To just leave it on the side?

[theshadeofgreen]

Disclaimer - I'm actually quite a good cook and usually fairly switched on but I need help here.

I usually roast a chicken within a few days of buying so this has never been an issue, but a change of plan last week means our whole (extra large) chicken went into the freezer.

I'm hoping to roast it tomorrow evening but Google tells me it needs to be defrosted in the fridge for 48 hours. It's already in the fridge now and we have plans sat/sun so if we don't eat it tomorrow it's wasted.

Can I just leave it on the side? Maybe pop it in the fridge overnight then back in the side tomorrow??

Will it defrost in time? Will I die if I eat it?

Please help

Leave it in the fridge overnight, if it's still frozen tomorrow morning take it out and leave it on the side then but don't return it to the fridge once it's been out

I'd leave it on the side overnight then fridge it if it felt defrosted in the morning.

Yep I’ve done this loads of times. As long as it’s not particularly hot in your kitchen it’s fine.

Always take mine out of the freezer and leave it on the side, usually overnight & until its time to cook it the next day - I've been doing it for years (I'm 53) and haven't killed myself or anyone else yet (although never say never...)

@PinkSyCo how long are we talking? Leaving it overnight scares me

Oh just leave it out overnight it will be fine

There’s no way it’ll be defrosted if left in fridge overnight. I always leave it out. I never have my heating on in the morning mind.

PinkSyCo how long are we talking? Leaving it overnight scares me

I’m talking 6-8 hours in a cold kitchen if it’s frozen solid.

The way the weather is round here it will have refrozen itself by morning.

What's the temperature like in your house

Chainsaw it in half, half in the fridge, half on the side, cook both bits, see who dies.

Have the chicken another day & get something else for tomorrow 🤢

The 'Danger Zone'
Most harmful bacteria will grow at temperatures above 8°C and below 63°C – this is known as the ‘Danger Zone’ for microbial growth. That’s why we advise that the safest way to defrost food is in the fridge overnight. By defrosting in the fridge, your food should never enter the ‘Danger Zone’. Your fridge should be 5°C or below, as some bacteria can grow at lower temperatures than 8°C.
www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/chilling

I’d leave it on the side.

Keep in fridge and cook it when it's defrosted and have it in sandwiches and curry in the week?

Do not leave it outside the fridge to defrost unless your house is unheated and freezing cold. As @Wouldntitbenicetobeinyourshoes posted, defrosting in the fridge is only safe way. Just leave it in fridge and cook it when it has defrosted.

I defrost meat on the side all the time. Like multiple times a week. Never had food poisoning 🤷‍♀️

I would leave it in the fridge overnight and put it (still in a plastic bag!) in cold water to defrost in the morning. The water keeps it colder but increases the rate at which it defrosts (as a better conductor than air).

@DockOTheBay

I defrost meat on the side all the time. Like multiple times a week. Never had food poisoning 🤷‍♀️

Your statement is as ridiculous as saying...

I drive all the time without a seatbelt. Never been in a car accident.
I smoke cigarettes. Like multiple times a day. Never had lung cancer.

Denying science because you’ve been lucky.

This has just reminded me I have to defrost my chicken for tomorrow night too 🙈 I will probably leave it out now until bedtime to give it a head start, then take it out in the morning and leave it out until I cook it. It will stay very cold on the inside anyway so unlikely any bacteria will grow there. The outside will be exposed to 200' heat so likely to be fine as well. Even if it's not fully defrosted by the time I cook it, it'll be fine. I'll just make sure it's piping hot all the way through.

Just put it back in the freezer and then cook it from frozen. You had 50% onto the cooking time.
So, if it would finally take 2 hours to cook then you cook it for 3 hours instead.

You'll get a lot if people saying, "oh, dont risk it." But it is completely safe to do any joint of meat or roast from frozen.

It’ll be fine. Honestly! Unless you keep your heating on it’s in no danger of poisoning you, because an extra large chicken with an icy core isn’t going to get about 8 degrees anyway.

The only reason I defrost in the fridge is because the cat and the dog work together to ruin my roast chicken dreams!

*add 50%

@stuntbubbles

Chainsaw it in half, half in the fridge, half on the side, cook both bits, see who dies.

This. It's the only option.

@stuntbubbles

Chainsaw it in half, half in the fridge, half on the side, cook both bits, see who dies.

I defrost on the side over night. Surely any bacteria gets killed during cooking?