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How long to leave hot food out before putting in the fridge?

smudge_72
Posts: 20 Forumite

A long title I know. I am slightly confused by it as I use to leave it out until it was cold. But I have become a lot more concerned about it recently. I have searched for it on line and it says anything from you can leave stuff out for over an hour or put in straight away and the rise in temp is ok.
Yesterday I cooked a spag bog sauce. I did my best to cool it by putting the containers in some cold water and they were not cold but cooler to the touch. I popped in the fridge, turn the dial up to 4. I took some out to re heat about 4 hours later. My thermometer was saying about 8/9 degrees. I then popped something else in the fridge at about 8.30pm and then it was still over the recommended temp for a fridge at 7/8 . And this morning I checked 7am it was just inside the correct zone.
I am not a good cook even at my age and I suffer with massive anxiety about stuff like this and cooking for others. So
1) what is the best way to deal with this in future. Leave it out until its cold. My kitchen in this weather is around 13/14 degrees unless I am using the oven . Or chill down with cold water until cold and then pop in the fridge?
2) I had a load of meat in the bottom of the fridge on a chilled shelf. I touched it each time I went in the fridge and it was still cold to the touch. Do I keep or chuck it. I have lots of other bits and pieces in the fridge such as veggies and salad so not to worried about them getting warm.
Yesterday I cooked a spag bog sauce. I did my best to cool it by putting the containers in some cold water and they were not cold but cooler to the touch. I popped in the fridge, turn the dial up to 4. I took some out to re heat about 4 hours later. My thermometer was saying about 8/9 degrees. I then popped something else in the fridge at about 8.30pm and then it was still over the recommended temp for a fridge at 7/8 . And this morning I checked 7am it was just inside the correct zone.
I am not a good cook even at my age and I suffer with massive anxiety about stuff like this and cooking for others. So
1) what is the best way to deal with this in future. Leave it out until its cold. My kitchen in this weather is around 13/14 degrees unless I am using the oven . Or chill down with cold water until cold and then pop in the fridge?
2) I had a load of meat in the bottom of the fridge on a chilled shelf. I touched it each time I went in the fridge and it was still cold to the touch. Do I keep or chuck it. I have lots of other bits and pieces in the fridge such as veggies and salad so not to worried about them getting warm.
1
Comments
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I'm one who doesn't take a lot of notice of 'use by' dates and no notice at all of 'best before' dates.
I'd leave cooked food out until cold.
I sometimes do a big pan of chilli or bol and leave it overnight to cool before portioning it out to go in the freezer.
I wouldn't put any food that was still warm into the fridge.
What do you plan to do with the meat in the fridge?
I'd either put it in the freezer or cook it up and then freeze.
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Anything I want to cool quickly, I put the pan in a bigger pan with cold water at least as high as the food inside. Refresh the water when it gets warm and it will cool pretty quickly. Save the water for watering plants so it's not wasted. This time of year, you could pop it outside as well.
If it's late and I'm going to fall asleep before the food cools enough for the fridge/freezer, I make up a camping fridge- put a wet tea towel over the pot (with the lid on) and into the water of the bigger pan - I was told the evaporation will keep the food cool enough - but do your own research on this.
I personally would eat the meat.Statement of Affairs (SOA) link: https://www.lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.phpFor free, non-judgemental debt advice, try: Stepchange or National Debtline. Beware fee charging companies with similar names.3 -
Leave it out until it's cold it will be fine. Leaving out out at room temperature once it has cooled is what encourages bugs to grow. Not good for your 'fridge to put hot food in, but if it's late and you're going to bed it's OK to put lukewarm food in there4
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So what is the meat?
What is the use before date?
What did we do before date on things???
We used our noses! Smell it first of all. Does it look fine?
Cook it, chill and then maybe freeze in portionsBeing polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
-Stash bust:in 2022:337
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Putting hot food in fridges can raise the temperature inside the fridge and affect other stuff in there.
Its winter and freezing outside and our garage is probably as cold as the fridge.
To put it into perspective, think about cafes and chip shops who cook loads of food and then its kept warm, if they can do that then it cannot be too bad that you are cooling something and then fridging.
