(I'll start by saying I don't have a pit...so no crock pot jokes!) I cooked a pork tenderloin in the crock pot yesterday, and turned it into some great pork barbecue. I put it in containers, and left them sit on the stove to cool. This morning, I realized I forgot to put them in the refridgerator...about 12 hours. Can I assume the pork isn't safe to eat after that long unrefridgerated?
One time, I had an SEC Championship party (LSU Vs TN). I had a pretty nice spread. Red beans and rice in the crock pot, deer meat, dips, etc. Needless to say, we got completely sh*thoused and passed out leaving all of the food out. We woke up the next day and my boy started eating the backstrap medallions, and fixed him a bowl of red beans and rice and threw it in the microwave. When I asked him if he was serious, he put it to me like this: "you ever been to a Superbowl party or a wedding party that lasted 7 hours? Same thing. This sh*t's been sitting out for 10 hours or so....no difference. The only difference is you went to bed in one of the scenarios." He ate it and didn't get sick. Oh, and b/c I wouldn't touch the red beans and rice, he brought it with him to the Saints game that day to contribute to his tailgate.....also, I never got my container or my serving spoon back.
Experts say two hours between 40 and 140 degrees is the limit to guarantee freshness. But . . . Unless your house was really hot, cooked food in containers will probably be OK for a lot longer. My grandparents, who grew up without refrigeration, would leave food out all day long with just a cheesecloth over it to keep flies off. We never had any food poisoning. Many times I have eaten cold pizza for breakfast that sat out all night in the box. Finest kind.
The above comments are true. That said, it only takes getting food poisoning once to change your ways. I would not eat it. I had a mild (by comparison) case once and a severe case (4 days in a Hatian hospital) and have never taken chances since. That combined with all of the festivals I cook for, I am used to keeping food over 140 deg. If the food inspector catches you with a pot of jambalaya under 140, he can make you toss the whole thing. Next thing: Why would you use pork tenderloin in a crock pot? Crock pots are for the tougher cuts. For bbq, use pork butt or shoulder. When you cook these low and slow (ala crock pot), they are the most flavorful cuts you can get.
I agree with you Red....especially about pizza. I just threw it out there because we were talking pork. Pork seems to head that list of food that you have to be a little more careful with. I decided to throw it away, and am pissed about it. As for your question Kyle: I took the easy road. I understand that cooking slow and long will take a cheaper cut of meat and turn it into great barbecue. I came across a recipe using a tenderloin that just seemed easier......less work to do in the shredding process. There was no fat after only 6 hours in the pot. I would like to try it again using the other cut of meat you spoke of.
I bet I know the recipe you are talking about. Did it involve a soft drink in the crock pot? If you get a small butt or shoulder, instead of the tenderloin, it will fit the CP and you still get the flavor from the fat. To me, instead of taking the easy way out, you just limited your flavor. I do PB's in the CP all the time since we live in an apt now. Here is the recipe I use for pulled pork in the CP. It is good, and it is really easy. Notice how it says to use a tenderloin? Don't! Use the butt. After I stir in the sauce, I put it back in the cooker for 30-60 min, then serve. I also don't use a whole bottle of sauce, probably half that amount.
I've had a similar experience and at the time death would have been a relief. Pork and seafood are especially risky, no way I'd eat it. It may be fine 9 out of 10 times, but if you eat a bad batch one time you'll never take the risk again, believe me!
I notice a lot of the recipes have soft drinks. Ginger ale and Root beer being the most used. I added some Pennsylvania flavor and cooked it in Birch Beer.
Agreed. I have had seafood poisoning twice. The first episode was pretty bad. I haven't been back to Little Italy in Baltimore since.
