How to Use the Microwave Defrost Setting

One of the most difficult things about making dinner is planning ahead in enough time so that the meat has time to thaw. It can take up to a few hours for meat to thaw in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water. For people who work or do other things during the day, this does not leave enough time to prepare dinner before it is too late. A quicker way to thaw meat for dinner is to use a microwave defrost function. The defrost works to thaw meat quickly without cooking it.

Almost all new models of microwave come with a microwave defrost setting. There is sometimes a fear that the defrost will cook the meat as it thaws out. Of course, this is undesirable as some parts of the meat may be cooked, while other parts are still frozen. Since the microwave defrost uses a lower power than what is used to heat food, this is not a worry. As long as the microwave defrost setting is used properly, the meat will be thawed in as few as five minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.

In order to use microwave defrost to thaw out meat, first take the meat out of its original packaging. If the meat is not taken from its packaging, the defrost feature will not work properly. This will cause the meat to thaw unevenly. Once the meat has been taken from the packaging, it should be placed in a bowl of water. The water should completely cover the meat. Place the meat inside the microwave. Some microwaves come with a guide that tells how much time should be used for the defrost setting in order for the meat to completely thaw. If your microwave does not come with such a guide, you can generally defrost the meat five minutes for every one pound of meat. Turn the meat over at the half way point.

No longer do you have to cook microwave TV dinners because there is not enough time to thaw meat in order to prepare it for dinner. You can use the defrost setting to prepare a succulent meal for yourself and your family.