Quick Questions on food safety / sell by / use by dates

heretolearn_2

Hi

I stuck a whole chicken into slow cooker yesterday evening on high for 4 hours and just turned it off when I went to bed.

this morning it was still lukewarm when I took the pot out of the heating bit. I stuck it in the fridge but it had obviously been sitting overnight in slowly cooling state, and had been just 'warm' for quite some time.

Do you think it's ok to eat?

sarah222

I personally wouldnt eat it cold! I perhaps would strip the bird (lol) and then use for a stir fry or something thus ensuring it was really well heated back thro. Ive cooked a chicken on hi for 4 hours before and it was still bloody in the joints so be careful it depends on how hot your slow cooker gets to be honest. I have a new one now and that cooks alot hotter!

notjustlaura

I think you're not meant to cook food in the SC and then leave it to cool in the heating pan as it cools too slowly to be safe - you need to take the crock out of the heating pan. I'd be *very* wary about eating this.

Helen2k8

I wouldn't have it cold but I would try a thoroughly re-heated dish.

SUESMITH_2

i wouldnt eat either. I know people think that if you thoroughly heat it up now it will be OK but it might not be. the high temp will kill the bacteria but it wont destroy the toxins the bacteria have made and they will make you ill

kitschkitty

I'm afraid in this case I wouldn't eat it.

Nothing wrong with slow cooking, but you need to ensure that when the cooking time is done your meat is fully cooked through, then if you're not going to eat it right away cool it as quickly as possible and get it in the fridge within 30 minutes.

Now if you had said you had checked it was fully cooked,it had cooled in a container on the worktop and then you forgot it but the overnight temperature in your kitchen was pretty cold I probably would risk it.

But for it to have been kept warm and cooled very slowly over night and it still wasn't stone cold by the morning - not good, not good at all.

heretolearn_2

I think I'll err on the side of caution and chuck it. It could be bacteria soup in there. I suppose I was hoping you'd all say it would be fine :rotfl:

I don't normally leave stuff in there like that - I'd either just take the meat out and cool it quick then in the fridge, or if, like this one and it was sitting in a load of boiling sauce, I'd just leave it out in the kitchen with it being cold at night now.

I was just tired last night and not using my brain.:mad:

zaxdog

I must be really brave or have a cast iron constitution. I'm happy to cook a chicken in the slow cooker. Let it cool overnight, stick it in the fridge and reheat :eek:

gt568

I'd eat it. Done it for years and never had a problem...

rachbc

I'm usually one for eating things whatever but in this case - chicken that maynot have cooked all the way through being left for 12 hours at just the right temops for bacteria to breed - nope!