# Chicken , chicken bones left overnight on counter



## Nolathyme (Jul 14, 2015)

We left the chicken and chicken bones in a pot overnight on the counter- 15 hours -in a house that was 70 degrees. We were planning on making soup with it. Is it ok to use to make soup today?


----------



## Passepartout (Jul 14, 2015)

I would think that if it smells OK, and will be boiled/simmered for a couple hours. It should be fine. If it smells 'off', pitch the chicken. I mean, what are you out for a rotisserie chicken, $5?

Jim


----------



## taterhed (Jul 14, 2015)

if it was room temp when it went in....I wouldn't
was it covered?


----------



## vacationhopeful (Jul 14, 2015)

Real question is .... is it worth the RISK? I can buy a cooked chicken for under $7.00 ... I could get sick as a dog (along with other family members eating BAD/SPOILEL/Food poisoning level sick by eating the countertop chicken.

I would NOT eat it ....


----------



## geekette (Jul 14, 2015)

No way, I wouldn't risk it.  Food poisoning is completely preventable.  

If I don't get elec back at home sometime today I'll be looking at tossing a fridgeful but better than spending the evening lying on the bathroom floor.  

These is nothing delicious enough you can make with that chicken that is worth chance of misery for you and yours.


----------



## sue1947 (Jul 14, 2015)

I'd also dump it.  I understand the idea of not wanting to waste; I'm about as thrifty as it gets, but it just isn't worth the risk.  You can't tell by smell.   15 hours at 70 degrees is too long and too warm even for boiling it later.   Food poisoning isn't fun; dump it.

Sue


----------



## Elan (Jul 14, 2015)

Just drink a lot before you eat it, so that if you get violently ill, you'll not know whether it was the chicken or the booze.


----------



## Chrispee (Jul 14, 2015)

Not even close for me, 15 hours is way to long for chicken to sit out at room temp.


----------



## b2bailey (Jul 14, 2015)

I understand both points of view on this one. My belief was that boiling for 15 minutes would get rid of any potential danger. Am I wrong on that?


----------



## falmouth3 (Jul 14, 2015)

You will be able to kill the bacteria with 15 minutes of boiling, but apparently there are different types of toxins, some destroyed by heat, others not.

Dump it.


----------



## csxjohn (Jul 14, 2015)

In this case I would dump it.

According to my kids I'm the king of eating old and outdated food.  We were in Daytona last week and bought pizza on Wed for supper.  There was a piece left when we headed to the airport on Sat.  Because it was out of the fridge for 3 hours my daughter freaked when I wanted to split it with one of her kids.

I've had pizza that was left out much longer than that and this had no meat.  We used to take sandwiches and such in our school lunches and to work that was out many hours before they were eaten.  

I'm also not afraid to eat canned and packaged food past their date stamps but I'll think twice if it's over two years past the dates.

I think many people are way too skittish about such things these days but in this case even I would toss it.


----------



## bnoble (Jul 14, 2015)

Dump it.  It's not just the bacteria, but the toxins the produce that get you.  Those aren't removed by cooking.


----------



## Ken555 (Jul 14, 2015)

Elan said:


> Just drink a lot before you eat it, so that if you get violently ill, you'll not know whether it was the chicken or the booze.




Best answer of the day 


Sent from my iPad


----------



## MULTIZ321 (Jul 14, 2015)

My Gramma always told me -"When in doubt, throw it out!"


Richard


----------



## dominidude (Jul 15, 2015)

I cannot think of a better way to build up immunity to Listeria and save $5 simultaneously   than to eat that chicken


----------



## dioxide45 (Jul 15, 2015)

swj said:


> We left the chicken and chicken bones in a pot overnight on the counter- 15 hours -in a house that was 70 degrees. We were planning on making soup with it. Is it ok to use to make soup today?



No soup for you...


----------



## GrayFal (Jul 15, 2015)

dioxide45 said:


> No soup for you...



A classic! :hysterical:


Don't eat it, throw it out.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Jul 15, 2015)

I too say "out with it" . . . chicken especially.


----------



## DEScottzz (Jul 15, 2015)

I have to admit, I would have said boiling the bones for a couple more hours in the process of making soup would be perfectly safe.

A quick google search told me otherwise. Here's a link that talks about the protein toxins that the bacteria emit:

http://cooking.stackexchange.com/qu...-meat-which-has-been-left-out-and-then-cooked

So once again, I learned something from TUG.


----------



## Passepartout (Jul 15, 2015)

DEScottzz said:


> I have to admit, I would have said boiling the bones for a couple more hours in the process of making soup would be perfectly safe.
> 
> A quick google search told me otherwise. Here's a link that talks about the protein toxins that the bacteria emit:
> 
> ...



What he said. ^^^ I'm convinced. It might be OK, but the risk isn't worth the cost savings. Buy another chicken and start over. I'll be re examining my 'use of leftovers' practices. Even though chicken would never be left out overnight at my house.


----------



## MabelP (Jul 15, 2015)

My RD daughter-in-law says throw it away.


