Food safety - cooking meat in slow cooker

Bargain_Rzl

I'm going to be using my new slow cooker for the first time later this week and as I have lots of sausages in the freezer I thought I'd try Smiley_Mum's sausage and bean casserole.

The recipe says to fry the sausages for five minutes to brown them before putting them in the crockpot.

If I was to make the casserole on a weekday I would have to brown the sausages the previous evening or in the morning. I'd have to set the slow cooker on a timeswitch to come on part-way through the day, cos I work far too long hours to leave it all day.

This would mean that the sausages have been defrosted, part-cooked (i.e. browned) and then cooled again before going into the casserole, and I'm a bit wary of doing this for health and safety reasons. Am I worrying about nothing, or is there a way around it?

elona

I would not bother to brown them - but could not give you a scientific reason.

moggins

Browing them is really only for appearances sake, so if you don't mind them coming out quite pale then I wouldn't bother browning them either.

Curry_Queen

I'll go along with that too

If I have time and "feel like it" then I'll brown them first but otherwise they go straight in the pot as they are and they're perfectly fine


The only things I do insist on browning first are mince (to break it up so no clumps!) and stewing/braising steak which I coat in flour & seasonings first as it helps to thicken the stock too. Don't bother with chicken portions as I remove the skin first anyway, and whole chickens get a coating of paprika/olive oil/seasonings to give a bronzed appearance

Bargain_Rzl

Curry_Queen wrote:

I'll go along with that too

If I have time and "feel like it" then I'll brown them first but otherwise they go straight in the pot as they are and they're perfectly fine

That's what I thought you'd all say - I remember the conversation about this at the very start of the main slow cooker thread.

I would still be curious to know whether browning, cooling then cooking meat is likely to cause food poisoning. Just so I have the freedom of choice if you know what I mean

Curry_Queen

I should imagine it would be ok to brown them if they were refrigerated immediately then later cooked through till piping hot, but that's no good for what you're asking, so I'd say no, I wouldn't personally risk it.

squeaky

Cooking cooling and reheating (certainly re-freezing) is not recommended I know, but as long as your food is just "cooled" is well prepared and kept safe from bugs after removal from the fridge (as it would be while buried in a sauce or your lidded slow cooker) there should be no cause for concern.

Making sure that the food is well cooked would be a good idea.

I've been using slow cookers on and off for twenty years and I ain't given myself an upset tum yet.


I'm rather more cautious with chicken and would only cook it direct rather than leave it "hanging about" so to speak

Queenie

Heheheh, *admission coming up* ... in the early days of having a slow cooker, I was a real numpty - I'd put frozen chicken pieces in to cook and all sorts!

:think: I'm amazed actually that my X is still alive!!! Of course *now*, older wiser ... what I did in the past could possible have been an unconscious sadistic attempt to have tried to poison him for his nasty little ways

cymro1170

As you're only browning them I suspect that they won't actually be cooked right through.

As long as you cook them thoroughly after to over 75 degrees I can't see a problem.

Curry_Queen

squeaky wrote:

Cooking cooling and reheating (certainly re-freezing) is not recommended I know, but as long as your food is just "cooled" is well prepared and kept safe from bugs after removal from the fridge (as it would be while buried in a sauce or your lidded slow cooker) there should be no cause for concern.

I think I'd be concerned about bacteria starting to multiply in optimum warm temperatures with doing this, but then maybe I'm being over cautious

I must admit I personally take lots of risks when it comes to food and have survived, but if cooking for someone else, especially the kids, I'm much more careful

Bargain_Rzl

Queenie wrote:

Heheheh, *admission coming up* ... in the early days of having a slow cooker, I was a real numpty - I'd put frozen chicken pieces in to cook and all sorts!

:think: I'm amazed actually that my X is still alive!!!

But does this have anything to do with why he is your X? :rotfl: