Safe Cooking Starts Here: How Long Can Chicken Sit Out Raw
Chicken is a common delicacy in our lives. If you don’t know how long raw chicken can be stored, then you will know after reading this article!
How long can chicken sit out raw?
How long you can store raw chicken depends on how you store it. Here are some detailed recommendations:
At room temperature
If the room temperature is between 20℃ and 30℃, raw chicken can be kept for 1-2 hours. At this temperature, bacteria multiply very quickly, and chicken will easily go bad if left for too long, producing an odor and becoming sticky, and eating it may cause stomach upset.
Keep refrigerated
Raw chicken can generally be kept in a refrigerator (0℃-4℃) for 1-2 days. However, if the weather is hot or the refrigerator temperature is not stable, it is best to use it as soon as possible. If you are not sure about the freshness of the chicken, you can observe its color and smell: fresh chicken is light pink, shiny, and has no odor; while spoiled chicken will be gray or green and have a distinct sour or smelly smell.
Cryopreservation
If you do not plan to use the chicken in the short term, you can choose to freeze it. In the freezer (-18°C or lower), chicken can be kept for 6-12 months, but for the best taste and quality, it is recommended to use it within 6 months. If the chicken is frozen for too long, the moisture and taste of the chicken may be affected. When freezing chicken, it is recommended to seal it in a fresh-keeping bag or fresh-keeping box to avoid freezer burn (drying out of the surface and ice crystals).
Precautions
Do not freeze and thaw repeatedly: Repeated freezing and thawing will damage the texture of the chicken and may also breed bacteria. Cook as soon as possible after thawing.
Portioned storage: If you buy a large portion of chicken, it is recommended to store it in appropriate small portions to reduce thawing waste.
Use sooner: Although freezing will extend the shelf life of your chicken, the sooner you use it, the better the flavor and texture of your chicken will be.
Summary and recommendations
Greenhouse: 1-2 hours
Refrigerated: 1-2 days
Frozen: 6-12 months
Is it safe to eat raw chicken left out for 4 hours?
Analyze the specific situation according to the specific situation.
Generally speaking, if it has been left at room temperature for 4 hours, it is not recommended to eat it, because bacteria will multiply rapidly at room temperature, and 4 hours is enough time for them to grow in large numbers. The chicken may have begun to deteriorate, and eating it may cause symptoms of food poisoning such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
However, if it is kept in a refrigerated environment at a temperature of about 0℃ - 4℃ for 4 hours, it is usually relatively safe. However, it also depends on the freshness of the chicken itself. If the chicken itself is not particularly fresh, there may be risks after leaving it for 4 hours.
In addition, you should also observe the condition of the chicken. If the chicken has an odor, is dark in color, has a sticky surface, etc., no matter what environment it is placed in, you should not eat it. Safety first.
Therefore, for the sake of our health, we must be cautious when judging raw chicken that has been left for 4 hours. If you are not sure, don't eat it.
How long can raw chicken sit out at 70 degrees?
More than 1 hour.
70 degrees is a relatively high temperature. In such an environment, the surface of the chicken will heat up quickly, but the inside will still be raw. At this time, the chicken is easy to breed bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, which multiply fastest in the temperature range of 4°C-60℃ (also known as the "dangerous temperature zone"). Although 70℃ is close to the sterilization temperature, it is not enough to kill all bacteria in a short period of time, and it will also create a breeding ground for new bacteria to grow.
Therefore, in a 70℃ environment, raw chicken should not be kept for more than 1 hour. If it is kept for more than this period of time, the number of bacteria may have reached a dangerous level, which may easily lead to food poisoning after consumption.
Can I put thawed chicken back in the fridge?
If the thawed chicken is not contaminated and has not been left at room temperature for too long, it can be returned to the refrigerator.
If you plan to cook and eat the chicken within 1-2 days, you can put it back in the freezer at a temperature of 0℃ to 4℃.
If you do not plan to eat in the short term and want to keep it for a long time, you can put the thawed chicken back into the freezer, and the temperature of the freezer is below -18℃.
How long can thawed chicken sit out?
Depends on the actual situation:
At room temperature:
In the normal temperature environment of 15℃-25℃, it is best not to place the thawed chicken for more than 2 hours. Mainly because bacteria and other microorganisms multiply faster at room temperature, and the nutrients in chicken are rich, it is easy to become a breeding ground for bacteria and show signs of deterioration, such as slight odor and sticky surface.
Refrigerated condition:
Put the thawed chicken in the refrigerator freezer, and when the temperature is set at 0 °C -4 °C, it can generally be stored for 1-2 days. However, it is important to pay attention to the plastic wrap or plastic bag sealed well to prevent the chicken moisture loss and other food odor.
Frozen state:
If you refreeze the chicken after thawing, it can theoretically be stored for about 3 months in the freezer below -18 °C. However, the taste and nutritional value of refrozen chicken will be less than when it was first frozen.
How can you tell if chicken is bad after thawing?
This can be determined by the following methods:
Look at the color
Fresh chicken should be pink or light red. If you find that the color of the chicken becomes darker, gray or yellow, especially if there are green or black spots, it may be spoiled.
Smell
Generally, normal chicken will only have a faint meaty smell. If you smell sour, pungent or smelly, it means the chicken has gone bad and should never be eaten.
Observe the texture and elasticity
Fresh chicken will be elastic when pressed and will quickly return to its original shape. If the chicken becomes slimy, soft, and does not return to its original shape after being pressed, or is easily punctured, it may have gone bad.
Look at the eye state
If it is a whole chicken, you can observe the eyeball. The eyeball of fresh chicken should be plump, while the eyeball of spoiled chicken will become shrunken and sunken, and the lens will be cloudy.
Observe the surface viscosity
The surface of fresh chicken should be slightly moist and not sticky. If the surface is dry, sticky, or has sticky liquid, it may be spoiled.
Depends on storage time and conditions: Thawed chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 to 2 days. If it is kept for longer than this, the chicken may go bad.
