Defrosting meat and fish can become a point of contention when planning your meals. You usually take your frozen ingredients out of the freezer and leave them on the counter for 2-3 (or more, depending on their weight) hours until they defrost and reach room temperature.
This takes a good amount of forethought that we don’t always have. But this isn’t the only way to defrost things. Have you considered using the best defrosting tray to get the job done instead?
I’ve tested and examined an endless supply of defrosting trays in our search for the best ones. And in the end, I have narrowed it down to 10 and compiled in-depth defrosting tray reviews for them.
So if you’ve been on the lookout for a defrosting tray, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to discover the best defrosting try for your cooking needs!
Why Do You Need a Defrosting Tray?
Defrosting trays work because they are made of very good conductors of heat, like copper or aluminum. So, when you place frozen meat or fish on it, it quickly conducts heat from the surroundings to the meat, thus making it thaw faster.
Now that we’ve gotten the science part out of the way, there are two main reasons why it’s a good idea to have a defrosting tray in your kitchen arsenal.
It’s Safer:
If you need your fish or poultry to defrost quickly, you might be tempted to chuck it into a pot of warm water. Or maybe your microwave has a defrost setting.
The problem with this is that your meat ends up spending a lot of time in what is known as the danger zone. At 40°F – 140°F, bacteria grow most rapidly on your meat and fish.
This is especially dangerous when dealing with chicken, as there is the risk of getting salmonella poisoning. However, when you use a defrosting tray, the thawing process is much faster, which reduces the chances of bacterial growth.
It Keeps the Taste and Texture of the Food Intact:
One of the trickiest things about fast defrosting is making sure that the taste of the meat is not altered. Microwaves are finicky and defrosting things in them tends to give unpredictable results. Sometimes defrosting in an oven or microwave can turn your meat into a tough, grey, unappetizing mess.
Quite often, a lot of flavors are changed or lost when meat is defrosted in a microwave. A defrosting tray, however, will keep your meat tender and flavorful.
Our Favorite Best Defrosting Trays: A Quick Look
If you’re short on time, we’ve summed up the entire list here with our all-time favorite entries.
- Editor’s Choice: Professional Quick Food Defrosting Tray and Thawing Plate
- Best Budget Option: Cuisinart CDT-010 BBQ Defrosting Tray
- Best for Beginners: Fast Defrosting Tray for Frozen Food
Without further ado, let’s get right into the reviews! We’ll talk about how each defrosting tray works, their features, and what we found most impressive about them. These reviews will help you determine which tray will be the perfect cooking companion for you.
Short Summary of The Top Three!
The reason why I put this as the no #1 on the list is due to its classic and timeless design. If you have one of these, you won’t ever need another defrosting tray. I understand this is not for everybody. The price is quite a bummer for most of us. But if you can afford this thawing plate, just go for this one. Made from highly conductive food-grade aluminum, this professional thawing plate will actually last you a lifetime!
This one is the best budget option on the market! It’s made from food-grade aluminum so this is safe to use for all types of food. The best thing is, Cuisinart BBQ defrosting tray is great at preserving the natural flavor of your food. It’s eco-friendly as well! The large, non-stick surface is a great tray considering the price!
If you do a lot of food prep, defrosting is something you have to handle on a daily basis. It can take a lot of time and patience. So having a fast-defrosting tray is super practical and convenient especially for steaks. You don’t need any electricity, chemicals or heat whatsoever. This is a very simple gadget to use. I wonder why people don’t talk about it more!