----------



## SueDonJ (Jul 15, 2015)

In our house we would yell, "OH NO, A GRAY SMOKED SHOULDER" and we'd both run away from it!

Years ago we had an epic blowout over a smoked shoulder that was gray when it defrosted.  Don insisted that his mother would cook it and it would be fine; I insisted that my mother loved us too much to poison us with bad food.  

I boiled the hell out of it for six hours, stunk out the house, and told him he was free to eat it but could join me and the kids for burgers if he'd like.  We all ate burgers.    A picture of that disgusting cooked smoked shoulder stayed on the fridge for years, a reminder that the stupidest things can cause the stupidest arguments.


----------



## joewillie12 (Jul 15, 2015)

No further word from swj?? hmmm


----------



## jaym (Jul 15, 2015)

csxjohn said:


> In this case I would dump it.
> 
> According to my kids I'm the king of eating old and outdated food.  We were in Daytona last week and bought pizza on Wed for supper.  There was a piece left when we headed to the airport on Sat.  Because it was out of the fridge for 3 hours my daughter freaked when I wanted to split it with one of her kids.
> 
> ...



Yup, did that too, lunch meat sandwiches, sometimes tuna, left in the classroom coat closet from 8:30 until noon or so...but that was then and I am older, maybe wiser (er, as opposed to wiseguy) and far more fanatical about foodborne illness. I do things like replace milk promptly back in fridge now instead of leaving it out for an hour on table.
I get anxious when I'm at an event, family gathering, etc. and someone scrapes the potato salad from the hours old bowl on the table back into the original chilled container they retrieved from the fridge.

For me no-brainer, best to dispose of raw chicken left 15 hours in room temp environment, covered in a pot or not. No boiling, no way.
IMHO, food poisoning is an awful experience and not worth the cost and travel time to simply go get a fresh meal.   
Wife has left groceries in the trunk overnight (not winter), including eggs and milk, and decision is to throw away....after I rant for a few minutes about waste


----------



## tashamen (Jul 15, 2015)

joewillie12 said:


> No further word from swj?? hmmm



Maybe s/he made the soup and is now suffering.


----------



## susieq (Jul 15, 2015)

joewillie12 said:


> No further word from swj?? hmmm





tashamen said:


> Maybe s/he made the soup and is now suffering.



My thoughts exactly!!


----------



## geekette (Jul 15, 2015)

I'm one of the saps gone without power since mid-Monday.  Easy call to dispose of contents in fridge and freezer.  

A couple months ago, I hadn't realized my fridge wasn't keeping things cool.  Took out dish, put in microwave, heated, ate, not long after, process reversed.  Not until next morning when I went for juice did I realize source of problem.

forever more note to self:  think about temperature when removing something from fridge, do not just trust it is cold.

boyfriend leaves stuff out beyond the point at which I would consider leftovers of it.


----------



## csxjohn (Jul 15, 2015)

geekette said:


> I'm one of the saps gone without power since mid-Monday.  Easy call to dispose of contents in fridge and freezer.
> 
> ....



I've got a small generator that will run my fridge and kegerator.  I alternate between the two when I need to so I can save the important stuff, especially the beer.


----------



## dioxide45 (Jul 15, 2015)

jaym said:


> For me no-brainer, best to* dispose of raw chicken left 15 hours in room tem*p environment, covered in a pot or not. No boiling, no way.
> IMHO, food poisoning is an awful experience and not worth the cost and travel time to simply go get a fresh meal.
> Wife has left groceries in the trunk overnight (not winter), including eggs and milk, and decision is to throw away....after I rant for a few minutes about waste



I don't think the chicken was raw. It came from a roasted chicken. So a cooked chicken was kept out for 15 hours. Either way, I would still trash it.


----------



## geekette (Jul 15, 2015)

csxjohn said:


> I've got a small generator that will run my fridge and kegerator.  I alternate between the two when I need to so I can save the important stuff, especially the beer.



I just don't want to have to store one for the few times I've needed one.  Cost would be made up in tossed food, but I write off as casualty.  

My Stella is now skunk tho I made a valiant effort during the horrendous storms.


----------



## Nolathyme (Jul 16, 2015)

*Follow up - that soup is made*

The soup has been made and is in the fridge. This is/was Grandma's project. I think she thinks nothing of leaving food out overnight -  different generation? I just need to keep her from feeding my kids the soup when I'm not looking.

So hard to tell grandma that what she does may be harmful. She takes it as a personal insult to her ability's.


----------



## silentg (Jul 16, 2015)

My question is why didn't you put it in the fridge?


----------



## Nolathyme (Jul 17, 2015)

I didn't see grandma leave the food out overnight.  I only discovered it the next day.

On a related subject:

How do you tell grandma (inlaw) to clean or throw out the dish scrubber after a year?

How do tell grandma not to leave meat to defrost on the counter for 8 hours?

How do you tell grandma to clean out her fridge from the molding food?

After awhile I get/got tired of telling/educating/persuading/begging/doing, etc..

Now I am the bad guy for bringing things up.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Jul 17, 2015)

I deal with my "in one month will be" 90 year old auntie. Tell me about it!!!

