Pork safety question???

[mattygfl]

So i did a few shoulders yesterday and had a big party and one of the shoulders was left wrapped in tin foil and in the cooler from about 7 last night till about right now. Is it still good?

 

[rivet]

You'll be fine. Reheat that baby in the oven until hot - you may need to add some liquid to the container- but you're gonna be okay. I recommend the oven because you will get a more even heat distribution.

If you are not gonna reheat it right now, refrigerate it immediately.

I'm sure this is going to generate howls, but either way you are gonna be fine.

 

[the dude abides]

I don't know that I would. Sounds like a perfect environment for bacterial growth. But I live by the "better safe than sorry" rule.

 

[rickw]

It would be according to what the environment the cooler was left in that would dictate to whether or not I would use it. If the cooler was left outside in cold weather I would use it. If it was left out and the surrounding temps were above 40°, I'd scrap it.

 

[bmudd14474]

If it was wrapped in foil for 12 hours I do not know or think that it was above 140 the whole time. I would bet that it was below 140 for over 5 hours. If it was me I would toss it. I do not think it is worth the chance. Now if you checked the temp this morning and it was over 140 then your fine. Again dont think that it was above 140.

 

[pignit]

No way I would eat it. Sorry! If you left it in the cooler wrapped it was probably above 140 for about 4 to 6 hours tops.... that means it's been sitting in the danger zone for a minimum of 10 hours...
USDA suggestion for leftovers...... Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature was above 90 °F). I know we all push this at times and we are all still kickin but this is the guidline for leftovers and I would consider the shoulder a leftover.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but it sounds like that shoulder has been sitting in a cooler wrapped in foil for about 15 + hours without any kind of ice or cooling....?
I personally wouldn't eat it.

 

[mattygfl]

thanks guys... here is the deal. i did a half picnic for a buddy of mine. i told him it was in the cooler and to grab it before he left. well i guess he forgot and i found it this morning! i would NEVER leave a piece of my meat unattended like that!!! its a crime!!!

haha. well im just going to throw it in the fridge and make him come by and get it. he has a belly of steel! im sure he will be fine!

also i did my first brisket and it came out AWESOME!!!!! going to qview everything over on the beef forum on a thread i previously started. check it out in the half hour or so. should be up!

 

[pineywoods]

Stick a thermo in it if its under 140 throw it away and tell your friend that he wasted it. I don't think you'll find after that amount of time its above 140 theres no way I'd play with anyones health like that you may get away with it but what if you don't

 

[Dutch]

Matty, you would be better off just tossing that pork. One of the things that we try to stress here at SMF is PROPER food safety. If it was your pork, would you feed it to your family at the risk of making you and your sick? So why would you want to do that to a friend?

 

[k5yac]

I'm certainly not in favor of keeping that piece of meat, but a question... when we have a BBQ and we put all the food out on the table, should we start throwing stuff away after a few hours? I mean, I can think of BBQs, holidays and parties (not just my parties) where the food sits out for many hours and people are still digging in.

I know that this is just the way things are, and if given a chioce to serve fresh food, we all would (should)... but are we putting ourselves at risk but picking on that left over pulled pork that has been on the picnic table for 6 hours, or that thanksgiving bird that has been on the counter for several hours? Sounds like it. I suppose that the meats and stuff should be kept in a pan on the smoker or something to keep them at a safe temp.

 

[pignit]

Here is the suggested guidelines from the USDA
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/...sics/index.asp

I know I've gone well beyond these guidelines myself. A lot has to do with environment, ambient temp, food.... etc. but I think this is what the guys serving people for a living have to maintain or they are risking illness from spoilage. I'm a better safe than sorry kinda guy and I will stretch it a bit at times.... but not when serving others. This shoulder sat in a cooler for 16 hours without any kind of refridgeration. I pulled some butts a couple of days ago and foiled, wrapped... and I checked the temp on one at a little over 3 hours and it had gone from 195 into the cooler to 165. I'm thinkin and I wish I had checked it, that it probably stayed above 140 for about 5 to 6 hours. Could have been served and on the table for another hour and a half. That's about 8 hours tops. 16 hours is just too long to be left out and to be safe.

I have to add that I have walked away from some really good lookin eats because I've known how long it's been sittin there.

 

[pineywoods]

No we shouldn't start throwing things away but we should either keep warm things warm and cold things cold like caters do or we should put things away and bring them back out when people want more. The last thing I want to do is make a bunch of my family or guests sick. While planning the big cookout people need to plan to keep it hot or cold as needed for later

Things like these come in handy you can buy or rent them. If your around electric slow cookers or steamers may work.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/sea...pe=0&x=16&y=14

Also don't forget to keep the cold stuff cold with either ice or refrigeration

 

[bmudd14474]

As it applies to this thread would you eat food that has been sitting out on the table for 10 hours? 8 hours? Once the food drops below 140 it is in the zone where bacteria starts to grow. If its in that zone for too long then you are at risk of getting sick because of the bacteria growth. The USDA states that if food is left out it needs to be in a heater keeping it above 140. If you at a Christmas party that starts at 6 and people are still eating at 10-11 that's near your limit. Is it going to kill you probably not. But if its 6 the next day there no way I'm eating the food that was left out in the danger zone.

 

[k5yac]

I hear ya guys... I'm really just kind of playing devils advocate, but I know I've been guilty of not putting things away or reheating in a timely manner. Oh, I never serve anything that is questionable... heck, I keep things clean and even glove up when transferring foods, slicing meats, etc. But, I know of a couple of BBQs I've thrown for friends where we all get busy socializing, watching football, etc. after we eat.. .sometimes late into the evening , and after a few brewskies, that pork is looking real good to someone. In those cases, I need to remember to keep the drive through open late by keeping it hot, or put it away.

 

[mattygfl]

nope you guys are right it sat there forever. i definitley wasnt going to keep it. i have plenty of leftovers from the stuff i cooked yesterday. he definitely blew it. i think he had one too many beers and just plain forgot. anyways i threw it out. last time i will smoke anything for him!

also check out the thread linked below so you can see what I did yesterday. the brisket was SOOO GOOD!!! and my pork shoulder was delicious as always! check out the qview and also i highly recommend the brisket rub. i kinda just modified my pork rub and it was GREAT. nice little heat on it!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...850#post404850

 

[raceyb]

Looking at the time stamp for your question, it's 11 am today. So from 7 pm last night, till 11 am today is 16 hours. I can't imagine anyone telling you it would be alright.

I would personally write it up as a loss and be safe rather then fighting off food poisoning.