# Do You bring Canned Soups and Stews to a rolling boil before eating? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523 "2019-01-28T03:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/21 "2019-01-28T15:55:45Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Nope I just warm it up until it’s at serving temp. This. Boiling ruins it. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/22 "2019-01-28T16:30:11Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > the soup becomes pasteurized, at about 180F IIRC for some time. Seconds at that temp for pasteurization, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/23 "2019-01-28T17:59:58Z")
> [@Periwinkle](#): > > I bring them to a boil but it’s because I like hot things really, really hot. If I bring it to a boil I know it’s hot enough. I don’t think it’s necessary for food safety though. I came to say just this. I like my food hot, and that’s why I pretty much boil all canned soup or other liquids like Spaghetti-Os or stew. But it’s not a health issue. I eat cold tuna out of a can with no concerns for my safety. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/24 "2019-01-28T18:27:59Z")
I’ll admit, I don’t even eat canned soup warm anymore. Now that most Campbells have pop tops, I just eat them straight out of the can (not tomato, but things like clam chowder or chicken & rice). ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/25 "2019-01-29T17:55:53Z")
No boiling. The already-cooked-to-mush soup ingredients will begin to dissolve and soups with dairy can break. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/26 "2019-01-29T18:31:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I usually do, but not because I think it’s necessary, just because boiling is a very noticeable sign of being heated. If for some reason I happened to notice it before it was boiling, and it was at an acceptable temperature, I’d take it off and serve it then. Same. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/27 "2019-01-30T12:31:21Z")
Not exactly. I bring it to a boil and then immediately drop to a simmer for awhile. Not rolling for an extended period. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/28 "2019-01-30T12:38:06Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > For safety you only have to heat or reheat food to 165 degrees. Assuming there are no toxins, such as from botulism. And of course if the food is already safe to eat, such as from an intact can, there’s no need to heat it at all. Just eat it out of the can like soldiers did before retort pouches, or so with retort pouches (which are just cans, too). And you don’t have to go all the way to 165F, if you’re patient. If you’re trying to reduce pathogens by 6.5D (the FDA recommended cooking level, that is 99.99997% of pathogens), you can accomplish this via a combination of lower temperatures and longer times, or vice versa. Ever wonder why UHT milk tastes funny? They cook the milk at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Although [this page](http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/archived-food-guidance/meat-and-poultry-products/manual-of-procedures/chapter-4/annex-d/eng/1370527526866/1370527574493) is Canadian and uses centigrade, it does look like they share the same 6.5D recommendation as we Yanks for cooking. Canning is different matter, whether at home or commercially, where you’re looking for a 12D drop, but also trying to physically destroy spores that require certain minimum temperatures, and 165F won’t cut it. In a suitable anaerobic environment, spores “hatch” into bacteria, negating that 12D drop, and often producing toxins that any amount of kitchen heat won’t destroy (botulism, for example). ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/29 "2019-01-30T13:52:36Z")
Most tins of soup specifically say that you shouldn’t bring them to the boil as this “will impair the flavour”. . ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/30 "2019-01-30T14:28:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I was taught to always bring any soup or stew to a rolling boil for at least two minutes, especially homemade soup (from the fridge, or canned). but my grandparents and parents always did the same with store bought canned soup. Canned soups will be fine. Yes, if they’re dented or bulging, toss them to be safe. Bulging can be from botulism, a dent can cause a small pinhole leak and/or break the foodsafe coating on the inside. Homemade soup is an entirely different animal. If you’re truly worried about safety, it should not only be heated properly, but it’s just as important to cool it properly as well. > [@](#): > > That’s why I refuse to heat soup in a microwave. I want it in a pot boiling for at least two to three minutes to kill any pathogens. I’m not sure why you’d refuse to use a microwave. You can get it well above the danger zone and up to boiling just fine in a microwave. > [@](#): > > I remember my grandmother kept a soup starter in the fridge. She took it out _every day_ and boiled it for five minutes. She added more water, vegetables and stock whenever she served soup. It was great soup, and much better than store bought. No one ever got sick from that Soup starter. Two things. First, because this really bothers me, “We always [something] and no one ever got sick” is no different than me telling people that I never wore a seatbelt until I was about twenty and I never, not once, got hurt. It totally ignores the fact that I was never in a car accident, just like not getting sick leaves out that you likely never ingested any, or enough, bacteria to get sick. Maybe what your grandmother did worked or maybe there just wasn’t any e.coli in the food to begin with. The other issue is that when you keep a soup going like that. Continuously adding to it, if there are any pathogens in it, they stay there. It’s a good idea to toss it, clean everything and make a fresh batch. Granted, this is more important in a restaurant, but it’s still something to think about. For what it’s worth, you’re far more likely to get sick eating deli meat or ground chuck than canned, and pasteurized soup. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/31 "2019-01-30T15:08:56Z")
