Meat from the freezer can take a long time to thaw especially when it is a big chunk of it. Tests and experiments conducted in labs have found that hot water is the quickest and safe way in thawing meats.
Frozen steaks and other compact cuts can be thawed in as little as 10 minutes, without compromising their quality, and with very little effort. All you need is hot water.
More information can be obtained here, A hot-water bath for thawing meats (New York Times)
