Recipes

12 Introduction
Thawing
} Thawing in minutes
A microwave oven permits very rapid defrosting of deep-frozen food. Waiting for hours and
advance planning are a matter of the past. Now you can access your reserves in the freezer
quickly when unexpected guests arrive or when you could not go shopping.
} Which setting is correct?
The special defrosting setting defrosts raw food gently. The following applies: the lower the
power, the slower and gentler the defrosting. You can find guide values for the defrosting
times in the defrosting table. The kg scale on the timer switch helps in determining the
correct defrosting time.
For appliances with automatic defrosting, the appliance itself determines the defrosting
time from the type and weight of the food. When the frozen food also needs to be cooked or
heated, the max. setting can be used.
} Practical tips:
} Consider the defrosting already at the time of freezing. Portion the goods to be frozen
according to their container size. Flattened packages of 250 g can be defrosted best.
Prefreezing of fruit and vegetables allows removal of portions at a later time.
} The frozen goods can be removed more easily from their packaging when it is defrosted
partially for 1/2 to 1 minute at max. setting. Remove metal clips in advance. In the case of
freezing boxes which are also suitable for heating and cooking, remove the lid. Otherwise,
refill the food into dishes suitable for microwaving.
} Distribute the foods as uniformly as possible in the cooking space. Arrange food with
unequal thickness, like whole fish or chicken legs, so that the thicker parts are on the
outside. A reversed saucer or a special defrosting grate keeps the food from lying in the
discharged liquid.
} Small quantities thaw easier than large ones. Turn over compact pieces like meat or bread
several times. When possible, divide the block after one half of the defrosting time or
remove already thawed parts (for example, minced meat). Stir liquid food like soups and
stews once or twice.
} Do not let food thaw to the core. A rest period outside the appliance lets the frozen goods
thaw completely. (Rule of thumb: 10 min)
} Food with a low moisture content, like bread or rolls, quickly loses its moisture while
thawing. Accordingly, do not set the time and the power too high. There is a risk of fire.
} Carefully discard any thawing liquid when defrosting minced meat, poultry, or fish.
Process thawed food quickly. Rinse cutting boards, knives, etc. immediately after use with
hot water.
KOENIC_Convection_Recipe_141117.indb 12 17/11/14 2:57 PM