How to safely defrost food fast
- Published
As a recipe developer and cookbook author, I've frozen and thawed thousands of foods, learning lots in the process.
The lessons are important ones too: if you get it wrong, your food might not be safe to eat.
That said, we all know how frustrating it is, waiting for something to defrost when time is of the essence. That's why it pays to be clever when you're freezing things in the first place.
The larger and denser something is, generally, the longer it will take to defrost. So, to minimise defrost time, use wider, shallower dishes or divide foods into smaller portions before freezing.
Flattening food in resealable freezer bags helps things to freeze and thaw quickly and saves freezer space, too.
Defrosting in the fridge
Although this slows down the thawing process, it's the safest method. One day (24 hours) should be enough time to defrost most foods, but plan for up to three days for very large joints of meat or whole turkeys – they take far longer than you'd think.
Top tips
Place containers or bags on a tray to catch any drips and keep on a low shelf so splashes can't reach other foods. This is especially important with raw meat and fish.
Never overcrowd your fridge to make sure it can reach the right temperature (somewhere between 0 and 5°C).
If plans change, don't forget that you can cook your fridge-thawed food the following day instead.
Foods to defrost in the fridge
Meat and poultry, including large joints and whole birds
Fish and seafood
Family-sized servings of cooked dishes, such as casseroles and curries
Homemade creamy cold desserts
Lamb and lentil curry | Save to My Food now
Curries are great to defrost in the fridge
Cooking from frozen
Lots of foods can be cooked straight from frozen. It's safe because the food won't be spending time at temperatures where bacteria could multiply rapidly.
Avoid this method for dishes that contain joints of chicken, large chunks of meat or delicate vegetables or fish that could be damaged by regular stirring.
Top tips
Choose freezer-to-oven containers, such as toughened glass or foil.
Add roughly 50% onto the standard cook time, but check regularly.
On the hob, use a wide-based pan, adding a splash of water if necessary. Stir regularly, so the food is heated thoroughly without any cold spots.
If using the oven, cook until the dish is piping hot throughout. Cover tops of things like lasagne or fish pie with foil if it begins to turn too brown before the centre is piping hot.
Use a digital food thermometer to check the temperature of food in a few different places before serving. A minimum of 75°C means it's thoroughly cooked or reheated. This is particularly important for meat.
Foods that cook well from frozen
Saucy or mince-based recipes
Shop-bought items designed for cooking from frozen
Small pieces of meat or chicken
Small fish fillets
Defrosting in the microwave
This can really slash thawing times. A frozen chicken breast could be thawed and ready to cook in around 10 minutes in a microwave instead of several hours in the fridge.
It can be tricky working out how long to heat something before it goes beyond defrosting and starts to cook, though.
There are likely to be cold spots where microwaves don't penetrate food as effectively, so be prepared to move and stir food regularly.
Once you have defrosted in the microwave, you'll need to cook the food immediately.
Top tips
Keep items spread out so that they thaw evenly. Work in batches if you need to.
Place items such as raw chicken breasts or lamb chops in a single layer on a microwavable plate. Cover and defrost in 1 or 2-minute bursts, turning or moving around the plate regularly.
Clean your microwave thoroughly after defrosting raw foods.
Pre-cooked individual portions of dishes like casserole, curry, frozen vegetables or rice can be cooked on full power right from the start. Microwave in stages, with time to stir and allow the heat to move through the dish before continuing.
Always check food is piping hot throughout before serving.
Foods to defrost or cook from frozen in the microwave
Small portions of meat or fish
Ready meals or individual portions of homemade dishes
Ready baked jacket potatoes
Frozen vegetables
Frozen cooked rice (remember, rice should be cooled and frozen safely, and served immediately after reheating)
Lasagne al forno | Save to My Food now
You can cook this family dinner directly from the freezer if it's stored in an oven-ready dish
Defrost in cold water
When time is tight, thawing foods in cold water works, so long as you're going to cook and eat them immediately.
Ensure food is well wrapped and completely sealed – a plastic bag is great – with as little air inside as possible, then place in a sink or large bowl and submerge in plenty of very cold tap water. Drain and refill with more cold water every 20 minutes, and don't leave for extended periods.
This will see a single steak or chicken breast thaw in less than an hour.
Top tip
Clean your sink or bowl thoroughly before and after defrosting.
Foods to defrost in cold water
Small joints of meat
Individual steaks or chicken breasts
Small fillets of fish or prawns
Defrost at room temperature
This is only suitable for low-risk foods, like bread, cakes and biscuits. Remove any icy packaging that could release moisture, cover loosely and thaw until ready to serve.
Bread products like pitta bread benefit from toasting before serving, but a standard loaf or sponge cake can be sliced as soon as it has thawed.
Foods to defrost at room temperature
Bread, pitta, flatbreads
Cakes without dairy fillings or icings
Some frozen desserts – check the packaging
Stay out of the danger zone
While it's tempting to leave frozen food on the kitchen counter to thaw quickly, it's not a good idea. There is a temperature range of 8–63°C where some food is said to be in the 'danger zone', allowing harmful bacteria to multiply quickly. Food poisoning can be dangerous, so it pays to be careful.
Originally published December 2024. Updated April 2026.
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