There are many safety precautions that must be adhered to in commercial kitchens that should be taught in every home, such as temperature control and avoiding cross contaminations. Cooked meats should not stay unrefrigerated for more than one to two hours before you start to risk bacteria and possible food poisoning. It is a well known kitchen mantra to keep hot foods hot and cold food cold.
A few good tips for maintaining food safety standards in the kitchen are: Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the ambient temperature is above 90 degrees F). Put food in shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for quick cooling. Use most cooked leftovers within three to four days. Avoid storing cooked and uncooked meats on the same shelf, never store meats or fish in the same containers and wipe down all surfaces with a disinfectant after handling any raw meats or fish. Cross contamination with raw meat happens quite often and usually creates a lasting impression in regards to maintaining food safety in your kitchen at home.
Meat that is cooked on the bone and then served on the bone is an example of an exception to this particular rule of thumb. The temperature variant with bones cause further concerns for leaving leftovers out at room temperature. I make it a personal rule to always store the leftovers of poultry and game birds immediately in shallow containers after the meal is finished. I remove all bones with the exceptions of the leg and thigh and store those in freezer bags in the freezer immediately. This minimizes the possibility of bacteria growth and maximizes freshness and taste retention of the meat.
Be careful, your best recipe can turn into a recipe for disaster if proper food safety standards are ignored.
A few good tips for maintaining food safety standards in the kitchen are: Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the ambient temperature is above 90 degrees F). Put food in shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for quick cooling. Use most cooked leftovers within three to four days. Avoid storing cooked and uncooked meats on the same shelf, never store meats or fish in the same containers and wipe down all surfaces with a disinfectant after handling any raw meats or fish. Cross contamination with raw meat happens quite often and usually creates a lasting impression in regards to maintaining food safety in your kitchen at home.
Meat that is cooked on the bone and then served on the bone is an example of an exception to this particular rule of thumb. The temperature variant with bones cause further concerns for leaving leftovers out at room temperature. I make it a personal rule to always store the leftovers of poultry and game birds immediately in shallow containers after the meal is finished. I remove all bones with the exceptions of the leg and thigh and store those in freezer bags in the freezer immediately. This minimizes the possibility of bacteria growth and maximizes freshness and taste retention of the meat.
Be careful, your best recipe can turn into a recipe for disaster if proper food safety standards are ignored.
