# Is the "warm" setting on a crockpot hot enough to keep food safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574 "2014-12-07T15:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/1 "2014-12-07T15:13:34Z")
Cooked something with ground beef in a crock pot. Left it on the warm setting and forgot about it all day - ended up spending somewhere around 8-10 hours on warm (not low - there’s high/low/warm), at which point I put it in the fridge before I went to bed. I would assume a crock pot keeps food at a safe temperature on the warming setting - because if it keeps it just below that, it would become a rapid breeding ground for bacteria - but I’m hoping someone can confirm this before I finish the leftovers and fall over and die. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/2 "2014-12-07T15:32:10Z")
I think that the only way to be sure would be to fill it with hot water, leave it long enough on ‘warm’ and then take the temperature. I use mine regularly. I often make a stew and then leave the leftovers in overnight to cool down, before adding curry powder and putting it in the fridge. I have survived so far. Of course, I always make sure to simmer the curry for a while to kill off any nasties that may have been swimming around and multiplying. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/3 "2014-12-07T16:54:50Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Cooked something with ground beef in a crock pot. Left it on the warm setting and forgot about it all day - ended up spending somewhere around 8-10 hours on warm (not low - there’s high/low/warm), at which point I put it in the fridge before I went to bed. For myself, no problem eating it. I’d probably not, say, bring it to the potluck at work. Was there movement from light simmering when you came back to it? > [@bob\_2](#): > > I often make a stew and then leave the leftovers in overnight to cool down, before adding curry powder and putting it in the fridge. I do this too, though with stovetop cookware. There’s no way I’m putting ten pounds of mass at 200 degrees into the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/4 "2014-12-07T17:44:39Z")
For crock pots, the Low setting is designed to keep foods hot enough to pasteurize over time, I can’t say what a particular Warm setting means though, but I would hope it would do the job for you. Food safety experts recommend that food be rapidly cooled or moved to the refrigerator immediately instead of cooling at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator it will cool faster and spend less time in the danger zone where bacteria can reproduce rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/5 "2014-12-07T20:29:12Z")
I’ve cooked a (starting with raw) chicken dish on warm (not ‘low’) and no one got sick. It was actually the most awesome crockpot dish I even made, not over cooked flavorless falling apart mush, but really great flavor and texture like what we were promised crockpot cooking used to be like. IIRC the temp was what I would consider borderline safe, but with beef I wouldn’t hesitate. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/6 "2014-12-07T21:08:13Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Food safety experts recommend that food be rapidly cooled or moved to the refrigerator immediately instead of cooling at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator it will cool faster and spend less time in the danger zone where bacteria can reproduce rapidly. And just because this contradicts what I’ve always heard, where’s a cite: > **[Keep Food Safe](https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe)** > > Find tips from FoodSafety.gov on safe food handling, cooking, and storage practices that help prevent food poisoning and foodborne illness. Keep food safe by type of food, by type of event, in all seasons, and in a disaster or emergency. > [@](#): > > Mistake #5: Letting food cool before putting it in the fridge > > Why: Illness-causing bacteria can grow in perishable foods within two hours unless you refrigerate them > > Solution: Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature is over 90˚F. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/7 "2014-12-07T21:09:40Z")
Every crockpot I’ve ever owned has operated as follows: Keep Warm=Low Low=High High=Burn down house. I don’t know if I just buy the cheapies or if I’m doing something wrong. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/8 "2014-12-07T21:44:05Z")
The basic rule for holding temps are 135 degrees, if food is kept below that for more than 4 hours it should not be served. I would imagine that is on the conservative side. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/9 "2014-12-07T21:47:56Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > And just because this contradicts what I’ve always heard, where’s a cite: > > [Keep Food Safe | FoodSafety.gov](http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/mistakes/) What’s the contradiction? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/10 "2014-12-07T23:56:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > What’s the contradiction? I believe his point was that you were right, but it’s common to say otherwise (I know I’ve heard such, for instance), so he felt it was a good idea to post a cite to show you were. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/11 "2014-12-08T00:38:04Z")
you need to measure the actual temperature. before putting in fridge, not wanting to leave out or to overtax fridge, you could split the pot contents into smaller containers spread apart to accelerate cooling. also you could set these into room temperature water. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/12 "2014-12-08T01:31:58Z")
