# ISO help/advice with thawed chicken



## suziquzie (Dec 10, 2007)

I took a whole chicken out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge on Thursday. 
Saturday it was still half frozen.
It's ready today. Do you think it's ok 1 more day or should we have chicken for dinner tonight?


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## letscook (Dec 10, 2007)

Today would be best


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## Andy M. (Dec 10, 2007)

If it was not kept in the refrigerator for days before you froze it, it should be OK for another day.


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## suziquzie (Dec 10, 2007)

It went straight to the deep freeze. 
I could do it either day, I was just thinking I could break in my new oven with it tomorrow, but thanks to Andy I have a path shoveled to the grill already (casserole was great BTW!) so I could throw it there. It may even getup to 20 today....... ABOVE zero!


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## pacanis (Dec 10, 2007)

I would cook it today, but chicken and I don't seem to have much luck as far as spoiling is concerned.


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## Bilby (Dec 10, 2007)

Do the senses check on it today and if it is okay now it should still be fine to cook tomorrow on the new range. If anything is iffy, or heading to iffy-dom, do it now. 

Either way you can make yourself a nice pot of chicken soup to help get well again, although you "sound" better.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 10, 2007)

Before I leave for work, I'll take the chicken out of the freezer and put it in a large plastic bowl filled with cold water and place it in my sink.  I'll weigh the chicken down with a couple dinner plates.  When I come home from work (about 9 hrs later) it's defrosted.  No muss, no fuss.


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## Bilby (Dec 10, 2007)

Didn't think the water method was recommended anymore but don't really want to relaunch the food safety debate!!!!


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## ChefJune (Dec 10, 2007)

Bilby said:


> Didn't think the water method was recommended anymore but don't really want to relaunch the food safety debate!!!!


 
You're right, Bilby.  It's an invitation to food poisoning.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 10, 2007)

ChefJune said:


> You're right, Bilby.  It's an invitation to food poisoning.



lol - The chicken is still around 45 deg. F by the time I get home.  I still have to unwrap it and let it sit for 20 minutes before cooking. What temp do you think they are at when they sit on the shelf at the supermarket all day?   Sometimes, if I remember, I'll take the meat out before I go to bed, then put it in the fridge in the morning and cook it at night.

The only time I don't defrost during the day is in the middle of summer.


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## ChefJune (Dec 10, 2007)

Regardless of the outcome (and I realize you may never get sick) it is not a very safe way to defrost anything. If you were a restaurant, and the health department came to visit while you were doing that, you would likely be shut down -- at least temporarily.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 10, 2007)

I don't get what the difference is.  It winds up at the same temperature that it was when it was bought?   I'm sorry but my fridge isnt the size of a Mack truck, so juggling a frozen chicken in there for 4-5 days while it decides to deforost is a waste of time.  _IMHO_   If I ran a restaraunt, I couldn't have my dog in the kitchen either.  Apples/Oranges.


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## suziquzie (Dec 10, 2007)

I think I will throw it on the 'barbie (just for you Bilby!) and be better safe than sorry...
Besides, we wouldn't want to re-start the whole 68 degree turkey thing that just finally went away!!!!


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## mozart (Dec 10, 2007)

Thawing meat in water, even chicken or turkey, is perfectly safe if done correctly.  Correctly means in cold water, and changing the water every 30 minutes if necessary to keep it cold.  Most foods, certainly a chicken or chicken parts, will thaw in 2 to 3 hours.  At that point, everything is fine, and the food can be either cooked or refrigerated.

The reason that it is not recommended often is because most people don't do it that way, and in your case, you can't really do it that way (because you are at work)

However, cooking to the proper internal temperature will eliminate a very large part of the risk of getting sick, as it will both kill the bacteria and usually destabilize toxins from MOST common food borne pathogens.

Of course, folks have to decide if they are willing to take that risk that remains for themselves.  Why it is different in a restaurant, is because they are cooking for others who trust that they will use best practices to reduce the risk as much as possible.


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## Bilby (Dec 11, 2007)

suziquzie said:


> Besides, we wouldn't want to re-start the whole 68 degree turkey thing that just finally went away!!!!


Personally I have renamed that The Great Turkey Debate of 07!!!


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