[Sca-cooks] food safe temperature

[Bill Fisher]

On Sun, 19 Dec 2004 09:13:24 -0700, Sue Clemenger <mooncat at in-tch.com> wrote:
> That's actually really fascinating, Cadoc--guys like you and Master A
> are really good for helping non-professional me understand stuff like
> this....
> So, if a person (like me) had to cool down some dishes, but had really
> limited fridge space, what would be the best way to do it? Cool it on
> the kitchen counter to a certain temp? Cover it and put it out on the
> (secure) porch (at least in winter)?
> --maire, not figuring on cooking another feast soon, but ya never
> know.....;-)

I have used an ice chest with ice water in it.  Sit the pans in it and
they will
cool down quickly.  If the pans are coming right off of the stove, you need 
some kind of trivot to keep the pots from melting your ice chest. (this, by
the way, is not good for your pans).  

I usually cool things on the counter till I am sure they are not going to 
melt anything or thaw anything, and stick them in my freezer until they
are cold, then move them to my fridge.  If  you don't have fridge space,
then you would use an ice chest with ice water,  or if it is will be
consistently
cold outside, secure it and move it out to the porch.  Just be real careful
if you have racoons or coyotes, they are ingenious at getting secure things
open.

Folks have been telling me that it is unseasonably cold here in GA this
year (it is supposed to hit 15 F tonight, thanks to the humidity that will
feel like 0 F) but I would still not keep stuff on my back porch as one of
my neighbors would steal it. :-)

I find the cold weather refreshing, and it should be back up in the 50's
later this week according to the weatherguy.  Though I went to get
groceries to day and there was an apocalypse line at the Kroger so I 
went home.

I'm not a food professional by the way, just an IT guy that has to report
on chiller systems for large data centers.  I have to know how  heat 
exchanges work as part of my job.  But I have worked in a restaraunt in 
my distant past.

I think I saw an e-mail from Christianna with the actual food-safe timelines.


Cadoc
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