Warning about lidl packaging

cerastes

WoolyJumper wrote: »

Next time just let your meat (still in the plastic) thaw out in a bowl of room temp water (not warm but not too cold either). They will thaw out pretty fast. Its much safer and tastes better.

I wonder is that quicker or safer than defrosting at room temp?

WoolyJumper

cerastes wrote: »

I wonder is that quicker or safer than defrosting at room temp?

I dont know about safer but it is faster... obviously not as fast as doing it in a microwave :pac:

Edit: my original post was referring to safer than defrosting in a microwave. The best option is still to defrost your meat in the fridge if you have the time. But if you are in a bind and have an hour or two then defrosting in a bowl of room temp water is a better option than a microwave.

cerastes

WoolyJumper wrote: »

I dont know about safer but it is faster... obviously not as fast as doing it in a microwave :pac:

Edit: my original post was referring to safer than defrosting in a microwave. The best option is still to defrost your meat in the fridge if you have the time. But if you are in a bind and have an hour or two then defrosting in a bowl of room temp water is a better option than a microwave.

I dont know how it was supposed to work or if it was a gimmick, but I knew someone, years ago they had a metal tray, looked like a rectangular coated frying pan, supposedly you put the frozen slab of meat on it and it defrosted, not sure if it was the power of suggestion or if ita ctually worked, or how it would work for something like a chicken that isnt in contact with the magic metal.

rubadub

Will Repulsive Ventilation wrote: »

You put plastic packaging in the microwave and it melted? And you're surprised?

I was certainly very surprised to hear about a fire starting in seconds.

looksee wrote: »

Within seconds there was a smell of burning plastic. The chops packaging had gone on fire

I would not have expected that to happen, weird how others seem to think it would, have they had or heard of similar experiences?

I think this thread would have been far more suited to the cooking forum, and have gotten far more constructive responses.

I had a pot noodle type thing, intended to be cooked in a microwave. I followed the instructions and it went on fire in the microwave. A tiny little strip of tinfoil had torn and remained on the cardboard container at the top. It is when you have tiny amounts of metal in mircowaves that you will have trouble. Like this security tag would have had. If you have large smooth metal objects like a spoon stuck in a microwave with a reasonable amount of food then there usually will be no issue.

Defrosted food does not absorb microwaves well at all, so a lot of energy could have been going into the metal strip.

rubadub wrote: »

Substances have things called "loss factors". It is sort of a measure of how well they absorb microwaves. Different substances have different loss factors at different temperatures too.

Ice does not absorb microwaves well, water does. If you put a frozen burger in a microwave and heat on full the ice does not absorb well, the moment a spot defrosts it becomes water. This spot of water then sort of sucks all the microwaves in, making a "hot spot". Now this snowballs, the hot water defrosts the ice around it by conduction. You end up with a spot fully cooked and brown and possibly dried out and hard, while other bits are fully frozen.

To overcome this effect you should run frozen food under a hot tap to defrost it all round.

cerastes wrote: »

I wonder is that quicker or safer than defrosting at room temp?

It would be quicker, and therefore safer as it is not spending a long time at a temp which is beneficial to bacterial growth.

hdowney

cerastes wrote:

I dont know how it was supposed to work or if it was a gimmick, but I knew someone, years ago they had a metal tray, looked like a rectangular coated frying pan, supposedly you put the frozen slab of meat on it and it defrosted, not sure if it was the power of suggestion or if ita ctually worked, or how it would work for something like a chicken that isnt in contact with the magic metal.

I have one of them. No idea how it works but it does.

MadDog76

looksee wrote: »

Honestly, read my post. It is perfectly possible to put the vast majority of commercial packaging into the microwave for a short while on a low (30% in this case) without a problem. The plastic film was not touching the meat.

Just for the sake of all us eejits that have no idea how to use a microwave though, (like you know, housewives for 40 odd years cooking meals on a daily basis) I am pointing out that there are safety tags on LIDL meat - or at least lamb chops, which cannot be seen, they are completely hidden under the paper label. There is no indication that it is there.

Many many food products state 'pierce plastic film and microwave etc' in that case the food is in contact with the film and concern would be understandable (though not necessarily valid).

tl:dr - I am simply saying there are hidden security tags on Lidl meat, I am aware of all other implications.

Of course they're hidden ......... what would be the point in having a security precaution on a product that would be easily visible and therefore easily accessible to a potential shoplifter?

Just read and follow the instructions on the packaging, ie. Remove all packaging before cooking.

qt3.14

PICNIC! Problem in customer, not in chops!

dudara

qt3.14 - please post only if you have constructive advice to offer. Remember, it's "attack the post, not the poster"

dudara

Nate--IRL--

Got caught with this too, ruined 2 good steaks and started a nice little bonfire in my microwave. Emailed Aldi customer service, who basically said "tough".

Who would steal a Steak? There are more expensive items that can be stolen easier than a feckin steak.

Nate

soccerc

Nate--IRL--

Have a look at the other packaging, that yellow dot is the size of a 1 c coin.

Nate

MadDog76

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

Got caught with this too, ruined 2 good steaks and started a nice little bonfire in my microwave. Emailed Aldi customer service, who basically said "tough".

Who would steal a Steak? There are more expensive items that can be stolen easier than a feckin steak.

Nate

Shoplifters ......... :rolleyes:

looksee

Not lamb chops but identical packaging. I am baffled by the number of smart ...alecs who would rather make snarky remarks than just say, yes, ok, we will remember that. I reckon most of the people being sarcastic do all their meal preparation with a phone.

Mo60

looksee wrote: »

Not lamb chops but identical packaging. I am baffled by the number of smart ...alecs who would rather make snarky remarks than just say, yes, ok, we will remember that. I reckon most of the people being sarcastic do all their meal preparation with a phone.

Thank you for the warning. I for one will take note.

Unfortunately, smart unhelpful remarks seem to be all some posters can post. For this reason, I, and many others I suspect, no longer post on Boards.

L1011

Mo60 wrote: »

For this reason, I, and many others I suspect, no longer post on Boards.

You just have posted.


(expects this to be considered a "smart remark" too, for some reason...)

dudara

@L1011 - yes that was a smart remark. You did not have post it and yet you did

dudara.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

@looksee, to be clear - my comment wasn't trying to be smart. I am genuinely astonished that anyone would put plastic, in particular meat packaging, in the microwave. But thank you for the warning.

Nate--IRL--

Why wouldn't you, when just defrosting?

Nate

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

This is going OT but microwaving plastic (even at low power) can change the composition of the plastic, allowing various chemicals in the plastic to leech out. Plenty of studies and further reading on the interweb.

Microwavable plastics are different in that they are certified as 'safe' to use in the microwave.

Look each to there own. "X has done it for years, nothing wrong with them" etc etc. My choice is not to microwave any plastics.

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

Why wouldn't you, when just defrosting?

Nate