Is it possible and how to defrost fish in the microwave?

Sea fish can often only be purchased frozen, and even those caught from local reservoirs are frozen by housewives when the catch is too large. This is how waterfowl retains most of its beneficial properties, and dishes prepared from it are not inferior in taste to those made from fresh ones.

To prevent the product from losing some of its vitamins and microelements, you need to have an idea of ​​how to quickly defrost fish. Home craftswomen have learned how to do this. The rules and methods will be discussed in this article.

In water

This option is considered the best and most common. When figuring out how to properly defrost fish, you need to remember many important nuances, including the type of product. For example, different options are suitable for hake, pink salmon, red fish, and sturgeon. Methods for defrosting fish in water depend on the temperature of the liquid.

Yandex.Pictures

In hot

Warm water allows you to quickly get rid of ice and get a product ready for cooking. However, hot liquid negatively affects the structure of the carcass, so it cannot be used constantly. Before you quickly defrost fish, you should weigh all the pros and cons of the method. It is better to resort to it in emergency cases when there is no time to wait. In other situations, it is recommended to use healthier methods of defrosting fish.

Yandex pictures

In the cold

Defrosting fish in cold water follows the following recommendations:

• To prevent the product from losing its taste, the temperature of the liquid should be from +15 to +20 degrees;
• Salted water should be used. For 1 liter, half a teaspoon of salt is enough;
• The ratio of fish and liquid should be 1:4 or 1:5. In these proportions, a small-sized product will defrost in 2 hours, and a large-sized product will defrost in 6 hours.

Before sending into the water, the fish should be placed in a plastic bag.

Help: It is important that the water is not very salty. Otherwise, the carcass will begin to lose a lot of liquid during defrosting.

To speed up the process, it is necessary to change the liquid in the container every 20 minutes. It is not recommended to use the described method if it is minced fish or fillet.

Yandex pictures

One of the best ways to defrost fish is to use running water. If everything is done correctly, the prepared product can be obtained in 1.5-2 hours. You should proceed like this:

1. The product is placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in cling film. This will prevent excess liquid absorption by the carcass;
2. The finished package is placed in the prepared container. The dishes should be deep. The fish is completely covered with water;
3. Place the container under the tap and turn on the water. Leave a little pressure and wait for the product to defrost. The speed depends on the size of the carcass and the temperature of the liquid.

The described method is perfect for sea and river fish. He's quite careful. However, the carcass will inevitably lose some liquid.

Selecting a quality product

By and large, it is easier to purchase fresh rather than frozen fish. However, not everyone can afford this option. As a rule, sea fish is delivered to store shelves after emergency freezing. River fish can be found alive. It is difficult to choose a quality frozen product because you are purchasing a block of ice. The carcass is hard to see through the packaging; it is difficult to understand whether it has been defrosted before or not. If yes, in the end, after all the manipulations, you will end up with a pulpy mess. It is strictly not recommended to purchase frozen products on the market, in particular from unverified suppliers. Since the flesh of the fish is very delicate, it requires careful handling. It is forbidden to freeze and defrost the composition several times. Fish is frozen in an emergency way, this is how the final product will retain its properties and structure

Ordinary fishermen do not have such equipment, as a result of which they leave the products to be frozen in a household refrigerator (another method of freezing, inappropriate temperature conditions). Before buying a large frozen carcass, it is important to decide how you will cook it. If the family is large, all the goods will go into business

Other options suggest that you will have to defrost the product twice, or even three times. If possible, purchase fish cut into pieces or small carcasses. This move will eliminate the constant “freezing-thawing” procedure, as a result of which you will get all the useful enzymes from the fish. The recommendation is extremely relevant for breeds with the most tender meat. Unscrupulous sellers often put up for sale carcasses that have been thawed many times. Such actions reduce the shelf life and quality of the finished product. Carefully evaluate the packaging; there should be no stuck pieces of fish or frozen water on the inside of the film. Learn the signs that will help you choose a good product. High-quality fish have red or pink gills (it all depends on the breed). The carcass must be smooth, without breaks, cracks, dents or other types of damage. The color of the fish is silver, not gold. As for the ice in the fish package, a thin layer of frozen glaze is allowed. Make sure there are no lumps that appear when water freezes. The fish is not characterized by an ammonia smell, greasy inclusions and other new growths.

