1 4
Frozen Fish, Seafood, and Small Meat:
1. Turn food over halfway through defrost time unless otherwise noted.
2. Place seafood in utility dish. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap or waxed paper.
3. Let seafood stand for a short period of time before cooking to ensure it is totally defrosted. Hold larger
seafood pieces under cold running water, if necessary, to finish defrosting process, or to separate
fillets.
FROZEN FISH, SEAFOOD, AND SMALL MEAT DEFROSTING CHART
Food
Weight
(ounces)
Defrosting Time
(minutes)
Special Instructions
Fish and Seafood
Crab claws or
legs
16
10 to 12
Rearrange crab halfway through
defrosting time.
Crab meat
6
4 to 5
Stir crab halfway through
defrosting time.
Fillets --
flounder, cod,
sole, etc.
16
9 to 12
Turn fillets over halfway through
defrosting time.
Lobster tail
16
9 to 12
Wrap lobster in plastic wrap or
waxed paper. Turn over halfway
through cooking time.
Shrimp
16
9 to 11
Rearrange halfway through
defrosting time.
Small Meat
Bacon
16
3 to 5
Turn over and turn quarter turn
halfway through defrosting time.
Bratwurst
16
6 to 9
Turn over and turn quarter turn
halfway through defrosting time.
Chops
16
6 to 10
Turn over and turn quarter turn
halfway through defrosting time.
Frankfurters
16
4 to 7
Turn over and turn quarter turn
halfway through defrosting time.
Ground meat,
bulk
16
6 to 8
Break apart and remove
defrosted portions halfway
through defrosting time.
Ground meat,
patties
16
6 to 8
Arrange meat in circle.
Turn over halfway through
defrosting time.
Sausage
12
3 to 5
Break apart and remove
defrosted portions halfway
through defrosting time.
Steaks
16
6 to 9
Turn over and turn quarter turn
halfway through defrosting time.
