Thawing Frozen Meat

[NVcurmudgeon]

With SWMBO dieting, and adamantly refusing to eat Bambi, I have been largely left to my own devices for dinner. I've been happily munching my way through 1/3 of an elk and 2/3 of a good-sized whitetail for over a year. Thawing frozen packages of meat takes all day, especially in thin winter sunshine. Just this week I happened to put a package of deer steaks in a black frying pan, and it thawed in three hours. I guessed the black pan absorbed more sun heat than a white plate, so tried again with a two lb. package of deerburger. Same thing!

[slughammer]

I use a 8" or 12" fan when I want to speed the process. The airflow makes the process speed up xxx number of times and no danger of cooking the edges like a microwave on defrost will do.

This year I butchered a 180lb lamb and a whitetail doe. Wife has always been in love with lamb, but now says she prefers venison; taste great, less fat.

[dragonrider]

Put it in a waterproof bag in then into a large container of cool water, be thawed in about an hour.

[BruceB]

Another thing, as well.

Whatever place you decide to use for thawing the meat, make some arrangement so that air can flow UNDER it, as well as around and over the package. Just a simple roaster rack on paper towels (for condensation/drips) will get some circulation under the meat. Otherwise, one side of the package is VERY slow to thaw, resting as it is on an ice-cold surface.

Speeds things up quite a bit.

Nice of Fran to leave the goodies to you, Bill!

[Pepe Ray]

Dragonrider's got it right.
Just change the water as often as the volumn of meat chills it.
And be certain the bag is waterproof.
Pepe Ray

[Junior1942]

I don't thaw frozen venison steaks or hamburger. I cook the steaks frozen, and I only use the ground meat for chili so I just throw a ~2 lb package in the pot with a daub of oil and the burner on low.

[fourarmed]

Sounds like everybody covered it pretty well, so I'll go at it from a different take. If you like aged venison, but don't like hanging it for various reasons (as I don't), just take your package of steaks out of the freezer and put them in the fridge for 3 or 4 days before using them. Thaws 'em and ages 'em both.

[C1PNR]

fourarmed's got it!

I like to dry age any steak meat, game or beef. Take it out of the packaging, tamp it dry with a paper towel, and let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

I tried leaving a nice rib eye a little longer, but it just gets too dry. Man, this is really the way to tenderize meat!

[Old Ironsights]

With SWMBO dieting, and adamantly refusing to eat Bambi, I have been largely left to my own devices for dinner. I've been happily munching my way through 1/3 of an elk and 2/3 of a good-sized whitetail for over a year. Thawing frozen packages of meat takes all day, especially in thin winter sunshine. Just this week I happened to put a package of deer steaks in a black frying pan, and it thawed in three hours. I guessed the black pan absorbed more sun heat than a white plate, so tried again with a two lb. package of deerburger. Same thing!

Black frying pan huh? Aluminium?

If it's aluminium, you have just rediscovered the wonders of thermal conductivity and acquired a "Miracle Thawing Tray" without having to listen to Ron Popiel on QVC.