Lamb that has been frozen should never be defrosted at room temperature because harmful bacteria may grow rapidly under such conditions. The best method for thawing lamb (or any other type of meat) is to place it in the refrigerator where it will defrost slowly and safely. A temperature range of 0ºC and 4.5ºC is ideal. A large cut of lamb may require 24 to 48 hours to defrost in the refrigerator. The meat should be placed on a plate or dish (to catch any juices that may drip from the thawing meat) and stored on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator.
If it is not practical to wait the required time for thawing lamb in the refrigerator, it is possible to defrost the meat in the microwave using the proper defrost setting, but this is definitely not recommended. Some microwave ovens may not defrost the meat evenly, which may allow some portions to become fully thawed while other areas may still be frozen. While waiting for the frozen areas to defrost, harmful bacteria may grow rapidly in the thawed areas of the meat. It is best to use small cuts or pieces of lamb, which are safer to defrost with this method than large lamb cuts. Never use a normal cooking setting to defrost the meat. Lamb cuts should be cooked promptly after defrosting in the microwave and minced lamb must be cooked immediately after thawing. Microwave defrosting should be used only if necessary and should not be the thawing method of choice.
· Lamb that is not fully defrosted should not be cooked because the exterior of the lamb may become overdone before the interior has had a chance to cook to the proper temperature.
· When thawing lamb, it is easier to cut it into pieces for stew meat or shashliks before it is fully defrosted. After cutting, the lamb can then be refrigerated until it has fully thawed
· Fresh raw lamb, which has not been frozen, can be easily cut if it is placed in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.
