How to defrost meat in 5 minutes. An upside-down pot can help

You know how it goes. You want to make lunch and realize you don’t have any fresh meat at home. Usually, people plan their lunches, so they buy chilled meat, but sometimes you need to defrost meat you have stored in the freezer. Ideally, you want to do this quickly so you can start cooking, baking, or frying. But meat usually doesn’t defrost that fast. Larger cuts, in particular, take longer. We also don’t want to defrost it too quickly, so the meat doesn’t lose quality. We have a pretty simple trick for you on how to do this in 5 minutes.

The upside-down pot method works for smaller pieces of meat

Meat must be thawed gradually to avoid damaging its structure or compromising its flavor. The upside-down pot method is not difficult at all. Plus, it’s safe, and often no one will even notice they’re eating thawed meat. This is an ideal trick for defrosting meat that has already been frozen in slices or smaller pieces.

How to defrost meat using an upside-down pot

To defrost meat using an upside-down pot, we’ll need just three things: two pots and water. Nothing else is required—except for the meat to be defrosted. Take one of the pots and place it upside down on the countertop. Pour water into the second pot and heat it on the stove. Place the pieces of meat on the bottom of the upside-down pot. Place the pot with hot water on top of the meat, which is still in its original bag. Let it sit like this for about 5 minutes.

Photo: Pixabay

Other methods for defrosting meat

If you have enough time, it’s best to leave the meat in the bottom of the refrigerator overnight. It will defrost perfectly just the way you need it. Otherwise, you can place the meat directly in its vacuum-sealed, frozen state into a pot of hot water. It will thaw just as easily this way. However, it will take longer. It can easily take up to 45 minutes.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about quickly thawing meat

How long does it typically take to thaw meat?

In the refrigerator, ideally overnight.

How quickly does meat thaw in an inverted pot?

In about 5 minutes.

What other ways are there to quickly defrost meat?

In hot water in 45 minutes.

Sources: Author, YouTube

Photo: Radek Stepan