Crockpot Cooking

[natalie]

I put hamburger in the crockpot on high at 9:30 p.m. and forgot about it until 2:30 a.m. I was too tired to wait for it to cool off enough to put in the frig, so I just set the crockpot on warm. I remembered it at 7:30 a.m.

 

Is it safe to eat it after being out so long? Is the warm setting warm enough?

 

[i don't know if it makes a difference, but I broke it up into small pieces at 2:30, and it was steaming when I stirred it this morning at 7:30.]

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would eat or use it in a recipe.

[Parrothead]

If it isnt' dried to the consistency of shoe leather, I'd use it for something edible.

[Perry]

It should be safe. Since you cooked it on high, all microorganisms should have been destroyed. The danger zone is less than 140 degrees, and I think the warm setting on a slow cooker is at least that high and probably more like 170. It's really unlikely that your meat ever got below 140 so it should be safe.