Never Put Frozen Meat In The Slow Cooker, It's Actually Dangerous

Slow cookers might be the greatest kitchen appliance ever invented. Those of us who are on the go all the time can enjoy a delicious meal with minimal effort, and it's glorious. Notice, however, that the effort is minimal — not nonexistent. As tempting as it is to toss a frozen block of meat in your slow cooker and hope for a miracle, please don't. Frozen meat is one food that doesn't belong in a slow cooker. While you can typically cook meat from frozen in a pinch using a pan or an oven by extending the cooking time, putting frozen meat in your slow cooker can make your food unsafe, and no one wants that.

The safety concern arises because slow cooking leaves time for frozen meat to hang out in what's known as the danger zone for an extended period of time. The danger zone lands between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and creates the ideal environment for bacteria to multiply. This can lead to foodborne illness for you — and anyone else eating the meal. Trying to cook frozen meat in a slow cooker can also lower the temperature of any other food inside the appliance, leaving more opportunities for bacteria growth, and complicating cooking time by prolonging it beyond what you might expect from a recipe.

Slow cookers are still an incredibly convenient way to make a home-cooked meal, and thawing meat before you add it to your recipe will ensure that the dish is safe to eat. There are a few methods you can use to thaw frozen food the right way. You can thaw meat in a refrigerator, which is a great method if you're able to plan your meals in advance. Most meat, like a pound of ground beef or boneless chicken breasts, will need a full 24 hours to thaw completely in the fridge. It's also important to understand that different fridge placements and fridge temperatures will add or reduce thawing time. Poultry, ground meat, and seafood will stay good for another day after thawing, while red meat will keep for three to five days, once thawed.

You can also try thawing your meat with water, by putting it in a plastic bag and submerging it in cold water, keeping in mind to change the water every thirty minutes. Depending on the amount of meat you're thawing, it can take anywhere from one hour to three hours. If you use this method, don't refreeze the food unless it's cooked. You also don't want to microwave frozen meat to thaw it before putting it in a slow cooker; the uneven cooking of a microwave can leave parts of the meat in, or close to, the danger zone for bacterial growth.