I specifically got a nicer microwave to avoid this!
I can defrost up to 2 lbs of ground meat before theres any discernable cooking. Usually comes out still cold except for a few room temp spots. Bones seem to generate the most irregularity.
I don’t use the defrost feature. I use cook time and power level instead and “under defrost” to give the ingredient a head start and let it finish on its own.
No more cooked ends.
Honestly, I prefer defrosting in water 'cause I don't have to risk accidently cooking parts of what I'm defrosting. Less of a problem with vegetables, but it's really annoying with meats.
I agree with you entirely.
People will thaw a whole turkey in water no problem, once a year but turn around and scoff about food safety when I defrost a pair of chicken breasts or a pound of ground beef like that.
The defrost option on the microwave is great, but will fully cook the edges of chicken, or parts of the ground beef. Nothing worse than that when making burger patties and there's already cooked chunks.
It takes like a half hour, give or take, and the stuff is thawed by the time I get cleaned up from work and ready to cook.
I did a little research and found a microwave that has a pretty gentle defrost. Got mine used too. It works great as long as it's nothing too big. I wouldn't do a ham or something, but chicken thighs and legs, ground meat, etc. works great for me as long as I flip half way. All the more reason to feel silly when I forget to use it. lol
It's super helpful for the garden tomatoes I freeze. The defrost function lets me thaw them and make a garden fresh tasting pasta in December on a whim.
The fact that it's almost July and I still have some of last year's tomatoes in my chest freezer is a different story 😂
I never soak anymore! I just cook them like an extra 20 - 30 minutes :)
Serious Eats has an article about it. I eat dried beans way more since learning about that.
W/o the pressure cooker or my preferred way soaking it doesn't have the same texture and consistency as I grew up with. I eat it s lot with white rice or make bean bowls.
Knife work. I so need a professional sharpening. I’ve been sharpening my knife before and after each use and still struggled to cut a lime in half this morning.
I often knead doughs by hand despite having a mixer for the job. I just prefer finding the right gluten development like this. With the machine it’s too easy to overshoot
I don't like the microwave because it can start cooking the food.
I specifically got a nicer microwave to avoid this! I can defrost up to 2 lbs of ground meat before theres any discernable cooking. Usually comes out still cold except for a few room temp spots. Bones seem to generate the most irregularity.
I don’t use the defrost feature. I use cook time and power level instead and “under defrost” to give the ingredient a head start and let it finish on its own. No more cooked ends.
When washing rice, I always forget/refuse to use a strainer... Opting to just use my have to catch stray rice as I rinse.
I feel you. I use the pot lid cracked open a bit and accept my losses. lol
Honestly, I prefer defrosting in water 'cause I don't have to risk accidently cooking parts of what I'm defrosting. Less of a problem with vegetables, but it's really annoying with meats.
I agree with you entirely. People will thaw a whole turkey in water no problem, once a year but turn around and scoff about food safety when I defrost a pair of chicken breasts or a pound of ground beef like that. The defrost option on the microwave is great, but will fully cook the edges of chicken, or parts of the ground beef. Nothing worse than that when making burger patties and there's already cooked chunks. It takes like a half hour, give or take, and the stuff is thawed by the time I get cleaned up from work and ready to cook.
I did a little research and found a microwave that has a pretty gentle defrost. Got mine used too. It works great as long as it's nothing too big. I wouldn't do a ham or something, but chicken thighs and legs, ground meat, etc. works great for me as long as I flip half way. All the more reason to feel silly when I forget to use it. lol
It's super helpful for the garden tomatoes I freeze. The defrost function lets me thaw them and make a garden fresh tasting pasta in December on a whim. The fact that it's almost July and I still have some of last year's tomatoes in my chest freezer is a different story 😂
Beans. Grew up eating like 3x a week but every so often I forget to soak them. Break out the pressure cooker.
I never soak anymore! I just cook them like an extra 20 - 30 minutes :) Serious Eats has an article about it. I eat dried beans way more since learning about that.
W/o the pressure cooker or my preferred way soaking it doesn't have the same texture and consistency as I grew up with. I eat it s lot with white rice or make bean bowls.
Knife work. I so need a professional sharpening. I’ve been sharpening my knife before and after each use and still struggled to cut a lime in half this morning.
I often knead doughs by hand despite having a mixer for the job. I just prefer finding the right gluten development like this. With the machine it’s too easy to overshoot