That's great that you've already covered the sides and that you're aware of UTH problems without a thermostat
I'll throw down my defrost method also; people do it differently and it's finding the one which works for you:
I place the guys in a ziploc bag and place in luke warm water until fully thawed, I then put in hot water from the tap (for between 15 and 20 minutes until warm), I blowdry the head before serving on tongs. Some people heat the heads on lamps or radiators. Some thaw in the fridge and then heat, some thaw on the counter. All different and all effective.
Boiling water can cause the rat to explode in my experience, many people use it successfully but I have had too many 'rat guts' instances to chance it again
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