This is interesting: River fish cutlets at home - recipes for making minced meat

On air

Many technologists and professional chefs advise defrosting medium and large carcasses in a similar way. It is necessary to place the products at some distance from each other so that they do not come into close contact. Cover with cling film.

Help: Defrosting fish in air can take up to 9 hours. It all depends on its size.

It is worth checking the products periodically. If some of them have already been defrosted, they are removed from the total.

It is worth understanding that when thawing in this way, the carcass will lose about 10% in weight. This is due to the fact that juice will begin to flow out of it. But air is one of the most gentle defrosting methods. It allows you to preserve vitamins and nutrients in the product.

Yandex pictures

It is not recommended to use it during the hot season. Prolonged absence of cold will lead to the rapid development of bacteria on the surface of food. Even after stewing or frying, poisoning can occur.

Vegetables, fruits and berries: vitamins at a click

Before defrosting vegetables in the microwave, they should be placed on a medium or deep plate. A flat one will not work here - when defrosting, fruits may release juice that will spill onto the tray.

The duration of heating depends on the volume of food, the degree of moisture content (whether the fibers are meaty or there is a lot of water), the degree of freezing, etc. Due to a number of factors, defrosting time varies individually:

Educational program: 7 useful life hacks and tips for the microwave or how to become a kitchen Jedi

In the microwave

A regular microwave will help speed up the process of defrosting fish. The product is placed on a microwave-safe plate and placed inside the equipment. Find a special “Defrost” button on the panel and turn on the selected mode.

Yandex pictures

Periodically remove the fish from the microwave and turn it over to ensure even thawing. This method is considered quite fast. However, microwave ovens are limited in size. Therefore, they are not always able to place large fish inside. You also need to understand that the taste of food after such a procedure may deteriorate.

Thawing at room temperature

This method is similar to the air defrosting option. The product is taken out of the refrigerator and left in the kitchen to thaw naturally. The most time-consuming option. The fish should also be wrapped in cling film. It is more convenient to put it on a plate or place it in an empty container.

Yandex pictures

In a refrigerator

Defrosting fish can take place in the refrigerator. It is enough to place it on the bottom shelf at a temperature of +5 degrees. Defrosting occurs slowly and can take about 9 hours. This is the key disadvantage of the method.

Help: Defrosting in the refrigerator allows you to preserve all the beneficial substances of the product. Food does not lose taste after such cooling.

Yandex pictures
The following recommendations should be followed:

• If the fish is in a vacuum package, before placing it on the bottom shelf, you need to pierce the pack in several places;
• If there is no packaging on the product, it is wrapped in cling film;
• This type of defrosting is used when you can leave the fish overnight.

The refrigerator is suitable for thawing sturgeon, as well as pollock, hake and perch.

In the oven

Modern stoves are equipped with a special defrosting function. Therefore, it is enough to use the desired mode before preparing the dish. On electric models, this option is indicated by a drop on the control panel.

As soon as the function is activated, the fan turns on. The heating parts do not start working, so the product does not lose its properties. Defrosting occurs under the influence of air currents. The fan removes cold air from the carcass, replacing it with warm air.

Help: The temperature during such defrosting remains at room temperature, it does not increase. At the same time, thawing occurs faster, and the food does not lose its properties and taste.

You can turn on the heat to speed up the process of getting rid of ice. However, the temperature should be set to a maximum of 30 degrees.

Yandex pictures

Some oven models are not equipped with a special function for defrosting fish. In this case, it is recommended to resort to convection mode with a temperature of 0 degrees.

It is allowed to use a regular stove without the specified functions. The recommendations in this case are as follows:

1. The oven is heated to a temperature of 30 degrees, no more;
2. The fish is removed from the packaging and placed on a plate of suitable size;
3. The container with the product is placed on a wire rack and sent to the oven.

It is worth remembering that glassware is not suitable for these purposes. The grille must also be set to the lowest possible position. There is no need to cover the fish with anything.

Secrets of proper freezing

Freezing food can extend storage time up to a year. If you have a sufficiently large freezer, this allows you to solve the issue of seasonal food preparation without resorting to preservation.

Frozen food retains all the beneficial properties of a fresh product. In addition, you can store semi-finished products, soup dressings and pieces of meat in the freezer. The correct bookmark allows you not only to preserve, but also to easily and quickly defrost everything that is stored in the freezer.

