# Rookie Mistake



## gnarlyman (Oct 10, 2022)

I just bought a Traeger and attempted my first pork butt for pulled pork. It was 4 lbs so I thought I could get it done. Unfortunately it only got to 166before bedtime(I had to get up at 4:30 for work). I pulled it out, wrapped it in foil and left it on the counter overnight.

So here’s my question: can it still be eaten or do I have to throw it out? Is there any way to salvage it and if so, how?


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## TNJAKE (Oct 10, 2022)

I would NEVER eat food that was left outside of refrigeration overnight. Sorry to say bud, but you should throw that out for food safety concerns


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## SmokingUPnorth (Oct 10, 2022)

I agree with tj. Next time you could throw it in the oven just to finish cooking it.


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## Fueling Around (Oct 10, 2022)

I agree to toss it
Next time put in a foil pan cover with foil and put in a 200 degree oven overnight


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## gnarlyman (Oct 10, 2022)

Thanks for the responses.


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## dr k (Oct 10, 2022)

Seems like this senario is like these two pinned threads in food safety. Its safe to eat at145 but hit 166 and quickly rapped when hot with the outside closer to the temp of the smoker. Plus it needs to continue to cook to 203. If the meat was sugared and salted and intact, then continue to cook it. How long was it wrapped and out before in the fridge?






						My Smoker Died! Is my Meat Safe?
					

My Smoker is fine but if I had a Dollar for everytime i answered this type of post. I'd be smoking on a $20,000 Kalamazoo! Bottom line...If the meat is INTACT Bacteria on the surface is DEAD, HISTORY, KAPUT IN 30 to 60 MINUTES OR LESS AT 225°F!!! As soon as the surface gets to 140 or higher, the...




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						Holding Meat and other Foods above 140°F (60°C)
					

The question of keeping meat hot for X number of Hours comes up frequently. They get a variety of answers like " 5 to 6 hours, wrapped in a Cooler and it will still be Hot.." Or, " Put it in the Oven on Low, 150 to 170°F, and you'll be fine..." And at least one member that has been here and...




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## gnarlyman (Oct 10, 2022)

dr k said:


> Seems like this senario is like these two pinned threads in food safety. Its safe to eat at145 but hit 166 and quickly rapped when hot with the outside closer to the temp of the smoker. Plus it needs to continue to cook to 203. If the meat was sugared and salted and intact, then continue to cook it. How long was it wrapped and out before in the fridge?
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> ...


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## TNJAKE (Oct 10, 2022)

dr k said:


> Seems like this senario is like these two pinned threads in food safety. Its safe to eat at145 but hit 166 and quickly rapped when hot with the outside closer to the temp of the smoker. Plus it needs to continue to cook to 203. If the meat was sugared and salted and intact, then continue to cook it. How long was it wrapped and out before in the fridge?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OP said he left it on the counter overnight wrapped in foil


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## SmokinAl (Oct 10, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> OP said he left it on the counter overnight wrapped in foil


I guess if his house is 40 degrees inside, then I would eat it. If not, I wouldn’t touch it. I bet JJ is looking down here at this one!
Al


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## TNJAKE (Oct 10, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> I guess if his house is 40 degrees inside, then I would eat it. If not, I wouldn’t touch it. I bet JJ is looking down here at this one!
> Al


Lol yep


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## gnarlyman (Oct 10, 2022)

SmokingUPnorth said:


> I agree with tj. Next time you could throw it in the oven just to finish cooking it.


If I put it back on the smoker and brought it up to 200, wouldn’t that kill any bacteria that managed to make it through the wrap?


TNJAKE said:


> I would NEVER eat food that was left outside of refrigeration overnight. Sorry to say bud, but you should throw that out for food safety


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## SmokinAl (Oct 10, 2022)

Sir, if you want to take a chance at food poisoning, then eat it. But if it were me or any one of the folks that have commented on this you would be smart & throw it out. A visit to the emergency room is going to be a bit more costly than a butt.
Al


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## TNJAKE (Oct 10, 2022)

gnarlyman said:


> If I put it back on the smoker and brought it up to 200, wouldn’t that kill any bacteria that managed to make it through the wrap?


No that won't make it safe. The longest you can leave cooked food outside of the refrigerator at room tem is 2 hours. After that heat resistant bacteria like staphylococcus aureus and others start multiplying rapidly. So overnight on the counter is a breeding ground for getting someone sick or worse


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## gnarlyman (Oct 10, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> No that won't make it safe. The longest you can leave cooked food outside of the refrigerator at room tem is 2 hours. After that heat resistant bacteria like staphylococcus aureus and others start multiplying rapidly. So overnight on the counter is a breeding ground for getting someone sick or worse


Thank you for your well worded response. I really appreciate it.


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## TNJAKE (Oct 10, 2022)

gnarlyman said:


> Thank you for your well worded response. I really appreciate it.


Yes sir. We take food safety pretty serious around here so you came to the right place to ask. Welcome to the forum and hope you'll stick around


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## dr k (Oct 10, 2022)

After wrapped when super hot, left out hours and put in the fridge at 330 am before work and still needs to cook to 203 after work to get tender since it got to 166 should be fine. All foodbourne pathogens are gone forever and needs poop smeared on the roast to recontaminate. The three spore formers clostridium botulinum, clostridium perfringens and bacillus cereus that produce a toxin and need to go from a spore to a vegetative growing bacteria state to produce the toxin didn't have enough time to be anaerobic in the foil plus botulinum neurotoxin is a protein and is denatured by heat 20 min at 176 or 5min at 185. The only thing left are spoilage pathogens:  bacteria, yeast, .molds and fungus and the sugared and salt crusted surface inhibit growth so unlike raw meat with high water activity, neutral ph, room temp, time, etc will grow pathogens quickly under perfect variables and will slow or stop altogether when one or more variables change from perfect. Not enough time if from hours cooling in foil, then in fridge before work then continue to pasteurize or sterilize to 203 after work. That's why I posted chef JJ pinned food safety posts above. We don't have all the info in hours out, hours in fridge. It needs to continue to cook. Those pinned threads in food safety forum show there's not enough time to recontaminate and grow pathogens. The roast was pasteurized and if put in the fridge before work needs to continue to cook. Read all the pinned food safety threads.


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## Retired Spook (Oct 10, 2022)

In the past 2-months I have gotten sick from eating perfectly cooked pork shoulder from HEB that was WELL within the use or freeze by date, twice (I think they are getting lazy/cheap with handling/refrigeration), so I no longer take any chances whatsoever and only buy pork when I plan to cook it the same day or next day, and I make damned sure the use or freeze by date far exceeds the purchase date, or I do not buy it.

I would never take a chance with any pork that I even suspected might not be cooked through.

Just my opinion.


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## BigW. (Oct 10, 2022)

You can cook it hotter for quicker finish and it will not hurt the taste.  Do you have an extra therm (not Traeger) checking chamber temp?


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