QUESTION: Meat and poultry: how to safely defrost and store meat?

Safe defrosting and proper storage of meat and poultry require strict adherence to a sequence of actions, where food safety always comes first. First, it is necessary to ensure all engineering and household conditions: check the serviceability of refrigeration equipment, ensure a stable power supply and the presence of clean running water, and only then proceed to butchering and cooking. This order minimizes the risk of bacterial growth.

The safest defrosting method is considered to be gradual thawing in the refrigerator compartment at a temperature of zero to four degrees. To do this, the meat or poultry should be transferred from the freezer to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator in advance, placing them in a deep dish to collect meltwater. This prevents damage to the product texture and protects other prepared dishes from accidental contact with meat juice.

After complete defrosting or when buying fresh meat, it is critically important to follow the rules for storing it raw. Keep poultry and meat away from other foods using airtight containers or tight packaging. If you do not plan to cook the product within the next 24 hours, be sure to send it to the freezer, having previously divided it into portioned pieces for ease of subsequent use.