Defrosting fish in the refrigerator or in cold water are ideal methods to thaw fish properly and preserve quality and freshness. However, if you’re really short on time you can always use your microwave defrost function.
<<Method 1: In the refrigerator
<<Method 2: In cold water
Method 3: In the microwave
Most microwaves now have a defrost function that can be used to quickly thaw food stored in the freezer. However, it’s very easy to overdo it and can be a method that’s more difficult to control. Microwaves being primarily designed for high heat, it’s a method we wouldn’t recommend unless you are very short on time.
Remove frozen fish from their bag or packaging and place in a microwave-safe dish. Use the defrost function of your microwave to thaw the fish for a few minutes.
It is difficult to give guidelines for defrosting times in the microwave as this will highly depend on both the thickness of the fish and the power and settings of your microwave.
Check on your fish often to make sure that it hasn’t started cooking. The fish will be properly defrosted when it is pliable but still feels icy to the touch. Make sure to cook the fish immediately after defrosting in the microwave.
You can find many recipes such as stews and soups that will be best for thawed fish. Some methods of cooking will be more appropriate such as poaching or baking – you can even sometimes cook fish from frozen!
