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

You will be fine leaving it on the side , in a dish, obviously to catch the defrost liquid. Don't put any stuffing inside it though you can put in aromats like onion, lemon rind celery and spices ,they will help flavour the juices. Once you think its ready test the thickest parts of the breast and thigh. They should both be at a minimum of 75c

I leave it overnight in the microwave with the door closed or the cats would have it on the floor.

I also have an instapot electric pressure cooker and you can cook a whole chicken from frozen in about 40 minutes and then brown it off in the oven.

@stuntbubbles I've volunteered DH for the half from the side.

I had no idea you could cook a chicken from
frozen. Definitely intrigued.

I would. Better overnight than in the daytime when the heating's on.

Another option is dunking in cold water. It's amazing how much quicker something defrosts in cold water than in much warmer air.

Just leave it on the side over night, and stop worrying about the time scale of how long to etc. Things don't go off in a short time, unless you live in the desert, or a hot swampy jungle.

I always defrost meat on the side overnight and then put it into the fridge in the morning.

When I was a young child the vast majority of homes didn't have fridges or freezers.

And while meat was kept in the 'meat safe' in the coldest part of the larder it would obviously be there for a day and night, at least; somehow we all managed to survive.

My mother always said that fish must be cook on the day of purchase but meat could be kept longer.

If you leave it to defrost in a cold kitchen it will be fine.

Every Christmas we defrost our turkey by putting it in water in the washing up bowl overnight (from 6pm until 11am). It won't fit in the fridge due to other christmassy goodies. We are still alive 25 years later. Our kitchen is on the colder side though. In your case I would leave out overnight then put it in the fridge during the day while the heating is on.

Please post in a few days so we know you survived

I regularly leave meat to defrost on the side overnight. In the morning it still feels cold. It then goes in the fridge until needed. It will be fine! It won't be defrosted in the fridge so go for it.

@viques

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

I never defrost things in the fridge, its never defrosted properly in time. I leave stuff out whatever the weather

It's not safe to leave it out on the side to defrost as PPs have explained. Cold water defrosting is safe though and much quicker than defrosting in the fridge. Submerge the chicken (in the packaging) in cold water for 20 mins, then change the water, keep repeating. You need to keep changing the water because it will warm to the "danger zone" temperature quite quickly in a centrally heated room.

I think it all hinges on whether you have your heating on overnight or not.

If you don't I'm sure it'll be fine!

If you're worried, why not defrost it in the fridge until it's ready then cook it, surely you're home at some stage to cook it over the weekend, then have it cold, in sandwiches, in a pie/curry etc.

This time of year in this weather I think it would be fine out of the fridge. Keep an eye on it from time to time and if it seems warm to the touch, put it in the fridge then until you cook it. Personally, I think there is far less risk from this than from a half-defrosted chicken that may not get properly hot right through.

I leave mine out overnight on the metal draining board and have never had any issues with or from it. I put it in the fridge in the morning if it has defrosted.

Chicken update, so far so good.

Might be better to take it out of the bag OP. Let the air get to it.

@pigsDOfly

Might be better to take it out of the bag OP. Let the air get to it.

And let all the GERMS in?! Right now it’s safe, like the boy in the bubble. Cook it with the bag on too – can’t be too careful, and could create a nice “crust”

Might be too late now, but if you have a microwave that does 'chaos defrost' or the equivalent for whole joints (I've got a Panasonic, so it's called Chaos Defrost on mine) then do that first - weigh the whole chicken/look at the packing weight, then opt for chaos defrost/equivalent on your microwave. It won't defrost it all the way, far from it, but it will 'get it going' to quite a significan degree. You can then either take it out and put it in the fridge to finish defrosting, or stick it in somewhere cool, like a garage (I treat my garage like a larder!) to finish the full defrost.

If I were in your position, OP, I'd do chaos defrost on the day before, then leave in the garage overnight, then cook as intended the next day. I've done that loads of times and I've never poisoned anyone!

Chaos defrost is probably the function I'ved used the most on my mircowave. It has settings for bread items, 'meat items' (that means packets of mince, fish etc that aren't on the bone) and 'meat joints' (for meat on the bone). It's great for those days when you only remember to get the mince out at 10am for cooking later that day (I do that a lot [blush} )

Or even !!!

stuntbubbles Not sure about letting germs in but I imagine a chicken that's out of the fridge sitting in its own defrosting water in a plastic bag will end up getting a bit sweaty and smelly. Also it will take longer to defrost with no air getting to it.

@theshadeofgreen

Chicken update, so far so good.

But what about now? Still alive? Did you give DP a different half?

leaves a trail of cake to make the OP come back

We're alive!!

It was delicious, too.

Thanks for the input everyone