# So why can't I cook frozen meat without defrosting it first? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140 "2003-06-06T18:16:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/21 "2003-06-07T11:00:33Z")
There’s a brand of gourmet hamburger that you’re supposed to cook without thawing. Not that unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/22 "2003-06-07T14:51:54Z")
> [@](#): > > do Wendys burgers go from frozen to cooked? Wendy’s doesn’t use frozen ground beef. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/23 "2003-06-07T15:00:26Z")
Bubba Burgers are the ones that you flip on the grill/pan frozen, wait until water pools on top of them, and flip 'em. They’re regular meat, stamped into the shape of one of those pine-scented air fresheners, and riddled with punctures to allow heat to go all through them more quickly. They also come with Vidalia onion chinks, but I could never taste the difference back when I was (more of) a meat eater. Six patties a pack for about eight bucks. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/24 "2003-06-08T03:49:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by critter42 \* > No. Never thaw meats in warm/hot water. The bacteria LOVE it at that temperature. It’s just hot enough for them to have a “party on the poultry” (🙂 ), **but not hot enough to kill the little critters 😉** > > When I have to quick-thaw meat (we’re of the “dang, forgot to take the chicken out again” class, too 🙂 ) I do the cold-water method. I actually use a bowl full of ice water, then place a clean pan and a weight on it to keep the meat submerged. One thing I have found is that you need to use a “storage” bag for thawing, not a “freezer” bag - the freezer bags are thicker and make the quick-thawing take a lot longer. > > critter42 Thanks for the info. p.s. I thought you’d be on the side of the critters. No. 42 is a traitor! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/25 "2003-06-08T04:02:01Z")
Most meat, poultry or fish can be cooked frozen if extra cooking time is allowed. Cooking frozen meats takes from 1-1/3 to 1-1/2 times as long as cooking fresh meat, depending on the size of the cut. Quality is similar between thawed meats and frozen meats cooked by the same method and to the same degree of doneness. It takes more energy to cook frozen meats. Useful guidelines for cooking frozen meat include: When roasting frozen meat, poultry or fish in an oven, lower the temperature by 25 degrees and increase the roasting time by half. Use a meat thermometer to check the degree of doneness of larger cuts. Insert the thermometer after the meat has partially defrosted. When broiling frozen meat, poultry or fish, place it about 5 to 6 inches from the heat. This is further than for unfrozen meats. Increase broiling time by half. To pan broil or fry frozen meat, poultry or fish, start with a hot skillet for thin cuts and a warm skillet for thick cuts. After the meat is thawed, turn up the heat. From [http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/foodnut/gh1504.htm](http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/foodnut/gh1504.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/26 "2003-06-08T20:48:38Z")
When I was a short-order cook, we cooked frozen steaks on the grill with a metal mixing bowl over them. They came out fine, from rare to medium-well as desired. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140/27 "2003-06-08T20:50:33Z")
To make it clear–the bowl was larger than the steak and upside down, creating a sort of mini-oven. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-cant-i-cook-frozen-meat-without-defrosting-it-first/180140.md?page=1)