Can raw dog food be defrosted in microwave? The Ultimate Guide

The Pan Rinse Method For Defrosting Raw Dog Food:

Run the hot water in your kitchen sink – ideally, the water should be too hot to hold your hand under it longer than a second

Place the meat in a Ziplock bag (if it isn’t sealed already)

Place your block of meat in a metal pan, bowl, or tray deep enough to cover its entire mass

Run the water over the block of meat – if possible, the water shouldn’t be directly hitting the meat (but the water surrounding it)

Double-check the meat is 100% submerged in the water – you’ll most likely have to weigh it down with a heavy object

Run the water for 10 to 20-minutes, periodically checking to make sure the meat is still submerged

Carefully remove the meat and immediately store anything unused into the refrigerator (not the freezer)

Is There an Alternative Way to Quickly Defrost Raw Dog Food without Hot Running Water?

Perhaps your kids (or inconsiderate roommate) used up all the hot water this morning? No worries, there’s another way – but, it will add about 10 more minutes to the process and require more attention.

Find a pan larger than the block of meat you need to defrost and fill it with water

Heat the pan on medium on your stovetop for about 10-minutes – it should be at a pre-boil, which is when you just begin to see bubbles

Place the sealed block of meat in the pan, and submerge with a wooden or rubber spoon (Important, we do not want to weight the food down and walk away because it will overcook the bottom)

Carefully remove the meat after 10 to 15-minutes – immediately place any unused meat in your refrigerator (again, not the freezer)

What’s the Safest Way to Defrost Raw Dog Food?

Hands down, the safest way to defrost raw dog food is to take it out of the freezer and put it directly into the refrigerator. This method can take 12 to 36-hours depending on how much meat we’re talking about.

The next best way is to repeat the exact steps at the top of this article, except with room temperature water. It can take up to an hour to defrost your meat this way, but it is effective and safer (if bacteria is a concern).

Last, simply taking the meat out and letting it sit at room temperature will take somewhere between 2 and 4-hours to defrost. However, this is my least favorite option, because I have a tendency to forget about it.

And any meat that has been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours should be thrown out.

Should You Warm Your Pet’s Raw Food?

A 72-ounce package may take 3 to 5 hours. Cooked foods thawed by the cold-water method should not be refrozen. When thawing food in a microwave, always remove the food from the plastic packaging. Using your microwave’s defrost setting, defrost 8-10 minutes per lb of food.