On Mar 14, 9:56*pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
> I just put a 5lb chunk each of fatty pork and beef brisket deckle
> (leftover from corning the flat) in the unused side of the kitchen
> sink to thaw overnight. *They're each wrapped separately in gallon
> Ziplocs and have a layer of heavy duty foil over top of them. *I'll
> be making sausage tomorrow.
>
> They'll probably still be frozen in the center tomorrow morning, and
> the temp of the outside of the meat will not be above 40F - probably
> closer to 33F because things like this thaw pretty evenly.
>
> So why is it recommended you not thaw something like this at room
> temp? *Are they referring to smaller pieces of meat that may have
> parts that get above 40F? *I do this all the time. *I will of course
> check them around 4:00am just to be sure they're not thawing too
> fast.
>
> -sw

Well, I admit I'll thaw big hunks of meat that way too sometimes.
Never has been a problem.

I suppose "they" always have to advise against it in *case* there's a
chance of it getting too warm and being a potential problem. Caution
always has a place in food safety, I guess.

Kris