For canned soups, I mostly put them in the microwave up to a bit above my desired temperature, and eat. However, though I can’t figure out why, there is something different about some canned veggies being cooked on the stove. And when I reheat canned items on the stove, it normally is close to what Chronos described. Though I usually catch it before a rolling boil. Back when I drank coffee or ice tea, I did get those up to boiling for a short bit of time. It definitely adds something to the tea. ---
**Author:** ![missouri65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@missouri65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missouri65)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/32 "2019-01-31T01:45:11Z")
As others said, I boil soup to get it hot enough for my tastes, not to kill any pathogens. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Wait, when you say home canning, are you saying you had family who canned homemade soup (presumably in mason jars)? I’ve only ever heard of home canning being used for things like pickles, preserves and the like. Never for stuff like soups. My mother cans soup. Homemade tomato juice as the base, with whatever vegetables she has from the garden at the time. Add whatever else you want when you open it. It is, by all accounts, delicious. I’ve known various members of my family to can tomato juice, tomatoes, peaches, beans, potatoes, and pork tenderloin. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/33 "2019-01-31T02:08:04Z")
if theres dairy in it or "cream of " it curdles the milk and I rarely eat soup that isn’t "cream of " ……. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/34 "2019-01-31T04:10:43Z")
That’s a good point. Cream based soups require gentle heating. The poll results are very interesting. We go through life following procedures learned in childhood. Never knowing other people do it differently. It’s great that threads like this can make us aware of what other people do. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/35 "2019-01-31T05:32:13Z")
Ironically, you’re more likely to get sick from home canned goods than commercial products because of improper handling, un/under sterilized bottles, improper seals and lids, not heated high/long enough to properly sterilize the ingredients, etc. Also, to those who eat it straight out of the can, isn’t it really thick as they’re usually condensed soups and usually require a can of water to restore it to what’s supposed to be. I know the ones that come in cups are ready to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/36 "2019-01-31T05:45:31Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Most tins of soup specifically say that you shouldn’t bring them to the boil as this “will impair the flavour”. > . Most soup cans aren’t made out of tin anymore, though, are they? And no, I just heat it up until it’s hot enough to eat. Unless the can is swelling, I can’t imagine you’d have a problem. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/37 "2019-01-31T05:58:46Z")
If I had a home-canned soup or stew, yes, I would, but commercially canned soup, or something made from a packet? I just heat it up to as hot as I want it, and then eat it. (Last year, an acquaintance moved, and she wanted to downsize first. Among other things she had for sale were a dozen or so quart jars of home-canned applesauce. I took two with me, and “boiled” them in my Instant Pot. Good applesauce, too!) Homemade jams and jellies shouldn’t need reheating because the sugar content impairs bacterial growth. Some of them are called “preserves” for a reason - so our ancestors could have some kind of fruit in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/38 "2019-01-31T09:06:24Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Most soup cans aren’t made out of tin anymore, though, are they? I doubt any of them are, but “tin” has been synonymous with “can” in British English since they were. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/39 "2019-01-31T11:31:40Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Also, to those who eat it straight out of the can, isn’t it really thick as they’re usually condensed soups and usually require a can of water to restore it to what’s supposed to be. I know the ones that come in cups are ready to eat. Well, obviously I wouldn’t do it with condensed soup. But these days a good portion of the items in the soup aisle—maybe even half?—aren’t condensed. They’re made to be microwaved and eaten right out of the can. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523/40 "2019-01-31T11:38:30Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > I doubt any of them are, but “tin” has been synonymous with “can” in British English since they were. Would the Brits say a ‘tin’ of baked beans? I think everything comes in a ‘can’ in American English except sardines. They come in a tin. Or did I just make that up? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-bring-canned-soups-and-stews-to-a-rolling-boil-before-eating/828523.md?page=3)