Be sure to follow the rules for separate storage of semi-finished products. Fruits and vegetables should be stored separately from meat, poultry and fish. This will prevent the formation of foreign odors.

Before storing meat products in the freezer, you should prepare:

• Remove the vacuum packaging;
• Cut into small portions;
• Divide them into separate freezer bags;
• Large pieces of meat and whole poultry should be washed well and dried thoroughly;
• You need to freeze at maximum power, many modern freezers have a “shock freezing” function, be sure to use it;
• Sign food packages.

Freeze and defrost meat and poultry according to the rules and then there will always be delicious dishes on your table.

Rate this article:

4

print version

What else to read:

Chicken wings in honey-soy sauce: preparing your favorite snack

How to cook beaver tasty and healthy at home

How to bake chicken breast in foil in the oven

How to cook baked duck in foil in the oven

How to fry pork steak in a frying pan

How to choose and deliciously cook chicken liver

In a water bath

It was noted that many of the listed methods lead to the fact that the fish loses useful substances, decreases in weight and changes its structure. All this affects its appearance and taste after stewing and frying. To avoid this, it is recommended to use a water bath.

A steamer or slow cooker is great for this. In such equipment there is no contact between the carcass and water.

Help: It is recommended to use the specified cooling method if the subsequent preparation of the product will be in a double boiler or multicooker.

Defrosting takes about 20 minutes. But you should understand that the taste of the product may become less intense.

Yandex picture

The product is placed on a special steamer grill and the minimum temperature is set. Periodically turn the carcass over. As soon as the product has completely thawed, turn on the desired cooking mode. For example, cooking, stewing, etc.

Fillet

defrost the fillet at the very bottom of the refrigerator, where the temperature is highest. But this process may take 3-4 hours. You can, of course, fry, for example, unfrozen fillets (and even professional chefs sometimes do this). But at the same time it can shoot very strongly (the water defrosts and falls on the boiling oil).

And the appearance of the prepared product suffers: it wrinkles and dries out as a result, and you can’t roll it in flour or breadcrumbs. So you can do this using physical laws, that is, increase the ambient temperature. Then the defrosting process itself will speed up. Place a covered bowl of fish near a heated stove, for example.

Salt

It is known that salt can speed up the thawing process of any product. It was noted that it needs to be added to the water to make defrosting faster. Preparing the right mixture will ensure that the food does not lose its juiciness.

How long it takes to defrost fish in this way depends on the size of the carcass:

• Small fish or small fillets thaw in a few hours;
• A medium to large sized product will take 4 to 6 hours to thaw.

When preparing the solution, certain proportions are adhered to. For 1 kg of carcass, 2 tablespoons of salt and the same number of liters of water are required. The ingredients are mixed in a deep container, always with a lid.

When the salty solution is prepared, the fish is placed in it, after removing its packaging. Cover the top with a lid. You can leave the container at room temperature or put it in the refrigerator. Before cooking food, first rinse it with cold water.

Yandex pictures

This type of defrosting is suitable for fatty fish, such as pink salmon and red fish.

Hairdryer

If the carcass is large and does not fit into a container, oven, or microwave, you must resort to unusual methods to thaw the fish. One of these is a hair dryer. You will have to spend about 40 minutes on one carcass. First, the product is placed in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This will preserve the taste of the fish.

The carcass is wrapped in cling film, but not tightly. Place it on a large glass dish or in a bathtub. It all depends on the size of the product. Sometimes it is more convenient to carry out all manipulations in the bath. The hairdryer is turned on in the “cold air” mode. When blowing on the carcass, you must hold the device at a distance of about 25 cm. The air flow is directed along the fish. You can resort to combined methods, combining a hair dryer with other defrosting options.

How not to defrost

The process of defrosting fish must proceed correctly. The preservation of the properties and taste of the product depends on this. Therefore, you need to try to avoid various process errors.

When carcasses are thawed, a change occurs in the colloidal structures of their muscles. This leads to loss of juice. And the more it goes away, the more the taste will change after cooking.

Note: It is not recommended to defrost fillets in salted water. This may reduce the nutritional value of the product and change its color. You should resort to this type of defrosting only in extreme cases.

