Crock Pot - Pot Roast

[u/ConditionOver4607]

Hi all,

Yesterday I made a Pot Roast in a Crock Pot. On high for 4-5 hours, then low for a few more. I took the Ceramic out of the base and let it cool for maybe an hour or so? Then I put the entire Ceramic (still quite warm) right into the fridge.

I am now paranoid that the roast is bad and don't know what to do. I have a large sub zero fridge, so I am wondering if I am in the clear?

TIA!

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[u/WesternWitchy52]

It'll be fine. But just a note - I stopped putting the pots into the fridge because it caused one to crack once. I'd be more concerned about the pot than the food.

I've gotten into the habit of letting food cool off about 1.5 hours because newer pots get really hot. Then I empty the food into freezer or fridge safe containers or portion for leftovers. I try and wipe the pot before going to bed too so it's not sitting overnight. But everyone is different.

[u/Andromeda921]

It’s totally fine! What on earth made you think it was bad?

There can sometimes be a problem with hot items in a fridge inadvertently affecting nearby foods’ temperature, but, there’s no reason on earth your pot roast would be in any way bad. since you’d already let it cool,there's really no concern for other items in your fridge.

[u/ConditionOver4607 → u/Andromeda921]

Anxiety! Anxiety made me think it was bad LOL

Thank you so much for your response, so appreciated!

[u/Andromeda921 → u/ConditionOver4607]

Don’t let anxiety get the better of you. It’s seldom if ever justified.

[u/analogpursuits → u/Andromeda921]

This is absolutely incorrect. Please educate yourself as to food safety.

[u/TheNinjaPixie → u/analogpursuits]

And what is your wisdom in this scenario? Cook food, cool food, refrigerate food, is the only possible way to do this.

[u/RuffledOwlet]

Yeah no, thats fine, it’s not like it was sitting in the danger zone for hours on end. There is no reason why your pot roast would be bad. Just make sure you don’t temp shock your ceramic. It can cause it to start cracking. If it was warm to the touch thats fine but if it was hot you need to be careful with that.

[u/Frequent_Opportunist]

Next time remove the food from the thick ceramic base and put it in a smaller tupperware with the lid off in the refrigerator for a good 30 minutes to help it cool down quickly then replace the lid.

[u/Techienickie]

Putting it on low after being on high for 4-5 hours is pointless, both setting are at the same temperature

According to official guidelines from Crock-Pot, both the High and Low settings stabilize at the same final temperature (around 209°F / 98°C).

• Low Setting: Takes 7 to 8 hours to reach the simmer point. • High Setting: Takes 3 to 4 hours to reach the simmer point.

So you're just drying out your roast doing it that way.

[u/Im_Ashe_Man]

I do this every time I use the crock pot and I've never gotten sick.

[u/TeddyNachos]

You're probably fine, but I wouldn't do it that way again. Remove food from the crock pot to a wide, shallow baking dish and cool that way. More surface area will allow it to cool more quickly and safely.

[u/po_ta_to]

You aren't supposed to put hot things in the fridge. The hot thing will be fine. The problem is the hot thing can make a warm spot in your fridge. Then the stuff near the hot thing will warm up a bit before your fridge is able to get everything down to temp.

I never put a hot crock in the fridge, but I sometimes put a slightly warm one in. I just make sure it isn't near the milk.

If I want to do things right, I take it out of the crock and put it in my individual serving size leftover dishes. Smaller dishes cool faster, and the heat in the crock is gone so it's more fasterer. Then everything will be cooler before it makes it to the fridge.

[u/analogpursuits]

Please look up and thoroughly read the information by doing a simple Google search on "cooling a pot roast in the ceramic crock pot in the fridge". This method of cooling is not safe for a couple reasons. The ceramic and/or glazing can crack from temperature shock. Both render the ceramic unusable. The food will also sit in the danger zone of 40° to 140°F for too long, spawning bacterial growth, and can make you sick.

Anyone telling you it is perfectly fine didn't take a food safety course. Please educate yourself on food safety.

Edit: so the science is incorrect then? My gawd, what a time to be alive. Take a food safety class and come back and tell me this is safe. Jeezuz people.