Meat Defrosting Time Calculator: Fridge, Cold Water and Room

A frozen joint that has not fully thawed will not roast evenly, and rushing it is where food poisoning starts. Enter what you are cooking and how heavy it is, and this works out how long to allow for each thawing method, then tells you when to start so it is ready for the oven on time. The slow fridge method is the safe one to plan around; the centre of a large joint takes far longer than people expect.

The fridge method is the one to rely on. It keeps the meat below 5C the whole time, so it stays safe even if it sits a while after thawing. Cold water is faster but you must change the water every 30 minutes and cook it straight away. Defrosting at room temperature is the least safe because the outside warms into the danger zone long before the middle has thawed, so only use it as a rough guide and never for a whole bird.

Whatever the method, check the meat is fully thawed before cooking: no ice crystals in the centre, and the cavity of a bird feels cold but not stiff. If you are in any doubt, give it longer in the fridge.