Had a catering gig in Austin where the main protein was still frozen solid 2 hours before service.

We were setting up for a 200-person wedding at the Driskill Hotel, and the 40 pounds of beef tenderloin we pulled from the walk-in was rock hard. My sous chef started to panic, but I remembered a trick from an old mentor: vacuum seal the whole loins and drop them in a sink of cold running water. It took about 90 minutes, but they thawed evenly and we got them seared and into the ovens just in time. Has anyone else had a close call like that and what's your go-to emergency thaw method?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew9061d ago

Yeah, the cold running water trick is a lifesaver. I keep a couple of empty cambros in my kit just for that. If I'm really in a pinch, I'll break down the protein into smaller portions first, it cuts the thaw time in half.

webb.keith1d ago

Honestly that method sounds like a huge waste of water and a food safety gamble. Tbh letting expensive meat sit in standing water, even cold running water, is asking for trouble with bacteria. The texture can get messed up too, making it mushy. Just microwave it in short bursts on the defrost setting if you're really that stuck. Ngl planning better beats any last minute trick.