Thinking about the meat, it's to put it crudely a big lump of flesh, its covered and it's cold to the touch. A couple of hours in the fridge near a warm bolognese sauce should not affect it. If it was off you would know. If it's in date, looks ok and has been stored in the fridge it will be fine.3 -
JIL said:Putting hot food in fridges can raise the temperature inside the fridge and affect other stuff in there.
Its winter and freezing outside and our garage is probably as cold as the fridge.
To put it into perspective, think about cafes and chip shops who cook loads of food and then its kept warm, if they can do that then it cannot be too bad that you are cooling something and then fridging.
Thinking about the meat, it's to put it crudely a big lump of flesh, its covered and it's cold to the touch. A couple of hours in the fridge near a warm bolognese sauce should not affect it. If it was off you would know. If it's in date, looks ok and has been stored in the fridge it will be fine.No man is worth crawling on this earth.
So much to read, so little time.1 -
JIL said:Putting hot food in fridges can raise the temperature inside the fridge and affect other stuff in there.
Its winter and freezing outside and our garage is probably as cold as the fridge.
To put it into perspective, think about cafes and chip shops who cook loads of food and then its kept warm, if they can do that then it cannot be too bad that you are cooling something and then fridging.
Thinking about the meat, it's to put it crudely a big lump of flesh, its covered and it's cold to the touch. A couple of hours in the fridge near a warm bolognese sauce should not affect it. If it was off you would know. If it's in date, looks ok and has been stored in the fridge it will be fine.
There will be max times that the restaurants can keep food warm at - beyond that, they will be required to bin the food due to the bacterial build-up. But they will be more stringent than is necessary to allow some buffer and different circumstances.Statement of Affairs (SOA) link: https://www.lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.phpFor free, non-judgemental debt advice, try: Stepchange or National Debtline. Beware fee charging companies with similar names.2 -
Rosa_Damascena said:JIL said:Putting hot food in fridges can raise the temperature inside the fridge and affect other stuff in there.
Its winter and freezing outside and our garage is probably as cold as the fridge.
To put it into perspective, think about cafes and chip shops who cook loads of food and then its kept warm, if they can do that then it cannot be too bad that you are cooling something and then fridging.
Thinking about the meat, it's to put it crudely a big lump of flesh, its covered and it's cold to the touch. A couple of hours in the fridge near a warm bolognese sauce should not affect it. If it was off you would know. If it's in date, looks ok and has been stored in the fridge it will be fine.0 -
Hot food should ideally be cooled to under 8 degrees in 90 minutes before being refrigerated at least that was the rules about 10 years ago when I worked in the food industryI pray for patience as strength might just get me in trouble !!!!1
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Good evening Smudge,
Many, many years ago I trained as a chef and spent a considerable amount of time learning about food storage / bacteria etc (We had to do our food handlers certificate). We were informed that from cooking - cooling food had to be placed into the fridge or freezer within two hours. (Placing it in cold water / cold water bath and whisking / stirring is a great way to bring the temperature down quickly or stop it from continue cooking).Hot food needs to be brought up to a temperature of above 80 degrees for at least two minutes - to be deemed safe. Holding temperature for hot food must stay above 65 degrees.Food should only be reheated only once.Ideal fridge temperature some say 1-4 degrees; others say 2-5 degrees. But you definitely don't want your fridge to be above 8 degrees for any length of time.
This was the guidance 35 years ago. I don't know if the rules have changed as I left the profession 25 years ago. Also, these were the rules for safely handling food that other people consume.As a general rule I hate buffets as I find the hot food goes lukewarm very quickly. I normally watch to see what food has just been brought out and head for that. One restaurant that I worked at would only keep food on a buffet bar for a maximum of 20 minutes. A shame that other companies don't follow this procedure.On the very rare occasion that I visit a fast food place (my Mum does like a burger!) I ask for it to be very, very hot - BK cook it fresh for me.If I'm at a Chinese restaurant or a hotel complex (all inclusive) and they have ice cream, I never use the scoop that has been sitting in water. I always get a clean spoon and scoop my ice-cream with that. I will also look to see how frozen the ice-cream is too.Hope this helps.2025 Fashion on a ration 0/66 coupons
2025 Frugal challenge3
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