Is it safe to dethaw chicken in hot water if you cook it right away?

Question

Is it safe to dethaw chicken in hot water if you cook it right away?

Answer 1

you aren't supposed to, but I've been doing it for years.

Answer 2

It's fine as long as you cook right away.  The most important thing is to keep it in the "danger zone" (40-165 deg) for as little time as possible, but under 2 hours is fine.

I cook chicken every day for the restaurant kitchen I run and I cook chicken from frozen in a pot of boiling water.  

Answer 3

"dethawing" is freezing so no you caoonot dethaw/freeze chicken with hot water.

You can however THAW chicken in hot water. I would use warm  so it doesn't start to cook the chicken

Answer 4

From:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Big_...

"Foods should never be thawed or even stored on the counter, or defrosted in hot water. Food left above 40 °F (unrefrigerated) is not at a safe temperature.

Even though the center of the package may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone," between 40 and 140 °F – at temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.

When defrosting frozen foods, it's best to plan ahead and thaw food in the refrigerator where food will remain at a safe, constant temperature – 40 °F or below.

There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave.

Refrigerator Thawing

Planning ahead is the key to this method because of the lengthy time involved. A large frozen item like a turkey requires at least a day (24 hours) for every 5 pounds of weight. Even small amounts of frozen food -- such as a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken b*****s -- require a full day to thaw. When thawing foods in the refrigerator, there are several variables to take into account.

Some areas of an appliance may keep the food colder than other areas. Food placed in the coldest part will require longer defrosting time.

Food takes longer to thaw in a refrigerator set at 35 °F than one set at 40 °F.

After thawing in the refrigerator, ground meat and poultry should remain useable for an additional day or two before cooking; red meat, 3 to 5 days. Foods defrosted in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.

Cold Water Thawing

This method is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. The food must be in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Also, meat tissue can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.

The bag should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small packages of meat or poultry – about a pound – may defrost in an hour or less. A 3- to 4-pound package may take 2 to 3 hours. For whole turkeys, estimate about 30 minutes per pound. If thawed completely, the food must be cooked immediately.

Foods thawed by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

Microwave Thawing

When microwave defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwave defrosting. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed and, indeed, may have reached optimal temperatures for bacteria to grow.

Foods thawed in the microwave should be cooked before refreezing."

Answer 5

I do it all the time