Is an 8# pork butt left in the slow cooker on warm, not low for 9+ hours safe to continue cooking? We thought it was set to low but were wrong.

Debra Kroon
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4 Comments

nutcakes September 8, 2014
Sorry for the late answer, but I must warn against eating this. Warm is only mean to maintain the temperature of already cooked hot food. This would not be safe to serve. The Warm setting would likely not be hot enough to heat such a large piece of meat quick enough to prevent bacteria growth. It would have been in the danger zone for hours even if it eventually came above 140F. Heating later would not kill toxins produced by the bacteria as waste product. Also, it is only advisable to use a holding temperature of Warm for 2 hours or so.

Sometimes I eat things myself that are not technically safe, although I feel it is okay. I would not eat this, it is too risky. I would never take it upon myself to feed unsafely handled food to other people, especially without warning.

http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/slow-cooker-questions4.htm
 
Peggasus September 8, 2014
I made an 8# butt overnight Friday on low, because it was my turn to host the tailgate Saturday. I know how my inexpensive, newer Rival works: warm=low, low=high, high=boiling. At least compared to my '70s one piece, I much prefer that one, but it wasn't big enough. I fed twenty people, all still living. It was plenty hot when I removed it.
 
FoodIsLove September 7, 2014
Sorry, the image doesn't help as it's too small. The point is, food becomes quickly unsafe under 140 degrees F and above 40 degrees F. You are in the "unsafe" food zone. If is was me, and my roast sat at a temperature in the unsafe zone for 9 hours, I'd throw it away.
 
FoodIsLove September 7, 2014
Here's a chart that may help you. I would say given your description, that the meat was in the unsafe zone for too long to eat.
 
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