So I purchased one of these "frozen lasagna" products at the supermarket to see what it's all about.
It was in the supermarket freezer and indeed I am keeping it in the freezer of my fridge. (I.E., it's frozen solid when I took the pic just now.)
Here are the instructions:
Notice that…
It does not actually say to defrost it first.
Perhaps "everyone knows to defrost it" and they don't bother saying it? Conversely I guess perhaps everyone knows you put it straight in to the oven when it is frozen solid! So in fact,
- should I defrost it or not before putting it in the (375) oven? Thanks.
(I assume it is "frozen solid". For all I know, they cleverly make it chemically so it never freezes solid and stays gel-like, or whatever, IDK.)
(If it should be defrosted, I guess it would take about 90 minutes to completely thaw to room temp?)
If it is the case that one does indeed, miraculously, put it straight in the 375 over directly from one's home freezer. In fact,
2A. Is it better to defrost it (for say 90 minutes) before following the stated procedures? So, the food scientists who created this product would rather I defrosted it, if I have time, but (amazingly) it's not necessary?
2B. Indeed, is it actually even OK to defrost it before placing it in the oven? For all I know, perhaps as a food safety matter, or something to do with the chemicals involved, it is specifically necessary to not defrost?
Again (surprisingly?) the instructions (see pic) do not have a sentence such as "Never defrost!" "Defrost if you have time!" "You must defrost first, you clown" or any similar guidance.
Best Answer
Frozen foods are made for convenience. For most people, convenience does not include remembering to defrost the food several hours before cooking. So the recipe and cooking method are indeed for cooking straight from frozen, unless they clearly state otherwise. You will get the best result if you take it directly from the freezer to the oven.
For most frozen foods, defrosting will make little or no difference. You would need to cook it for less time than in the instructions to avoid overcooking, but the end result should be about the same. Occasionally, defrosting before putting it in the oven will decrease the quality considerably. This is in particular with frozen pizza and other foods involving a crust where the base will absorb a lot of liquid during a long defrost (as opposed to a quick one in the oven on a rack) leading to a soggy crust. However, as long as you follow a safe method for defrosting (in the fridge), it is not a food safety issue. The quality may be slightly worse, but it's perfectly safe to eat.