# Help is it safe



## mstrmike (Feb 27, 2011)

I smoked three 8lb. pork butts yesterday. Gave o e to my son in a lunch box cooler wrapped in foil at 200 deg. when he took it home. He forgot to put it in the refrigerator until this morning 10 hrs. later. Not very hot, he has no thermometer. Should he throw it out ??


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## desertlites (Feb 27, 2011)

Wrapped in foil and coolered for10 hours .I would have no problem at all eating that pork.I have let them sit longer than that before.


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## uncle_lar (Feb 27, 2011)

if there is any doubt that it has been below 140* for any lenght of time throw it out there is no sense  making a trip to the ER over a 20 dollar piece of meat. Better safe than  sorry


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## mstrmike (Feb 27, 2011)

So Im wondering if He reheats to above 140 is it safe ?


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## wesb (Feb 27, 2011)

uncle_lar said:


> if there is any doubt that it has been below 140* for any lenght of time throw it out there is no sense  making a trip to the ER over a 20 dollar piece of meat. Better safe than  sorry




 below 140 for ANY length of time?? Is that bite of pork at 140 degrees when it goes in your mouth?? some like it hot i guess, but i thought the rule was below 140 for four hours. might have to check the USDA website to be sure. this 40 140 "danger zone" talk wears me out. some say two hours, some say four hours, some say only applies to poultry. blah blah blah    i bet the whole thing didnt hit 140 in four hours on the smoker, would you throw it out and start over???


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## SmokinAl (Feb 28, 2011)

If it was me, I wouldn't throw it out. But I wouldn't give you the same advice, not knowing how long it was below 140. Generally speaking they would stay above 140 for 10 hours in a well insulated cooler wrapped in towels.


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## eman (Jun 19, 2011)

WesB said:


> below 140 for ANY length of time?? Is that bite of pork at 140 degrees when it goes in your mouth?? some like it hot i guess, but i thought the rule was below 140 for four hours. might have to check the USDA website to be sure. this 40 140 "danger zone" talk wears me out. some say two hours, some say four hours, some say only applies to poultry. blah blah blah    i bet the whole thing didnt hit 140 in four hours on the smoker, would you throw it out and start over???


If  i had a piece of meat that didn't hit the 140 mark in 4 hrs, yes i probably would throw it out. Sorry if the danger zone talk wears you out . If ya don't like it don't read it.

 That is what is recomended by the USDA so that is what we try to teach. What you do for your friends and family is your buisiness.

 The Whole thing as you say ,refers to meat that has been penetrated either by injection or a thermo probe.

 If the muscle is intact then only the outer 1/2" must reach 140°./ 4 hrs. There are certain meats that i smoke that never reach 140° but i am taking that risk. Not telling anyone else to do so.


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## rowdyrawhide (Jun 19, 2011)

I wouldn't throw it out, reheat to 180 or 190 in the oven or smoker if you want.  Pork is probably one of the safest meats there is.  just my two cents


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## alblancher (Jun 19, 2011)

Shouldn't be a problem,  the pork was fully cooked to 200 then placed in an ice chest for 10 hours.  Sounds like its about ready to eat to me.  If its half as hot where you live as it is here it probably wasn't below safe temp long enough to have a problem.  If you where serving to the public or an at risk group you should justifiably have a concern but I routinely leave cooked butts in an ice chest for 8 hours and their temps are just fine when I am ready for them.  Fall apart tender too.  Don't know the final temps so can't say for sure but I think you are pretty safe.  He did say it was still warm when he removed it form the ice chest.


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