Some Food for "THAW"-ght

I remember seeing, about a year ago, a viral video about a thawing tray.

I thought to myself, how on earth does that work?! It peaked my interest for sure. A tray that somehow, magically makes your meat thaw faster than sitting it out or putting it in water. It doesn't add up.

However, I am glutton for punishment and did a deep dive into this product, to see what was REALLY going on in this magical, meaty mystery.

Unveiling the Curtain With Science

Let's first take a look at what a thawing tray does. It is in the title, it thaws out frozen food. While there are other methods to thawing out food, the thawing tray will expedite the process in a way that does not foster food spoilage.

The process of thawing food safest can be tricky. It is a balancing act. I used to work in the food service industry and food safety is priority one. Anytime a food item reaches an internal temp of 40ºF, it enters into the "danger zone" and not the Kenny Loggins one.

For me, that automatically eliminates all day thawing on the counter. And quick methods, such as a defrost setting on your microwave, can be a gamble. Unless the food is cooked IMMEDIATELY, it shouldn't be the right method of use.

Cold water submersion or thawing in the refrigerator have a steady place in safe defrosting. The problem is "aint nobody got time for dat!" 

Now we enter the world of beautiful and functional thawing trays. This genius invention is a dinner saving segue when you're short on time and don't want to risk food-borne illness.

How Thawing Trays Work

I want to be UPFRONT with my readers and subscribers about something. A company, Blazin' Thaw, reached out to me and sent me a free product. I also have an affiliate link to get 5% off your tray, too (if you're so inclined because all the money raised goes back into the channel and 10% of everything goes to Autism research). They did not pay me or anything, I have always wanted this product and have ALREADY used it! THAT BEING SAID, lets get down to how these amazing trays work!

The magic of the thawing tray is summoned from its heat-conducting materials. These trays are typically made with aluminum or copper. These metals have an AMAZING ability to quickly conduct heat. However, they also have an edge for quickly disposing of the same heat.

These trays can be somewhat of a chameleon for the kitchen. Whatever temperature surrounds the tray or that it comes into contact with, the tray matches the same energy; hot or cold.

This is what makes it such an effective thawing agent. It matches the temperature of the food and the external environment to crate an almost perfect, and safe, thawing atmosphere. 

In easier terms, the food heats up while the tray cools down. Its symbiotic because both food and tray affect each other. The upside is a quicker thaw that won't make you sick.

Now, IS IT REALLY that much better? Depends on how you look at the situation. Yes, it works faster than cold water submersion or in the refrigerator, but you still need to allocate some time for it to defrost. We must remember, viral videos are often edited. 

Grillionaire Pro Tips for Using the Tray Effectively 

Always make sure you are using the tray at room temperature. You don't want to start at a disadvantage. Make sure it is at room temp before you put anything on it. This will give you the most optimal chance for effective thawing.

Make time for different foods. Different foods require different amounts of thawing time. Though the tray drastically cuts down your time, you still need to factor in what you're going to thaw out before using it.

These trays are an excellent product for your kitchen. I used mine to thaw some chicken breasts and it took just under thirty minutes. That was pretty accelerated since it came from the deep freezer. This would be a great tool for any grilling or kitchen arsenal!

Until next time, make sure you eat well and do well!