Left raw chicken out--still good?

[FairyRae]

Ahhhhh! I left a package of raw, organic, free range (not sure it matters) chicken out for a/b 3 or 4 hours after buying it today. It was not frozen, just in a cooler b/4 I purchased it, and was sitting on my kitchen table.

Is it still good to eat?? Should I try to use it up more quickly than I usually would?

TIA for any advice!

[Storm Bride]

You'll probably have a variety of responses. I'm on the casual end of this kind of thing, and have frequently left chicken out for several hours before getting it in the fridge or freezer. If it doesn't smell off, I don't worry about it. Mind you, my house is also no that hot most of the time, which makes a difference.

[cschick]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Ahhhhh! I left a package of raw, organic, free range (not sure it matters) chicken out for a/b 3 or 4 hours after buying it today. It was not frozen, just in a cooler b/4 I purchased it, and was sitting on my kitchen table.

Is it still good to eat?? Should I try to use it up more quickly than I usually would?

TIA for any advice!

As long as it smelled ok, I would wash it in cool water, and then cook it immediately by first pan-browning it and then cooking however. (Probably, I'd pan-brown it, then dump in some chicken broth and cook it through.) Other option: put under the broiler. Then put it away in the fridge and try to use it up over the next week. Or, slice it and freeze it.

You want to cook the outside hot and fast because that's where the bacteria starts to grow in cases of non-ground meat.

[ASusan]

We, too, are on the casual end. We would rinse it well with water and then with lemon juice or vinegar.

[mamadelbosque]

I'd eat it. I'd make doubly sure it was cooked all the way through, but I'd eat it nonethe less. So long as it didn't smell bad

[Jenn_M]

I would use it. Just maybe cook it today instead of waiting.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by Jenn_M

I would use it. Just maybe cook it today instead of waiting.

:

I'd be cookin' that immediately!!!

[pumpkinhead]

For a couple of hours, I wouldn't worry at all. If it had been overnight (more than 12 hours) I'd toss it. I'd be sure to cook it well, but I'm sure to cook all chicken well . I say eat it!

[artgoddess]

Originally Posted by Jenn_M

I would use it. Just maybe cook it today instead of waiting.

me too

[Talula Fairie]

4 hours isn't that bad. It's probably close to the max range for food safety limits, or just past the range, but I would probably still cook it.

That said, the whole "if it doesn't smell off" rule is a big myth. I have given myself food poisoning from foods that smelled, tasted, and looked FINE. Most "stomach flus" are actually food poisoning without people realizing it. If you think about how many people a year get food poisoning, it seems logical that at least some or most of those people ate food that seemed fine, since not very many of us are willing to eat something that smells or tastes off.

Personally, I am pretty conservative about this stuff because it's just not worth it to me, I hate vomiting above all else. Plus I'm pregnant with HG anyway, so I don't need help to feel more queasy!

[treemom2]

We used to have a 2 hour drive to the nearest natural grocery so often our meats had to sit for at least 3 hours in the car on the way home. I've accidentally left things out for hours. If it smelled okay I definitely wouldn't throw it away. . .wouldn't eat it raw (not that you would with chicken, but I've left out sushi fish before and had to cook it before eating it). I'd probably cook it the next day or that night if I didn't have other plans for dinner.

[FairyRae]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'll cook it right now, as I totally forgot about it since posting yesterday! I'm pretty sure it was out for about 3 hours and not four...

I'll keep you all posted on how we feel after eating it, when we do!

Thanks again!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

That said, the whole "if it doesn't smell off" rule is a big myth.

It's not a "myth", because that implies that we're saying "if it doesn't smell off, then it's safe". I'm not saying that. This is just a different guideline, and one that works well for me, personally.

I have given myself food poisoning from foods that smelled, tasted, and looked FINE. Most "stomach flus" are actually food poisoning without people realizing it.

It is very, very unlikely that I've ever had food poisoning. I've had stomach bugs (not flus) a very few times, and none of them seem likely to have been food poisoning. (For example, about a month ago, my whole family, except ds2, had a stomach bug - dd had symptoms on Saturday, ds1 on Monday night, and dh and I both on Tuesday night...I really doubt it was anything we ate, yk?)

I'm aware that there's no science behind the "if it doesn't smell off" thing. It just works for me. It also works for my sister, mom and several other people I know. We break all kinds of food safety rules, and simply don't have trouble. Maybe some people are naturally more susceptible, I don't know...but I use that rule because it works, not because I've ever heard that it's a safe/valid approach.