How To Defrost Poultry & General Hygiene

Step 1: You will need…

Step 2: To defrost in the fridge

This is by far, the most advisable way to defrost. However, it does take time, so plan ahead. Never thaw poultry at room temperature.

To help the juices drain, take a fork and prick the under side of the whole chicken while still covered in Saran wrap. This is important as the juice from the chicken must never come into contact with the body of the chicken. Put a plate upside down into the roasting pan and place the chicken onto the plate. Finally, transfer the chicken to the fridge to defrost: and leave it overnight or longer.

Step 3: Defrost in water

The second way to safely defrost your chicken or chicken pieces is to place the unwrapped chicken into a airtight bag; carefully pressing as much air out of the bag as you can to avoid the bag floating. Submerge it into cold water, preferably the sink, and turn the chicken around a few times during its thawing time. This will ensure that the whole chicken thaws completely. This will take 2-3 hours. Also, the water should be changed every 30 minutes, to help along the process. You must cook the chicken immediately after defrosting when thawing this way!

Step 4: Hygiene

Whenever dealing with chicken, make sure that after working with it, you wash your hands and utensils thoroughly in hot, soapy water. Never put cooked foods onto a dish that has held raw poultry, unless the dish has been well washed in hot water. Always keep hot foods above 140ºF or 60ºC, and cold foods below 40ºF or 4ºC.

Step 5: The correct temperature

One of the major factors in controlling bacteria is by heat. Therefore, using a thermometer is the only reliable way to ensure safety. The thermometer should always be inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, to ensure that all the bacteria have been killed. To be safe the chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 85ºC to 90ºC, for thigh meat, the thickest part of the chicken.