Quickly defrosting a steak or chicken breast for dinner can be intimidating. Will you contaminate your counter? If you’re using a microwave, will you accidentally cook the meat a little — causing that weird chicken smell that your roommate hates, so you have to air out the microwave by fanning the door for 15 minutes? Ugh, the things you do when you’re in college.
That! Inventions’ ThawThat! II is a platter that speeds up the defrosting time for meat. While it’s best to thaw food in the refrigerator or a water bath, ThawThat! II is for those times when you forget to plan dinner and need to whip up something quick.
It comes with a catch tray that attaches to the side and keeps any liquid from spilling onto the counter. It’s not that big, measuring about 13 by 8 inches, so it’s not meant to defrost an entire turkey.
How it works: The platter is made of anodized aluminum, which disperses the meat’s coldness throughout its surface, and it has a thermal, liquid-filled core that absorbs energy. Think of it as a metal tray with an anti-freeze center. You place your frozen meat on top for 20 to 30 minutes and, boom, it’s defrosted.
I thought I could easily take a baking sheet (most are aluminum) and use it as a defroster. So I put one frozen hamburger patty on the ThawThat! II and another on a sheet pan. After 25 minutes both had thawed enough to cook, although the ThawThat! II patty was softer.
Does it work?: Sure.
Pros: It’s quick, and thin for easy storage. It’s dishwasher safe, but knowing aluminum, it’ll react to soaps. Hand-washing is best.
Cons: It’s pricey — $59.99 for this bad boy. That’s a lot of dough to save a few minutes of kitchen prep time. And defrosting is all it’s meant to do. I used the baking sheet the next day to make cookies and it cost only $10.
Cost: Available at the Compleat Kitchen in Kahala Mall ($70) and online at us.thatinventions.com and amazon.com ($59.99).
Worth it?: Not for me. It’s a very specialized tool with a very premium price. But if you find yourself frequently in need of a quick defrost, go for it.
Got a gadget that you love? Or are you curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com, or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza Suite 201, Honolulu 96813.
