How long to de-frost a chicken?

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 09:38

Bought roast chicken yesterday but we didn't have it so put in the freezer in the evening, want to have it tonight...how soon should I get it out of the freezer? and should I leave it at room temperature or put it in the fridge?

Please help!!!!

Natx

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 09:39

btw meant bought a chicken for roasing not a roast chicken!

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 09:44

Get it out NOW at room temperature.



Richard

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 09:48

excellent thanks! Will do!

Have a good day!

Natx

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 11:53

Hi Brinsley, whilst I defer to your superior knowledge of the culinary art, I would have thought room temp. in Cyprus a tad high. I'd either leave it in the microwave, slightly cooler than room temp. or wrap in cling film and let defrost in cold water.

Can't see why anyone would freeze a fresh chicken for one night.



Tony



ps Richard, do you know if steve got the keys?

Mike phoned today, I told him to e-mail Verda

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 17:47

We defrost ours for 24 hrs in the fridge.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 17:58

Eat it raw - like the Maoris in New Zealand - if you bite the head off first, preferably in a Bikey (Bikers') pub, you'll complete the initiation ceremony to become a member of Hell's Angels!

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 19:15

Coachie, Nat says she wants to "have it tonight". Would seem that tonight means the night of today. Don't think your defrost in the fridge for 24 hours quite solves her problem.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 19:44

Worry not Tony, Couchie is back on his alcoholic ribena, should try gripe water. Cooking a slightly frozen chicken is dangerous. Pink duck, salmon and well farmed pork is fine. Good luck Nat with your birdie tonight.



Richard

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 19:57

Hi Brinsley, cop for Nat's photo, can we, as two ugly wotsits, sit by (notice: not stand) whilst a tasty like that shakes a seven by listening to dodgy advice, re frozen chicken?

Nat, the best advice I can ever give re. frozen/defrosted chicken is easy to remember:

If in doubt, chuck it out.

Arthur


Joined: 04/11/2008
Posts: 687

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 21:17

Reminds me of one of my accountancy trainees years ago, who had a mathematics degree, so had spent three years living away from home. Whilst training with my firm, Mark's parents went away on holiday. Mark wanted to cook a frozen chicken, so to find out information on how to defrost it etc, he phoned up........................The Samaritans!! He couldn't understand why, when he related this, everyone was in hysterics.



Fortunately not all chartered accountants are like Mark.............

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 23:24

Brinsley,,you seem to be the be all and end all of sometimes useless knowledge which bores the pants off me.It is better to totally defrost fully for 24hrs any part /frozen food especially chickens if you do not want a dose of salmonella or e-Colli and that comes from my wife who has food hygene certificates.Better to be safe than sorry old chap,what!!! And once again the name is COACHIE,and what has what I have in my glass got to do with anything,or is that your attempt at humour...

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 23:29

Minertor..hope she had it that night in question and is feeling ok afterwards.Chicken is the worst food to get wrong in hot climates,bad enough here in the UK that is why I said a full 24 hrs to be safe..

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
07/09/2009 23:38

CoAchie



The post was registered this morning for this evenings dining. Better have a word with Arthur Msg 11 about mathematics and how many hours are in a day! Mind you there are a few dodgy accountants around that can twist 24 into 8!



Richard

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 08:25

Hello all!



What a laugh! You are right, I didn't know quite who to ask & mum is on holiday!



Well, the result was delicious! We had it last night and no dodgy tummies this morning!

Defrosted room temp as per Richards' advice, teamed up with roasted potatoes and tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and rosemary, also roasted spicy green peppers served with natural yoghurt...delicious!

It's now our favourite meal, infact my other half keeps asking me to make it nearly every other night! The one thing about being here and not working is I have learnt to cook and it tastes better every time I make it, am quite glad I found a job though now, will stick to making the roast on Sundays before we both get seriously fat!!!



Thanks again, have a good Tuesday all!

Natx

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 08:29

PS It was a small chicken so didn't need to be de-frosted for so long :0)

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 12:08

Glad you enjoyed it and are ok...

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 13:06

yes thanks, cheers to that! Still alive (!) and enjoying the cool breeze and clouds today, what a refreshing change!

Natx

essexgirl


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 14:13

Hi Nat

The chicken sounded delicious -must try that combination myself !!!

Just thought I'd mention though that most food poisoning probelms come from meats being left ambient for any lenght of time (thereby allowing harmful organisms to multiply and produce toxcins in the food). Refridgheration slows down this activity and freezing literally 'freezes it'. Cooking meats thoroughly destroy the bacteria in the cooked food making it harmless so most meats, especially chicken sjould be cooked thoroughly and the probelm occurs when cooking partially frozen meat and the inside bits don't actually 'cook' -just thaw out.... luverly !!!

If I am trying to thaw something out quickly because I have forgotten to do so in advance, I normally immerse it in cool or even warm water for half an hour or so. This time span will defoost the meat but is too short to allow any serious quantity of bacteria to multiply !!! Make sure it is fully defrosted before atempting to cook it though !!!

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 14:20

If you do essexgirl, try sprinkling some Basil on the potatoes before roasting.

Just one other thing, some on here might mention your spelling, I won't be so pedantic.



Tony

essexgirl


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 14:56

Just one other thought -a few years ago my elderly Mum cooked a fabulous Christmas bird which she had prepared with much love and care. On Christmas Eve morning I arrived home to spend Christmas with the family and she proudly said that the bird was already stuffed, cooked and in the fridge. I was very perturbed as we normally cook it on Christmas day, and was even more shocked when she old me she had cooked it ‘last week’ !!! Not wanting to panic unnecessarily or upset her, (or poison the whole family for that matter !) I called my friend who had just completed the



Advanced Food Hygiene course. Her advice was that it would be fine as it had been refrigerated immediately after cooking, and to slice the meat and re-heat it very well in gravy prior to serving. Good advice as it turned out as we were all fine and well and Christmas Dinner was saved !!!

Susie

essexgirl


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 15:02

Hi Tony

Yeh -Basil is great with roasted vegetables too -I normally put copious quantities of fresh rosemary and bay leaves with my roasies though -so aromatic !

Re: Spelling ...mmmm

Actually have to say this wasn't my best day as I was typing furiously and didn't bother to proof it.

Do folks actually have the time to moan about peoples spelling - if I was reading the Times, then they would have apoint, but when you're just shooting off a message .....??!!

Have a nice day -its glorious here in Clayhall -although I'd much rather be in Esentepe !!!

Susie

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 15:57

Thanks for the tips..and funny stories!

Natx

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
08/09/2009 21:10

Essexgirl..there are some who delight in pointing out your spelling,grammar,pucntuation etc.but the same people are not averse to the odd mistake themselves,watch closely and you will see!!!