Is it OK to defrost chicken by running water over it?
I know that there's a risk of bacteria in any area where you defrost chicken, but what about the chicken itself? Will running water over it (unwrapped) reduce the taste or change the texture?
Best Answer
The safety of this will be related to how long the meat is in the "danger zone". If the meat temperature is within 39 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, then it is in the danger zone and should not be kept at that temperature very long.
So temperature/safety wise you will be fine thawing with water. Running water over the chicken will not change the texture. In fact, it is recommended you brine the chicken in a salt water solution before cooking.
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Quick Answer about "Is it OK to defrost chicken by running water over it?"
So as long as you use cool, potable water in an appropriate sink and container, quickly thawing chicken (and any other meat in general) with running water is perfectly fine. Note: To prevent the growth of bacteria, cook your chicken immediately after thawing, and never re-freeze thawed food.Big Mistakes Everyone Makes When Thawing Chicken
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Answer 2
It is common to brine a bird in a water solution so I doubt the water can hurt it.
For speed I would place it in a like a dish pan covered with water and just run a small amount of water to displace the cooled water. You would get maximum water contact for maximum heat transfer. And you would better keep the skin under 40 while thawing out the center.
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