Slow Cooker *might* not be as useful as I'd hoped

[keltin]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

This is an interesting concept.

Don't you think a heating device inside a refrigerator generating heat for 8-10 hours might raise the temperature of the entire refrigerator into the danger zone and cause or initiate spoilage in the majority of what's in there?

Then there's the impact on the temperature of the freezer...

No to mention the extra humidity added to the environment from steam......assuming the crock-pot could get up to temp in such an environment.

[GB]

And don't forget about the power cord that would prevent the fridge door from closing properly.

[BreezyCooking]

Caine - please verify that your advice about crockpot cooking in the fridge was meant to be a joke?

Otherwise, we just might have to notify your local health officials that you've definitely snapped a serious twig - lol!!!

[Caine]

I am just so tired of the self-proclaimed Food Safety Police telling me how I am going to die because I thaw frozen items on the counter instead of in the refrigerator. Everyone I have ever known thaws on the counter, their mothers thawed on the counter, and their grandmothers thawed on the counter. More than a few of these people have died, including most of the grandmothers because I am, after all, close to 60, but of those who have died, they died of the natural causes of aging , or heart disease, or cancer, one brain aneurysm that I know of, some in vehicle or industrial accidents, and a couple of their deaths were ruled as "at the hands of another." However, NOT ONE OF THEM died from eating something thawed on the counter!

Has anyone taken into consideration how long it takes for meat being cooked in a crockpot to go from the normal refrigerated temperature of, let's say 40F for argument's sake, to 140F? I would estimate that any crockpot cooked meat sits in the so-called danger zone for at least two hours. Any estimate on how many "eating crockpotted meat" deaths there are every year? Being safe is one thing, but verminophobia is something else altogether!

[GB]

Originally Posted by Caine

I would estimate that any crockpot cooked meat sits in the so-called danger zone for at least two hours. Any estimate on how many "eating crockpotted meat" deaths there are every year?

Take a food safety course and you will learn that 2 hours in the danger zone is acceptable.

Hey Caine, what was the average lifespan 50 years ago? What is it now? Yeah i think we must have learned some things since then since people are living much longer these days. Food for thought.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Caine

I am just so tired of the self-proclaimed Food Safety Police telling me how I am going to die because I thaw frozen items on the counter instead of in the refrigerator. Everyone I have ever known thaws on the counter, their mothers thawed on the counter, and their grandmothers thawed on the counter. More than a few of these people have died, including most of the grandmothers because I am, after all, close to 60, but of those who have died, they died of the natural causes of aging , or heart disease, or cancer, one brain aneurysm that I know of, some in vehicle or industrial accidents, and a couple of their deaths were ruled as "at the hands of another." However, NOT ONE OF THEM died from eating something thawed on the counter!

Has anyone taken into consideration how long it takes for meat being cooked in a crockpot to go from the normal refrigerated temperature of, let's say 40F for argument's sake, to 140F? I would estimate that any crockpot cooked meat sits in the so-called danger zone for at least two hours. Any estimate on how many "eating crockpotted meat" deaths there are every year? Being safe is one thing, but verminophobia is something else altogether!

Your rant, while entertaining, is irrelevant. We weren't talking about thawing food on the counter.

You were advocating using a crockpot in the refrigerator! I'd bet if we could poll your anestors, NOT ONE OF THEM would have thought that was a good idea!

[elaine l]

Because I have to leave mine cooking longer than directed, I have learned that certain recipes can hold or stand the cooking while others can't.

And if we were talking about thawing meat on the counter which we are not, then I would have to admit that I do. Sometimes I just forget to think ahead.

[Caine]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Your rant, while entertaining, is irrelevant. We weren't talking about thawing food on the counter.

Placing cold meat in a crockpot and slowly bringing it to cooking temperature is the equivalent of thawing a frozen piece of meat on a counter. Unless you have taken the food out of the freezer and then gone on a mini-vacation instead of tending to it in order to ascertain when it has indeed thawed, it wouldn't spend any more time on the counter growing bacteria than it would in the crockpot growing bacteria.

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I'd bet if we could poll your anestors, NOT ONE OF THEM would have thought that was a good idea!

My mother would. She puts anything opened in the refrigerator! Have you ever tried to put refrigerated Mrs. Butterworth's on a toaster waffle?

[Katie H]

Wow! Reading this thread makes me very, very happy that ALL (We have quite a few.) our crock-pots are older models.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Caine

Placing cold meat in a crockpot and slowly bringing it to cooking temperature is the equivalent of thawing a frozen piece of meat on a counter. Unless you have taken the food out of the freezer and then gone on a mini-vacation instead of tending to it in order to ascertain when it has indeed thawed, it wouldn't spend any more time on the counter growing bacteria than it would in the crockpot growing bacteria.



My mother would. She puts anything opened in the refrigerator! Have you ever tried to put refrigerated Mrs. Butterworth's on a toaster waffle?

My original post was to take exception to your suggestion to run a crockpot in the refrigerator for what it would do to the food in the refrigerator. I am convinced it's not a smart idea.

I disagree that cold meat in a crockpot is the same as thawing frozen meat on a countertop. The cold meat in the crockpot would come to temperature much faster.

AFAIC, you can thaw on the counter, cook in a crockpot in the refrigerator or make ice cream in the oven.

As I don't think your suggestions in this thread are safe, I felt it important to comment.