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Cooling Before Refrigerating
Jonathan asks: After you cook red beans, seafood gumbo, or chicken-andouille gumbo, should you let the leftovers cool to room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator? And is there any difference as to how you care for the two abovementioned gumbos when having leftovers? Tom sez: Not to room temperature, no. The main reason you let potfuls of food cool before putting them in the refrigerator is to prevent the refrigerator from warming up, and thereby affecting other perishables in there. However, most modern refrigerators cool things so quickly that it's not a problem, unless it's a very large pot of very hot stuff. For food safety, let it cool to no lower than 14o degrees before getting it into the reefer. Reheating chicken-andouille gumbo is just a matter of putting it back on the stove (or in the microwave oven). For seafood gumbo, that would take a toll on the shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters in it. I like to keep all the seafood out until right before I serve it, even the first time around. (The shrimp should be pre-cooked.) I certainly wouldn't let it sit in the gumbo in the refrigerator, where it will become like unto mush. Revised 3/10/08 Copyright © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. |
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