What does the the thaw race experiment test?

It tests one variable: thawing method. The idea is that frozen food in a bowl of cold water thaws far faster than the same food sitting in the fridge.

45-minute experiment

The thaw race

Which thaws faster, air or water?

The idea

Frozen food in a bowl of cold water thaws far faster than the same food sitting in the fridge.

The one thing you change: Thawing method

You need

Two identical frozen portions, like chicken breasts or bags of peas
A bowl of cold water
A zip bag
A plate

Steps

Seal one portion in a leakproof bag and submerge it in cold tap water. Put the other on a plate on the bottom fridge shelf, never on the counter.
Check both after 30 minutes by pressing the middle. Change the water if it warms up, and wash your hands after raw chicken.
Note how long each takes to soften all the way through. Cook the water-thawed one right away.

What you should find

The cold water portion thaws in about an hour or less. The fridge portion is still firm in the middle.

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The science behind it

Thaw food safely

A frozen chicken thaws from the outside in. On the counter, the surface warms into the danger zone, 4 to 60°C (40 to 140°F), where bacteria can double in…

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