should I leave hot food out to cool prior to refrigerating?

Answer 1

Any cooked food product below 140 degrees will start to deteriorate in no time at all. The cooling down was the "old days", new technology in refrigeration has given our appliances a faster temperature recovery system. I wouldn't leave anything out for more than 30 minutes which is more time then what it takes to eat Thanksgiving dinner.

Answer 2

You should always let hot food cool to about 70F. If you put hot food in the refrigerator, the temperature inside rises which puts everything else inside at risk. Do not let the food sit out for more than an hour, if it takes longer than that to reach 70F, just put it in the fridge. A good way to cool food down quickly is to put it in several small shallow containers instead of one large container.

Answer 3

I always let the hot leftovers cool down before refrigerating. It is just something that I have always done, more than likely the habit started before we had self defrosting refrigerators

Answer 4

If it' scalding and 350ºF straight out of the oven: yes.

But if it's leftovers after dinner and they are still warm: no.

Be sure to cool foods quickly for safest storage, and store in shallow pans and on trivels so air can circulate all the way around th epans. A big pot of soup, for example, may just reach a safe temp at the very center 8-10 horus later, which is very dangerous. Cooling it in zipper bags or a 9x13" pan on a trivet will help it cool sooner. And sooner is safer.

Answer 5

I've learned this the hard way...if you put piping hot food in the frig...it brings down the temp...and jeopardizes others in the room...let it rest...it will be fine...doesn't have to go to room temp...but just warm. It takes quite a bit of time for a refrigerator to recover from such an extreme change.

Answer 6

food should be cooled from 141 degrees to 41 degrees in less than three hours to prevent food born illness. lukewarm food is most likely under 141 degrees and should be refrigerated immediately

Answer 7

it all depends on the food, if it is meat that you are not going to eat you might want to refrigerate it, open, not wrapped, let it cool completely then wrap it. but for vegetaples and most starches you are ok to let them cool on a counter top before you put them in the fridge.

Answer 8

1. Saving Energy
2. Saving the Life of ur fridge
3. If U have time