Should you put your leftovers in the fridge before or after they have cooled down?

[Orang Utan]

I'm paranoid about food poisoning and worked in big kitchens where it was the rule to refrigerate stuff while still warm, but others seem to disagree.

 

[Athos]

Definitely not until it's cool.

 

[B.I.G]

I'm paranoid about food poisoning and worked in big kitchens where it was the rule to refrigerate stuff while still warm, but others seem to disagree.

While its warm if the fridge isnt rubbish.

 

[Orang Utan]

Definitely not until it's cool.

Why not?

 

[Orang Utan]

Internet seems to think that it's best to put it straight in the fridge but only in small or shallow dishes.
Can You Store Hot Food In The Fridge Right Away?

 

[weepiper]

Cool it to at least lukewarm or it'll raise the temperature of the fridge which risks all the other food in there too.

 

[Manter]

Cool it to at least lukewarm or it'll raise the temperature of the fridge which risks all the other food in there too.

New fridges adjust- some of the older ones you can 'turbo' for a bit too. I think the advice is from the sort of fridges we all had a few years ago

 

[weepiper]

New fridges adjust- some of the older ones you can 'turbo' for a bit too. I think the advice is from the sort of fridges we all had a few years ago

I've always had tiny, shit fridges (private rental... ) so err on the side of caution. With a big expensive fridge it probably doesn't matter so much.

 

[Athos]

Why not?

It warms the fridge up.

 

[CrabbedOne]

I've always felt it's more sporting to at least let the cockroaches get within snatching distance.

 

[Orang Utan]

It warms the fridge up.

Not if you store them in leftover containers

 

[Athos]

Not if you store them in leftover containers

How so?

 

[Orang Utan]

How so?

They're shallow enough.

 

[wayward bob]

but the heat has to go somewhere...

 

[Orang Utan]

but the heat has to go somewhere...

It cools down. That's what fridges do.

 

[Orang Utan]

Is it OK to Put Hot Food in the Refrigerator? | StillTasty.com - Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

 

[wayward bob]

It cools down. That's what fridges do.

a container being shallow has nothing to do with the amount it will raise the heat inside the fridge.

 

[Athos]

They're shallow enough.

That's about how quickly the food cools, rather than whether it warms the fridge.

I wouldn't do it.

 

[wayward bob]

New fridges adjust- some of the older ones you can 'turbo' for a bit too. I think the advice is from the sort of fridges we all had a few years ago

our fridge is 17 years old. do many people have state of the art fridges?

 

[Orang Utan]

a container being shallow has nothing to do with the amount it will raise the heat inside the fridge.

It will chill quicker in a shallow dish. The fridge is cool enough not for the temperature to be raised. If it was in a massive casserole, it would take ages to cool and might raise the internal temperature of the fridge.

 

[Orang Utan]

That's about how quickly the food cools, rather than whether it warms the fridge.

I wouldn't do it.

Is nobody reading the links I posted?

 

[wayward bob]

It will chill quicker in a shallow dish. The fridge is cool enough not for the temperature to be raised. If it was in a massive casserole, it would take ages to cool and might raise the internal temperature of the fridge.

for a *given quantity* of food it will still put the same amount of heat into the fridge, just at a different rate.

 

[wayward bob]

Is nobody reading the links I posted?

i did. i don't find it convincing as support for your position

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Just boil the shit out of everything before eating.

You don't even need a fridge.

 

[B.I.G]

Is nobody reading the links I posted?

You mean is anyone questioning their own opinions, No

 

[Orang Utan]

You definitely need to put rice in the fridge before you cool it down if you bother to reuse leftover rice.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

You definitely need to put rice in the fridge before you cool it down if you bother to reuse leftover rice.

Nah - this is also bollocks. I live with some guys from India and they make a batch of rice everyday and just leave it in the rice cooker until it's been eaten. No fridging at all and they seem to get up alive every morning.

They also cook all manner of curries and leave them in the pot on the cooker until it's all been eaten. This can take a few days sometimes.

 

[Orang Utan]

Nah - this is also bollocks. I live with some guys from India and they make a batch of rice everyday and just leave it in the rice cooker until it's been eaten. No fridging at all and they seem to get up alive every morning.

They also cook all manner of curries and leave them in the pot on the cooker until it's all been eaten. This can take a few days sometimes.

Safe cooling of cooked rice

 

[Thimble Queen]

Nah - this is also bollocks. I live with some guys from India and they make a batch of rice everyday and just leave it in the rice cooker until it's been eaten. No fridging at all and they seem to get up alive every morning.

They also cook all manner of curries and leave them in the pot on the cooker until it's all been eaten. This can take a few days sometimes.

Yeah at home my mum never put rice in the fridge. It was always just left in the aucepan with the lid on and usually eaten by the next day. I, mostly, do the same unless I need to use that pot again in the mean time. Curries would go in the fridge though.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I usually let food cool down to room temp before refrigerating but that's more to do with not wanting to raise the temp of the fridge rather than for any food hygiene reason. I honestly think people are are way too fucked up about this kind of shit. I'm sure there are more people in the world who don't have fridges than who do and im also sure they generally eat leftovers just fine.

My advice to you Orang Utan would be do whatever is convenient at the time and don't worry about it.

Having said all this, if I was feeding a frail elderly person or a child, I would probably be more careful with food hygiene.