I decanter into Tupperwares’ with tops and let the heat vacuum seal it before fridge. Cause’ I know what I’m going to do with the stuff prior to creating it…usually. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/13 "2014-12-08T03:49:02Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Of course, I always make sure to simmer the curry for a while to kill off any nasties that may have been swimming around and multiplying. This isn’t a real good idea. Some of the nasties produce byproducts\* as they grow, which are also nasty for human digestive systems. And while heat may kill the bacteria (often takes more than simmering, though), some of the byproducts are able to survive the heat and make you sick. \*bacteria poop, basically. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/14 "2014-12-08T04:34:16Z")
Nothing like a case of staph enterotoxin food poisoning to disabuse you from reheating questionable food. It’s extremely heat resistant, and the dramatic effects are pretty damn quick. (Most of the time, you’ll never know the exact food which got you sick. Staph, you probably will.) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/15 "2014-12-08T08:09:20Z")
The FDA recommends a minimum temperature of 140F for keeping cooked foods warm. It should be easy to measure the temperature of the contents of your crock pot. I seems likely that a “warm” setting on a crock pot will keep food hot enough to be safe. If it weren’t designed to do this, the manufacturer would be selling a dangerous cooking device. I mean, the whole point of the “warm” setting is to keep cooked food warm, isn’t it? If it didn’t keep the temperature high enough to prevent food poisoning, the company would be exposing itself to significant liability. Here’s a quote from the [Hamilton Beach web site](http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/faqs-slow-cookers.html): > [@](#): > > The keep warm setting can be used for up to 2 hours for some foods. Food safety is not affected, but quality of some types of food will continue to decrease the longer the food is “kept warm.” Foods like chili or spaghetti sauce will be fine. From the [Crock Pot Europe web site](http://www.crockpoteurope.com/CustomerService.aspx?id=faq&fgid=541): > [@](#): > > Crock-Pot® slow cookers are safe for countertop cooking for extended periods of time. If holding food on the Warm Setting for a long time, cut back on cook time accordingly to reduce overcooking. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/16 "2014-12-08T12:49:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > What’s the contradiction? > [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > I believe his point was that you were right, but it’s common to say otherwise (I know I’ve heard such, for instance), so he felt it was a good idea to post a cite to show you were. Yes, this. Sorry if I was vague. I’ve heard from a lot of sources to let the food cool before putting in the refrigerator. When I read your statement, I questioned it and upon finding I was in fact incorrect, posted a cite to save others the trouble. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/17 "2014-12-08T12:58:14Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Yes, this. Sorry if I was vague. > > I’ve heard from a lot of sources to let the food cool before putting in the refrigerator. When I read your statement, I questioned it and upon finding I was in fact incorrect, posted a cite to save others the trouble. Let the food cool first is for the safety of the other food in the refrigerator, as the hot pot will warm the local area above the safe zone. It also decreases the efficiency. Additionally if it has glass shelves it may thermo-crack it. In the winter it is common to put such foods outside to allow them to cool before putting them in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/18 "2014-12-08T13:25:20Z")
Something you won’t easily find about crockpot cooking is that there are limitations. It is something I discovered by constantly overcooking chicken and casserole. It has a nasty taste. Traditional cooking on a coal range or stove involved the addition of ingredients interspersed by eating, over a period of days. Pioneers and poor people would have a stew or soup cooking for a week whilst serving up daily meals from the pot. Unfortunately this doesn’t work with a crockpot. I don’t recall the explanation but essentially the food is torn apart by overcooking even on Low. Live and learn. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/19 "2014-12-09T16:42:54Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > In the winter it is common to put such foods outside to allow them to cool before putting them in the fridge. In places without bears and raccoons, I take it. Here, they’d take it. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574/20 "2014-12-09T16:57:44Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Food safety experts recommend that food be rapidly cooled or moved to the refrigerator immediately instead of cooling at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator it will cool faster and spend less time in the danger zone where bacteria can reproduce rapidly. If you put it in the fridge _immediately_ after cooking, your fridge is going to have to work very hard to pump all that heat out. Why not let it cool _to_ safety-threshold temperature first? > [@Turek](#): > > And just because this contradicts what I’ve always heard, where’s a cite: > > [Keep Food Safe | FoodSafety.gov](http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/mistakes/) Ah. That says, within two hours. Quite a long ways from immediately. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-warm-setting-on-a-crockpot-hot-enough-to-keep-food-safe/706574.md?page=2)