Yandex image
It is recommended to adhere to the following tips:

• Do not use hot water so that frozen fish becomes simply raw. At temperatures above 35 degrees, fish protein begins to lose its properties. To replace the lost juice, the carcass absorbs hot liquid. As a result, the product becomes loose. This option is allowed only in extreme cases;
• It is not necessary to defrost the product completely until it is soft. The fish should remain elastic, dense, and chilled. Then it will be easier to prepare;
• As soon as the defrosting process is completed, they immediately begin preparing the chilled product. Otherwise, the fish product will lose its properties and vitamins.

Properties of frozen fish

• Knowing the characteristics of frozen fish, you can always choose a good and healthy product from the abundance of fish raw materials.
• For example, you need to know that when frozen, harmful changes will certainly occur in the structure of fish meat. Therefore, if you are thinking of adding expensive fish to your diet, it is better to purchase just enough fresh fish to cook for one meal, rather than saving some of it in the freezer for another time.
• But if valuable fish, which does not need to be removed after cooking, has already been frozen, then when defrosting it is allowed to bend it first in one direction and then in the other. If there are bones in the fish meat, then it is better not to subject the product to such an accelerated defrosting process, since some of the broken bones will end up in the finished dish, and this will not add to anyone’s appetite.
• It happens that after defrosting, the fish becomes some kind of ugly mess, but if there is no smell in it that proves that it has spoiled , then there is no need to throw away such a product. After removing the bones from it, you can twist it into minced meat, from which you can pamper your family with delicious fish cutlets.
• Under no circumstances should you put frozen fish in warm , much less hot, water . Of course, this method will significantly speed up thawing, but the texture of the fish will change and the beneficial components will evaporate from it.
• Do not defrost the fish to such an extent that it becomes completely soft - in this case, it may separate and begin to fall apart into small pieces.

It's better to take fresh fish

Evaluate the quality of the fish after defrosting. The presence of an unpleasant odor or discolored color should call you to caution: no matter how sorry you may be, it is better to get rid of such a spoiled product, and then you will not be at risk of food poisoning.

Is it possible to freeze defrosted

Not everyone knows that the product should not be re-frozen. This negatively affects the structure of the fish and its taste. If food is re-frozen, it will lose any remaining nutrients. The structure becomes loose and flabby.

Fish is frozen to prevent bacteria from developing in it. This allows you to store it longer and more conveniently. As soon as the surface of the carcass thaws, microorganisms begin to develop on it. This leads to the process of accelerating product spoilage. Therefore, it is not worth re-freezing fish. To avoid a situation where there is excess product left, it is better to calculate in advance how much it will be needed for cooking, stewing, and frying. Thus, re-freezing is excluded.

You can easily defrost fish at home. But choosing the right tactics is necessary. Why? Because errors in this process will lead to a deterioration in the properties of the product and the dish will be spoiled. Sometimes they resort to combined methods. This will speed up the defrosting. There are rules to make the process easier. The more nuances are taken into account, the better the defrosting will be.

First method technology

When using this method, salmon should be placed in a plastic bag that can be closed using a special clasp. Be sure to remove all air from the bag before closing. So the future part of the dinner will be pressed tightly against the walls of the plastic container.

The star of the series “Sultan of My Heart” spoke about the choice of his future wife

A broken nail is no problem: tips for treating nails at home

From athletes to Hollywood stars: men Naomi Campbell

Important! Use a bag without holes or holes. Otherwise, water will get into the fish and ruin the texture of the food that has not yet been cooked. The container for defrosting food should be deep and tall

So that the fish is completely covered with liquid in the future. If you plan to defrost a large amount of fish for a special event, you can use several containers with cold water in parallel, as well as a large number of bags with puffs. You should also not save on the latter when purchasing. After all, a bad product is not always able to provide the tightness that is needed in this case

The container for defrosting food should be deep and tall. So that the fish is completely covered with liquid in the future. If you plan to defrost a large amount of fish for a special event, you can use several containers with cold water in parallel, as well as a large number of bags with puffs. You should also not save on the latter when purchasing. After all, a bad product is not always able to provide the tightness that is needed in this case.

The salmon is placed at the bottom of the selected container. Next, it is filled with water until the fish is completely submerged. The water from the tap must first be drained. It should be cold (about 40 degrees) to prevent the growth of bacteria in the future. If the fish begins to float to the surface after filling the container, you can use a heavy glass jar to hold it.