CHAPTER 4 – USING THE OVEN:
SUGGESTIONS AND COOK CHARTS
4.1 DEFROSTING
•Frozen food in plastic bags, plastic film or cardboard packets can be placed directly in the oven for defrosting as long as the packet has no metal parts (e.g. metal twist ties or staples).
•Certain foods, such as vegetables and fish, do not require complete defrosting before cooking.
•Boiled foods, stews and meat sauces defrost better and more quickly if they are stirred from time to time, turned over and/or separated.
•Meat, fish and fruit lose a certain amount of liquid during defrosting. Defrost these foods in a bowl.
•It is advisable to separate each individual piece of meat into its own bag before putting it into the freezer. This will enable you to save precious preparation time.
•It is important to observe the standing times immediately after defrosting, before cooking; the standing time (in minutes) is the length of time for which the food must be left to stand to allow the heat to continue spreading evenly in the food.
TABLE OF DEFROSTING TIMES IN “AUTOMATIC DEFROSTING” MODE
TYPE | QUANTITY | TIME |
| NOTES/SUGGESTIONS | WIRE RACK | STANDING | ||||||||
(minutes) |
| TO BE USED | TIME | |||||||||||
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MEAT |
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• Roasts (pork, beef, veal etc.) | 1 kg | 19 | - 21 |
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| None | 20 | |||||||
• Steaks, chops, rashers | 200 gr | 4 | - 6 | Turn over halfway through defrosting | None | 5 | ||||||||
• Stew, goulash | 500 gr | 10 | - 12 |
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| None | 10 | |||||||
• Minced | 250 gr | 5 | - 7 |
| * | None | 15 | |||||||
• Hamburgers | 500 gr | 10 | - 12 | See note | None | 15 | ||||||||
200 gr | 5 | - 7 |
| None | 10 | |||||||||
• Sausages | 300 gr | 6 | - 8 |
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| None | 10 | |||||||
POULTRY |
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• Duck, turkey | 1,5 kg | 25 | - 27 | Turn the poultry over halfway through | None | 20 | ||||||||
• Whole chicken | 1,5 kg | 25 | - 27 | defrosting . When the standing time is | None | 20 | ||||||||
• Pieces of chicken | 700 gr | 13 | - 15 | over, wash under warm water to remove | None | 10 | ||||||||
• Chicken breast | 300 gr | 8 - 10 | any ice. |
| None | 10 | ||||||||
VEGETABLES |
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| Frozen vegetables do not need to be |
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FISH |
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| defrosted before cooking. |
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• Fillets | 300 gr | 7 | - 9 | Turn the fish over halfway through | None | 7 | ||||||||
• Slices | 400 gr | 8 - 10 | defrosting | None | 7 | |||||||||
• Whole | 500 gr | 10 | - 12 |
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| None | 7 | |||||||
• Prawns | 400 gr | 8 - 10 |
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| None | 7 | ||||||||
MILK/DAIRY PRODUCTS |
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• Butter | 250 gr | 4 | - 6 | Remove the silver foil or the metal parts. | None | 10 | ||||||||
• Cheese |
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| Cheese should not be completely |
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250 gr | 5 | - 7 | defrosted. Respect the standing time. | None | 15 | |||||||||
• Cream |
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| The cream should be removed from its |
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200 ml | 7 | - 9 | container and placed in a dish. | None | 5 | |||||||||
BREAD |
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• 2 | 150 gr | 1 | - 2 |
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| None | 3 | |||||||
• 4 | 300 gr | 2 | - 4 | Put the bread directly onto the turntable. | None | 3 | ||||||||
• Sliced bread | 250 gr | 2 | - 4 |
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| None | 3 | |||||||
• Sliced wholemeal bread | 250 gr | 2 | - 4 |
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| None | 3 | |||||||
FRUIT |
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• Strawberries, plums, cherries, redcurrants, apricots | 500 gr | 8 - 10 | Stir | None | 10 | |||||||||
• Raspberries | 300 gr | 5 | - 7 | Stir | None | 10 | ||||||||
• Blackberries | 250 gr | 3 | - 5 | Stir | None | 6 | ||||||||
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*These guidelines are suitable for carrying out the Defrosting Test for mince according to IEC Regulation 705, Par. 18.3, (see page 3). Turn the load upside down halfway through the time set. The load which is to be defrosted should be placed directly on the turntable.
Further information, also regarding other Performance Tests according to IEC Regulation 705 is given in the table on page 3.
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