I really understand "THE WAR" you are in ... she wants to be in control of the only piece of HER WORLD left and you just want to keep her safe.

My recent and ongoing war is her 315 year old house and grounds. She does NOT live there BUT she owns the place. I am the ONLY other person with a KEY and security code and thankfully, live only a 1/2 mile as the crow flies.

New battle: the extreme storm of late June. Wind pounding my house and at dawn's early light, my backyard in under 8 feet of tree debris (my trees are only 65+ years old); aunties are WAY BIGGER and WAY MORE of them. I decide at 5:30AM to get the 4x4 truck out and drive over to 1) check the house  & grounds and 2) report back to auntie. Okay, her 36" diameter trees are snapped off at the top and twisted lower limbs all the way down ... her house is untouched but part of the 400' of electric service is down and ripped off the side of the masonary 45' tall house.  I call her and telling her, I am picking her up to take her over to her house ... I did assure her the house is fine ... but the yard is NOT! But she has to see it ... and decide what she wants to do.

Bottom line is: $2500 of tree cleanup at my house and way, way over $10,000 at auntie's house. And try arguing with the elderly on WHY the place needs to be cleaned up ... sort of like the "chicken" only my battle is a stupid 4' juniper bush (crowding out the) over the stunning 60'+ magnolia tree and the original landscaping scheme for 250 years of a center grass "lawn" with the view of the house from the street ... and NOT a big FIRE either man-made or via mother nature. She HAD to sign the contract for me to schedule the work!

The idiot bush won ... but she also wants to supervise the 5+ 8 hour work days of the crew (not happening). She has a person who pays her bills (not me).

My auntie has a "helper" who took over her refrigerator ... fills it with "fat" food and puts it on the table for auntie to eat. I try to pick her up for 1 mid-day meal (sometimes twice) a week and let her pick the eating place and her food. I will run and get her ANYTHING additional she wants but she eats almost nothing. She has figured out, anytime this "helper" takes her someplace to eat, the food (and place) is NOT to her liking and she has to BUY for her. She simply waits to eat and calls me ... AND off we go.

PS She was told no more driving. She gave me her 5 yo Subaru loaded 4x4 with under 18,000 miles on it ... I just have to DRIVE her around in it when we go anywheres ... unless it is NYC or over to the destroyed yard, as she wants NO scratches on HER truck. 

PS Auntie has a handler .... a dapper, soft spoken weasel who is "helping" her pay her bills and about every 60 days, has a _discussion_ with me to NOT upset auntie OR ELSE! His sister & him "picked" her helper .. who is making sure their interests are NOT terminated. It only took 5+ months for the Subaru to get the title transferred to me. Been 2+ years, they have been trying to get the keys to auntie's house .... 

Pick your battles with grandma .... some you will never win. 

Try to enjoy visiting with her verses battling with her. I try to bring a treat over to auntie if the weather is bad. I plan escapes for her .. even if we don't actual go on them (I rented out the 2 condos I had booked at the beach for July 4th ... but if not rented, we would have gone as we did for Midtown 45 in May). Working on a Disney trip for auntie in the Fall ... she is a BIG Mickey fan but has not been to Disney since before 1980. Or go back to NYC.


----------



## falmouth3 (Jul 17, 2015)

swj said:


> I didn't see grandma leave the food out overnight.  I only discovered it the next day.
> 
> On a related subject:
> 
> ...



I've been there too.  It sounds like grandma is having some early (or maybe not so early) issues.  If she's not concerned about mold on her food in her fridge, then the issue about salmonella and certain strains of E.Coli won't get through.  They were not an issue in "her day" but molding food certainly was.

Good luck.

Sue


----------



## Miss Marty (Jul 17, 2015)

*Chicken Recall (Codes P-1358 & P-276)*

*
Chicken Recalled After Reports of Illnesses*

Aspen Foods is recalling nearly 
two million pounds of frozen chicken products. 

The recall includes breaded, raw stuffed chicken breasts that were manufactured from April 15 to July 10, 2015 according to an announcement on Wednesday from the Department of Agriculture. 

Some of the recalled products have been sold in stores nationwide, including Kroger and Walmart. Customers who bought the products at either company can return them for a full refund.


----------



## WinniWoman (Jul 17, 2015)

Generators are great to have. We have a whole house one that automatically comes on when the power goes out. But they have the ones that you can just hook up outside to your electric panel- you can roll it out from your garage or basement- or- if you can lock it up outside somehow with a cover, that's an option. I wouldn't be without one these days.

Even the few times the power goes out- when it does- you never regret getting one.


----------



## Passepartout (Jul 17, 2015)

mpumilia said:


> Generators are great to have.



.....If you have unreliable power. In 15+ years our power has never been off an hour. There are occasional blinks, but certainly not enough to justify the expense, hassle, maintenance and storage of a generator, fuel, and replacements for it to make sense.


----------



## silentg (Jul 17, 2015)

Has anyone taken Grandma to the doctor for an evaluation? She may have dementia, hopefully not, but don't wait for something serious to happen to her before you look into her mental capacity.


----------

