Hi all,

I have a standard 500g packet of mince that I'm intending to use for a spag bol tomorrow and was just wondering how long roughly it will take to defrost? I need to make the bolognese fairly early as I need to go and pick someone up from the train station at 5 and want it all made before then.

Thanks

Leave it in the fridge over night. That should do it. If not defrost it in the microwave.

Thanks Degs, I've just put it in the fridge

When it's part-way defrosted, break it up into smaller lumps and they'll defrost quicker than one large lump.

At this time of year I am quite happy to let things defrost out of the fridge overnight. If your fridge is anything like mine, then it will probably still be frozen by morning and would need closer to 48 hours to fully defrost.

As long as there is no heating on in the kitchen, at this time of year I just leave frozen stuff out on one of the worktops.

Just checked it and it's still one big frozen block, after 10 hours in the fridge

I might have to let it defrost on the kitchen side at this rate, it's never going to be defrosted!

Plenty of people leave their defrosting products on the work surface. Cats have been known to help themselves.

Strictly speaking, you shouldn't do this, but if I'm making a chilli or spag bol and the mince isn't fully defrosted, I go ahead and use it anyway. Just break up the lumps while it's in the pan. As chilli/spag bol should be cooked for hours and is served piping hot, you won't suffer any ill effects.

If you wanted it fully defrosted and do have a microwave then i'd just do it in that.

I don't use the defrost function I just put it on 10% power and check every 4 or 5 minutes.

i have done this many times and never been ill through doing so