How-To: Thaw Seafood

How-To: Thaw Seafood

Ahhh, seafood – one of the best cuisines in Singapore, JB and some say all over the world. But before the deliciousness ends up in our bellies, one very important step must be done. If you guessed ‘thawing’ the seafood – then you’re right! Thawing is important as it may improve flavour, taste and even texture the seafood. More importantly, it prevents the seafood from spoiling.

In this article, we share with you the three main ways to thaw your seafood at home.

In cold water

Firstly, fill a large pot with cold water. You should note that the colder the water, the better. You should always seal the seafood with a plastic bag before submerging it into the pot of cold water. Remember to not put seafood directly into the water/sink/pot. Change the water after every 30 minutes, until the seafood is completely thawed.

If you decide to thaw your seafood in cold water, it will take approximately two hours to thaw completely.

You could take this time to clean the kitchen, go for a fun, or even read some articles on www.howtoadult.sg!

In the fridge (chiller)

The temperature of the chiller is important when thawing seafood. Always use a plastic bag to seal the seafood, and never thaw food in the open. You should leave the seafood to thaw in the chiller for upwards of 10 hours, or overnight.

Once thawed, the seafood can be kept for up to 2 days, but must be kept in the chiller under low temperatures (less than 5°C).

In the microwave

This is the fastest way to thaw seafood. Estimate the weight of the seafood, and select the defrost setting that would best accommodate to its weight. Place the seafood in a microwavable container and you’re all set! Remember to check on the seafood often.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to be completely thawed. To ensure freshness and that nobody has a case of food poisoning after eating your food, the defrosted seafood should be cooked immediately and consumed within 2 hours.


With these methods, the best way to check if the seafood is good to be cooked is through smelling them. If it smells spoiled, or even too-fishy (which is quite ironic since it’s seafood) – you might just have to bin it.

Alternatively, you could just cook with your frozen seafood. The time it takes to cook will depend on the method of cooking (duh), but it is always good to consume the food within 2 hours.

There are 6 methods to cook the frozen food:

  1. By sautéing – frying food quickly in a bit of fat/oil
  2. By roasting – using dry heat where hot air envelopes the food and cooks it evenly
  3. By broiling – exposing food to direct radiant heat on grill over live coals, below gas burner or electric coil, cooked one side at a time
  4. By poaching – submerging food in liquid (water, milk, stock, wine)
  5. By grilling – using dry heat on surface of food, above or below direct heat source
  6. By steaming – by boiling water continuously, causing it to vaporise into steam – heating the food and cooking it

With the different methods to thaw (and cook) your seafood, it’ll hopefully allow you to prepare endless amounts of delicious dishes for your friends and family at the next gathering!

Source: Dish The Fish
Photos: eHow, leaf.tv, livestrong