How to defrost fish: a quick way. Video
The art of cooking does not tolerate monotony, so every housewife seeks to fill the family’s usual diet with meat, vegetables, and fish. From this list, it is the fish that requires the most thorough preparation, including defrosting. And in order for the future dish to turn out not only tasty, but also healthy, you should take this issue seriously.
You can quickly defrost fish in small carcasses, steaks or fillets in the microwave. To do this, use a special container in which to place the fish that has been released from the packaging. If the carcass is too large, try chopping it into suitable pieces.
Almost all microwave ovens have a separate defrost function, which is indicated by a snowflake pattern. Turn on the microwave to the desired mode and you can safely do other things, the stove will do everything by itself. You just have to turn the fish on a signal for a more even defrosting. This method will defrost the fish in 30-40 minutes.
To make it easier to cut the fish, do not thaw it completely. This will make it easier to separate the fillets from the bones.
For those who do not have a microwave oven, defrosting fish in water may work. To do this, place the carcass in a plastic bag and tie it tightly. Place the bag in a bowl or large dish and fill it with cold water. This will thaw the fish for 1-2 hours. To speed up the process, you can periodically change the water in the basin, but do not fill the carcass with warm, let alone hot water, as this can disrupt the delicate structure of the meat.
You should also make sure that the water does not get directly on the fish, otherwise, after cooking, it may turn out tasteless. To speed up the process a little, you can sprinkle the fish with salt and only then pack it in a bag. Salt helps to melt ice at low temperatures, and therefore it is more advisable to use cold water for defrosting.
It is undesirable to re-freeze food, so thaw as much fish at a time as needed for one cooking
Red fish differs from white not only in color, different nutritional value and fat content, but also in meat density. In the process of stress defrosting, the red fish can “part”, that is, the meat will begin to lag behind the bones and fall apart during cooking.
How, then, to defrost red fish? Place it on a zero temperature refrigerator shelf or simply on the bottom shelf. It is advisable to do this in advance, preferably at night. Yes, in this way the fish will defrost for a long time, about 4–5 hours, but it will retain its useful properties as much as possible. Especially this advice is worth resorting to if, after defrosting, you are going to salt the red fish.
Anna Kashanina, Wday.ru editorial office