Eighty degree refrigerator

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pacanis

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Apparently :rolleyes: when I put the chili away in the refrigerator last night, still in the dutch oven, the door did not shut all the way. I just went to get something out and it was 80F on the top shelf.
Some of the things I'd like an opinion on specifically is the pico de gallo I made last night. That should still be good, right? It's just tomato, onion, cilantro and jalapenos with lime juice.... things that could be kept at room temp in their natural state anyway.
I'm also wondering about the sealed packages of cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Again, things that can be used at room temp.
The chili...... there's no way I'm going to throw away over 3 qts of chili. This was the best chili I've made in a while, it was on the bottom shelf and the DO was cool to the touch, plus it gets reheated to eat anyway and is loaded of course with acidic tomatoes. Haven't we discussed in similar threads that tomato based stuff is "probably" OK? I'll be throwing away enough other stuff :( Boy that tics me off.
 
That chili is NOT safe. If you are going to take the chance and eat that then you may as well eat everything else. Heck, save yourself some money and just get rid of your fridge and keep everything out.

Seriously though, dump the chili. You are playing Russian Roulette. You may very possibly win, but if you lose you will be very sorry.
 
Oh c'mon GB, that's not what you were supposed to say :LOL: That chili was a labor of love :wacko:
 
I know there will be a lot of people that say throw the chili, it's not worth the risk. I'm not one of them. I would keep the chili myself, maybe thats because I've never had food poisoning so I'm not as quick to through things that might be bad.
 
Until it became a law I did not wear a seat belt., so I can't really answer that. It's not my choice anymore.
 
I don't wear a seatbelt..... Can I base my decision on whether to offer up the chili on that? (lol)

I suppose this is a good time to clean my shelves. The only thing left in the fridge is yeast, powdered milk, the cheddar and cream cheeses, the chili and the pico. And I imagine I'll toss the cheeses and chili, too.... I am so sad.... and PO'd.
And now I have to clean off my vehicle and make a trip into Wally World.... on a Sunday! How awful is that?! I'll be the one without a turkey in my cart.
 
Geez, Fred, go ahead and eat the danged chili if you want, but WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!!

You have a good shot at living if you get food poisoning, but if you're tossed out of your vehicle by some nutjob who smacks into you, not so much. And it costs you nothing!!

Lee
 
Hi, Pacanis. Cheeses are preserved milk, so even fresh types won't go bad after such a short time. Same for the pico de gallo. Was the chili ever completely chilled?
 
Strictly speaking, GB is right. But I have eaten chili that has sat out all night at 50-60 degrees, and it was fine. If you're going to do that, though, heat it to boiling and let it bubble for 15-20 minutes first.
Your cheeses will be fine.

My husband used to race, and one thing he taught me: wear your seat belt! I know when I pulled out of the bread store and totaled my car, I would have been all ever the place if I hadn't had mine on. Instead, the only place I was sore was where the seat belt held me in place.
 
I know when I pulled out of the bread store and totaled my car, I would have been all ever the place if I hadn't had mine on. Instead, the only place I was sore was where the seat belt held me in place.

If you were baking your own bread, you would not have put yourself in harm's way. :rolleyes:
 
oh, wow, I feel your pain..........you didn't happen to stick a food thermometer in it did you? This is one situation where I'd be reluctant to advise cause people vary in their responses and sensitivity to different toxins (look at Rasputin----they gave him enough arsenic to kill 10 men and he just burped) I'm with GB if it were me........I'd keep that seatbelt on.....but I can understand how you don't want to throw it out after all that hard effort and take the risk anyway......hope that all works out whatever decision you make.......
 
If you ever had the misfortune to suffer from food poisioning, you'd toss the chili instead of your cookies.
 
No GG, the chili was never completely chilled.

So I'm probably good with the cheeses? Good. I have six packages of cheddar and nine of the cream cheese I saved because they were never opened, but I've already tossed the blue cheeses and parmesan in the trash. Obviously everything in the door was luke warm and the other cheese was in the door.
 
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