I've just got the roast out and we are having it cold tomorrow. What's the best way to cool it? It's a huge size 20 with a delicious onion, lime, orange, coconut, cashew nut, coconut cream and coriander stuffing.
petal1955,
Dec 25, 12:55am
Covered on the bench. /then chill
wasala,
Dec 25, 1:05am
Thank you. Do you know how long I should leave it before chilling? I guess it will probably still have a hot centre.
gaspodetwd,
Dec 25, 2:14am
I'm debating the same. I've got a stuffed turkey breast cooling.
wasala,
Dec 25, 2:24am
Mine came out at 1.45 so I'm thinking I'll leave it until 3.45 then refrigerate it.
sue1955,
Dec 25, 3:18am
I cover mine with a food umbrella & turn on a small fan next to it. When it's cool enough, cover it with glad wrap & into the fridge.
leeran,
Dec 25, 3:22am
I cool mine quickly using a little electric fan too.
awoftam,
Dec 25, 8:22am
THAT is the funniest thing I have read for ages. the imagery is right there in my head. thank you.
sampa,
Dec 25, 8:34am
Funny but true. been into a sushi place where they had a fan cooling the rice. Why not? Makes good sense. Agreed though. sounds funny.
uli,
Dec 25, 8:49am
Cover and fridge at any time. If it is still hot all that happens is that you have a few cents more to pay for your electricity. If you are worried about "safe" then out of the oven and into the fridge.
Personally I am not worried about "safe" - so mine would sit in the laundry (coolest place) for days until I have space in the fridge. Not recommended if you want to be "safe" though :)
thewomble1,
Dec 25, 9:03am
I think chilling chicken ruins the flavour. Leave it covered on the bench and eat at room temperature.
wasala,
Dec 25, 8:39pm
What on earth are you on about Uli? That's a very bizarre post. You appear to be saying that you often leave cooked chicken lying around for days outside the fridge. If you don't worry about food safety you clearly don't care if you, or anyone dining with you gets food poisoning. I'm glad I'm not coming to your place for Christmas dinner!
uli,
Dec 25, 9:03pm
I am glad too wasala :)
Yes I often have roast duck or chicken outside the fridge for a day or two. No-one ever got any problems with it . might be because they are my own :) not the campo chooks from the supermarket.
That is why I added: "Not recommended if you want to be "safe" though. "
So go and fridge it the minute it leaves the oven and pay 30 cents more in electricity while the fridge cools it down. Safe as aye?
wasala,
Dec 25, 11:59pm
Sounds like you've been lucky so far.
uli,
Dec 26, 5:23am
Yes i am lucky not to have to buy the campo chooks from the supermarket. That is where the problems start in my opinion.
I am also lucky in that I always cook my fowl from frozen, so no contamination anywhere. Or was that foresight?
awoftam,
Dec 26, 8:49am
You kill and then freeze and then cook? Interesting.
Mistake #5: Letting food cool before putting it in the fridge
Why: Illness-causing bacteria can grow in perishable foods within two hours unless you refrigerate them
Solution: Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature is over 90˚F.
wasala,
Dec 26, 8:29pm
Thanks Lythande. Its a done deal now and the bird was devoured yesterday but that's the sort of sensible advice I was looking for!
uli,
Dec 27, 5:30am
No - I kill, pluck, gut, clean and then cool in the fridge for 3 days, then freeze, then cook from frozen. That might be even more "interesting"?
awoftam,
Dec 27, 5:51am
No need to be defensive, Uli, I was asking out of genuine curiosity. I find your methods very interesting as they are often very different to what I was taught. You are obviously a well versed and skilled cook and I will learn what I can from who I can. I have also never raised and killed my own meat (no opportunity) so was curious. Cheers.
gaspodetwd,
Dec 27, 6:31am
I know chefs never put hot food into a fridge. Why? Because it raises the temp of the chiller and puts all foods in there at risk of growing bacteria. Hence cooling on the bench first. I'm very surprised to see that in the food safety advice.
wasala,
Dec 27, 7:04am
Well, I have to say that this is what I was thinking of when I first asked the question but whatever you do, you wouldn't really leave cooked chook in your laundry for days - surely? Why and how could the fact that you raised it yourself and froze it first make that any safer?
uli,
Dec 27, 8:01am
Haha I am rarely defensive LOL I just wanted to tell you exactly how it works here. If you do not defrost, but put the frozen bird into the roaster straight away then anything that might have contaminated the bird is well cooked and dead by the time you eat it. There is no cross contamination from boards, or thawing plates or sponges etc which wiped up spills etc. pretty safe thing in my eyes and never failed me so far.
lythande1,
Dec 27, 7:14pm
Not by much, modern fridges cope with that and adjust.
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