Covering food while cooling

Covering food while cooling - Small Group of People Doing Shopping in Local Store

Is it a good or a bad idea to cover food that is cooling? For example I have bolognese cooling in a tupperware container but don't know whether I should cover it and refrigerate or leave uncovered out for a while?

food-safety


Best Answer

There are two factors to consider, both related to the evaporation of water from the cooling dish:

  • Evaporative cooling: if the water vapor can leave the container, the food will cool faster, but may dry out slightly
  • Condensation: if the water vapor cannot leave the container, it will condense on the lid, and possibly drip back down onto the food

Modern refrigerators are very powerful, so if a little water dripping back is not a problem (which it would not be for a bolognese for example), go ahead and cover the item and place in refrigerator.

On the other hand, if water dripping back onto the dish would mar the surface (of a pumpkin pie, for example), you will want to cool it without a cover until it is no longer steaming.



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Quick Answer about "Covering food while cooling"

You should not cover foods while cooling. It will slow down the cooling and also cause a higher chance of bacteria forming. Best way to cool foods is in a refrigerator or if thats not possible at a cool space in a fairly flat container.

What is the proper way to cool down food?

You can cool food by using one or more of the following methods:
  • Portion food into smaller amounts and refrigerate.
  • Cut big pieces of meat into smaller pieces.
  • Transfer liquids into shallows pans.
  • Do not fully cover pans during cooling. ...
  • Do not stack pans. ...
  • Place a pan of food in an ice-water bath and stir the food.


    • Should I cover hot food in the fridge?

    Putting Hot Food In The Fridge? Do this! If warm food is to be stored, seal the container with a lid. This helps you avoid condensation and icing.

    Should I put a lid on hot food?

    Our experts said there is nothing wrong with adding a lid. In fact, the USDA said lids can keep bacteria out, retain moisture, and prevent leftovers from picking up odors from other food in the fridge. So we can verify, no, simply putting a lid on hot leftovers in the fridge won't create dangerous pathogens.

    Can you cover food while its hot?

    Smaller pieces of meat will cool more quickly. Cover pans of hot food and move them to a colder area e.g. a storage room, or stand them in cold water. You can also use ice to speed up chilling. This will make the contents of the pans chill more quickly.


    Cooking, Cooling and Reheating Food (HACCP Lesson - Part 07)



    More answers regarding covering food while cooling

    Answer 2

    When the food you've been cooking involves some kinds of vegetables (cabbage relatives, mostly, and some other green leafy things), then one thing to worry about is the collection of sulphur compounds. If you cover the pan, then you can concentrate some sulfide (not a chemist) compounds that you might prefer to have evaporate out through your vent hood.

    Answer 3

    You should not cover foods while cooling. It will slow down the cooling and also cause a higher chance of bacteria forming. Best way to cool foods is in a refrigerator or if thats not possible at a cool space in a fairly flat container.

    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Nurlan Tortbayev, Мария, Karolina Grabowska, Pixabay

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