Comments on: Chill Out

By: Ha - I'm Right And Have Proof! | Cara's Coffee Break

Ha - I'm Right And Have Proof! | Cara's Coffee Break — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:14:59 +0000

[...] Heather at HomeEc101 has a fantastic post proving me correct, with proof from the USDA and FDA. Foods that cool too [...]

By: Reef tank addict

Reef tank addict — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:41:33 +0000

LOL, had this conversation with my mom over Christmas too. But our convo was about not even putting it in the fridge.

However, she said that if you heat up a soup with a lid on and then don’t take the lid off, you don’t have to put it in the frig. It will stay good overnight.

I thought about this and I’m thinking the heat expands the air in the pot, when it cools it forms a small vaccuum seal on the lid.

What do you think? She’s been doing this her whole life.

By: jibbs ribbs

jibbs ribbs — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:27:20 +0000

Sevens Nines, they say the way is my time, and to cook with cold can sliver me timbers

By: SAHMmy Says

SAHMmy Says — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:26:31 +0000

I worked for (far too many) years in the restaurant industry where the 40-145 degrees Danger Zone gets drilled into your head constantly. Just get your food cooled below 40 or heated above 145 as quickly as possible…most of us are not preparing volatile dishes like sashimi on a regular basis. I’d be more concerned with bringing the temperature of the entire fridge up by putting a steaming pot of chowder directly in there than letting it hang out on the counter for an hour or so to cool. And after living to tell about the dubious food prep and storage methods of my inlaws I’d say that most food prep guidelines offer worst case scenario scare tactics.

By: The Chatty Housewife

The Chatty Housewife — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:54:30 +0000

Hot food put directly into the fridge is only a bad idea if you are worried about other products around it spoiling. For example, don’t put it beside dairy or eggs.

By: Tami

Tami — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:09:46 +0000

I read somewhere that the whole don’t put hot food in the fridge thing started back when refrigerators were cooled by actual ice. If one were to put hot food in there, it could melt the ice. Obviously not a good thing. However, in modern fridges, this is not an issue.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:41:19 +0000

I DO agree with Heather, but I have to say: I was raised by a frugal family and my dad works in the refrigeration/air conditioning industry. His rationale for allowing the leftovers to cool on the counter was that it saved energy because the fridge didn’t have to work harder to cool it down. Sometimes I do that and sometimes I refrigerate immediately. ha.
I am MUCH pickier about how long the leftovers hang out in the fridge (it especially came to my attention in college when I ate a tomato sauce that “smelled fine” and gave me a horrible stomache ache). I’d be curious to read a post on this, particularly from the restaurant business side of things. I remember having to date containers when I worked briefly in a restaurant kitchen.

By: Jasi

Jasi — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:19:00 +0000

Oh and he’s even said that the FDA refrigeration standards are the only true government conspiracy. LOL

By: Jasi

Jasi — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:18:02 +0000

DH and I disagree on this too. His mom would fry up some eggs with turnip and Chinese sausage for breakfast. There it would sit, middle of the dining room table until every last bit was eaten. Snacks! They also buy eggs in bulk and keep em in the den. Not 40* or below. But DH swears, “No one has ever gotten sick.”

I’m a germ freak. She’s a great cook and healthy as an ox, but I’m all about immediate refrigeration. DH thinks I’m so weird.

By: Badbadivy

Badbadivy — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:29:13 +0000

I’m hardly likely to overheat the great outdoors.

Watch it, Jen, you’re totally contributing to global warming.