FAQs
To speed cooling, transfer soup to shallow containers, making sure soup is no more than TWO inches deep. Refrigerate promptly. Soup can also be chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm; cover when food is completely cooled.
How to cool down soup safely? ›
Use ice water bath
This method helps decrease the food temperature quickly and safely. Fill a large container or clean sink with ice and a small amount of water. Place the kettle of soup into the ice bath. Stir the soup to release heat and aid cooling.
How long should I let soup cool before refrigerating? ›
Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. Cover foods to retain moisture and prevent them from picking up odors from other foods.
Is it OK to leave soup out to cool? ›
On most occasions, you shouldn't leave soup out overnight. This is because when the stock in the soup cools below 130°F, dangerous bacteria can multiply. If you do decide that you want to leave soup out overnight, it's recommended that you boil the soup for 10 minutes to kill any active bacteria.
Why can't you put hot soup in the fridge? ›
Refrigerators should register 40°F or below, so adding hot soup or stock with a significantly higher temperature can cause the overall temperature to rise, creating a breeding ground for spoilage. The USDA also does not recommend leaving hot or cold food out at a temperature within the danger zone for over two hours.
How to cool leftovers safely? ›
Michigan State University Extension offers these suggestions for cooling food quickly and safely:
- Don't put hot food in a refrigerator. ...
- Place the hot food into smaller containers or cut large pieces of food into small pieces. ...
- Then if your food is still hot or even very warm, place the containers in an ice water bath.
One may add ice to soup, but it would be best not to stir it around so as not to make it melt faster.
Do you put cold soup in the fridge? ›
Once cold, the soup must be kept in the fridge until ready to re-heat. The fridge must keep the soup cold enough to slow down bacteria. It should be 8 °C or lower but if you can only check the air temperature of the fridge you should aim for 5°C or lower.
Should you let food cool before putting it in the fridge FDA? ›
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within two hours of eating or preparation. Use ready-to-eat, perishable foods, such as dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, and produce, as soon as possible. Hot food won't harm your refrigerator, so it's okay to place hot food inside.
Can I put warm soup in the freezer? ›
This may seem obvious, but it's important to let the soup cool completely before sticking it in the freezer. While it's tempting to transfer it into the freezer soon after cooking, if it's even a little warm, it could lower the temperature of the freezer, potentially causing items already in it to defrost a little.
The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm. After this, it needs to be cooled and transferred into the refrigerator.
Can I leave soup out overnight in winter? ›
How long should you leave food out overnight? According to the Food Standards Agency, “Food that has not been used within four hours can be put back in the fridge and kept at 8°C or below until it is used. If it has been out for more than four hours it should be thrown away.”
Can you eat leftover soup cold? ›
Do you always need to reheat leftovers? No! Providing you have cooled your leftovers safely and kept them in the fridge, it is absolutely fine to eat your leftovers cold straight from the fridge…. However, if you like your leftovers warm, it's important that you reheat until piping hot throughout.
Should I let soup cool before refrigerating? ›
After it's cooled to 75 degrees, the food can be safely transferred to the refrigerator, which should be set to about 40 degrees.
How do you cool hot soup safely? ›
Use an ice water bath
An ice water bath helps decrease the food temperature quickly and safely. Fill a large container or clean sink with ice and just a small amount of water. Place your kettle of soup, chili, stew or sauce into the ice bath. Stir the soup, chili, stew or sauce to speed the cooling process.
How long after making soup can you put it in the fridge? ›
Refrigerating soups and stews is mostly a matter of transferring it to some sort of container with a tight-fitting lid and getting it into the fridge within two hours.
How do you neutralize heat in soup? ›
Add a generous dollop of sour cream, creme fraiche, or yogurt to scorching hot chili or stews, or even a touch of milk or cream. For best results, though, go with full-fat dairy. For tomato sauces and stews that don't want dairy, try shredding some cheese on top.
Does blowing on hot soup cool it down? ›
Blowing on hot food can be an effective way to cool it down[1]. This is because when you blow air over the food, you send air close to your body temperature (98.6°F/37°C) and use it to replace warmer air in a process known as convection[1]. This increases the rate of heat transfer, allowing the food to cool faster[1].
How to cool food down quickly after cooking? ›
Ice-water bath and frequently stirring the food.
This promotes faster and more even cooling. Ice paddles (plastic container filled with water and frozen) used to stir food in an ice-water bath.
What is the 2 4 hour rule for cooling? ›
Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.
