I have three hours to defrost meatballs, ideas?

[Nobhobs]

How can I get meatballs defrosted and cooked by 6.30? Can I cook them from frozen, if so how? Put them in sauce and leave it all simmering for... one hour? Two? Google Is saying microwave or in fridge and i don't fancy microwave and fridge takes too long.

Id be going to the shop for some fresh meatballs

Do you have an Instant Pot?

@HJWT That isn't very helpful 

@CoperCabana I have a slow cooker, an oven or a hob

Just defrost them in the microwave on the defrost setting.

I cheerfully cook supermarket meatballs from frozen. I cook them in a Pyrex bowl in the oven and judge by eye. They’re always piping hot right through (I then use tongs to put them into the preheated sauce on the stove). Never had an issue. Obviously they take longer to cook.

I've put them in the slow cooker from frozen and they have cooked fine.

They shouldn't take too long to defrost out on the side.

How big are the meatballs?
I’d make sure they weren’t all stuck together, put them in a sandwich bag or two in some room temperature water and leave it a couple of hours. They’ll probably have defrosted before 6 provided you give them a poke to make sure that all surface area is in contact with the water (via the bag).

Why do you ‘not fancy the microwave’. It’s better than magic...

Brown them in pan , stick in sauce to cook
Won’t take long

What's wrong with the defrost setting on the microwave?

My normal oven does has a defrost setting too, which appears to be a very low temperature (guessing about 30C) with the fan on.

i'd just leave them on the counter.

1/2 hour in sauce I reckon

Simmer them in the sauce, they'll be done in about half an hour if they're small. Just stick a knife in one and test the temperature on the heel of your thumb, you'll feel it if they're cooked through.

You don5 need to defrost

Water is a better conductor of heat than air is. Put them in a sink of cold water (in a food bag, obviously) and leave for a while. Put a plate or dish on top of them to help weigh them down if necessary.

microwave on low, I do it all the time

Unless they are vast they will defrost easily - just split them all up and place them on a tray or a wire rack if you've got one.

Or yes to in the oven with the fan on but no heat.

Just chuck them in the sauce.

Stick them in a plastic bag and submerge them in a bowl of warm water. I do this for sausages a lot. Works a treat.

Leave them in the bag and stick them in the sink under the cold running tap. They’ll be defrosted in half an hour. Then cook.

I’ve done what @littlbrowndog suggests before and it’s worked out just fine. Added an extra 10-15 mins to cooking time. The key thing is checking they are piping hot in the middle.

Simmer from frozen in the sauce on the hob on low heat for at least an hour. Slow cooker would probably take a bit too long. You could start them off in the microwave and finish on the hob to be extra sure.

I’d defrost them in warm water (in a bag obviously) in the sink. I’ve currently got a steak doing the same right now.

Is it important to you to brown them? I would probably let thaw on the counter, then brown, then toss in the sauce to cook for an hour.

Brown in hot oil when frozen. That stops them falling apart. Then cook them in the sauce. When I do them, one hour in a covered pan on minimum heat is absolutely fine.