Originally Posted by
corky
If you don't have the time to allow something to thaw slowly, that is a good method. When foods are frozen, little ice crystals form and if something is thawed quickly the texture may suffer. Whether it is a steak or a shrimp, allowing for a slow thaw is always preferable.
We always use the cold water method with frozen shrimp, and I haven't found that it affects the texture. For everything else, I agree the only way to do it is in the refrigerator. Unfortunately that means planning 2 days in advance for me, because anything other than a fish filet or a thin piece of meat seems to take at least 36 hours for a full thaw in our fridge (and it is set correctly before someone asks). So I have to remember either 2 nights before or at least the morning of the day before I plan to use it.