minute increments. Using a microwave oven to heat certain foods may affect their nutritional value. It is not recommended to thaw meat in the microwave, for example, if you do not intend to cook it immediately. On the other hand, if you prepare it as soon as you take it out of the microwave, there are no contraindications.
Do frozen foods lose their nutritional value? What do the experts say about it?
Director of the American Center for Food Research and Development (CIAD), Fernando Ayala Zavala, says there are many myths about frozen foods, so it is essential to get the right information about them.
He acknowledges that frozen foods lose their nutritional value, yes, but this process is slower than when produce is refrigerated or stored at room temperature. Therefore, food spoils more when it is at room temperature while freezing slows down the spoilage process.
However, it is recommended to consume fruits and vegetables when they are fresh, because when they are sold frozen they can contain chemical preservatives that allow them to maintain a more attractive appearance. Freezing it degrades its flavor and affects its texture. This is because low temperatures do not allow the aroma and flavor complex to be perceived, which is also lost during the defrosting process.
It is therefore important to follow these instructions carefully to preserve the freshness and quality of the food you wish to defrost.
