Is it safe to put frozen chicken breasts in Crock Pot?

[chartle]

I cook on high for 4-5 hours.

If you are hitting temp (+140) in 4 hours I think you are out of danger.

I've always heard no more than 4 hours between 40 and 140

 

[chartle]

Yes, bacteria flourishes between 40 and 140 F but as it goes over 140, those bacteria die don't they? So, I would think that as long as the food doesn't stay between 40 and 140 F long enough to rot, as long as it gets to over 140 and is kept over 140 before eating, it should be all good.

Its not always the bacteria that hurt you its the toxins they create like Botulism which needs temps of 185 for 5 minutes to kill it. But I don't think this is an issue in cooked foods.

 

[disney4us2002]

What is a good chicken recipe for the crock pot?

My chicken & dumplings is above yours. Another very easy but delicious recipe is two ingredients - chicken and salsa. Let cook on low 8 hrs, shred chicken for tacos, quesadillas or just serve over rice. Delicious!

 

[MataHari22]

If you are hitting temp (+140) in 4 hours I think you are out of danger.

I've always heard no more than 4 hours between 40 and 140

No, hot hold is 140° or above. Chicken must be cooked to 165° or above. 140° is not sufficient. Ground meats are 155°. Pork is 145°, I believe.

ETA: And leftovers need to be reheated to 165°. I would never warm leftovers in a crockpot.

 

[chartle]

No, hot hold is 140° or above. Chicken must be cooked to 165° or above. 140° is not sufficient. Ground meats are 155°. Pork is 145°, I believe.

ETA: And leftovers need to be reheated to 165°. I would never warm leftovers in a crockpot.

Yea i was just thinking holding temp not cooking temp.

 

[bcla]

Yes, bacteria flourishes between 40 and 140 F but as it goes over 140, those bacteria die don't they? So, I would think that as long as the food doesn't stay between 40 and 140 F long enough to rot, as long as it gets to over 140 and is kept over 140 before eating, it should be all good.

However, I'm open to education from those who know more.

Not all bacteria die at high temperatures. Some survive and even thrive at near boiling temperatures. The various colors at many hot springs/geysers comes from different bacteria that thrive at different temperatures. Most aren't terribly dangerous though.

Botulism was mentioned. The bacteria itself isn't virulent in a healthy adult, although infants are another story. It survives high temperatures. It's the toxins (waste products) produced by the bacteria that break down at lower heat. It's something like 185 deg F for 5 minutes, or 175 deg F for 10 minutes to adequately break down the toxin.

We have a slow cooker, but prefer to use a pressure cooker. I don't worry about anything surviving those temperatures, and meats don't dry out. Once done it goes into warming mode.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We put frozen chicken in the crockpot at least once a week without any problems.

 

[jevs]

Was always taught to defrost chicken, so no, never.

 

[Starwind]

Some info from the USDA on thawing methods: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...afe-defrosting-methods-for-consumers/CT_Index

Info from the Canadian government on safe handling of poultry, including thawing instructions: http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/eatin...y-salubrite/meat-viandes/turkey-dinde-eng.php

Info from the USDA on the "Danger Zone" of 40F - 140F: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...food-handling/danger-zone-40-f-140-f/ct_index

BTW, from the above, and consistent with what I have always been taught: "Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour. " and the reason why: "Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone.""



SW

 

[bcla]

What settings are being used? West Bend doesn't recommend any settings lower than #3 to cook, and that's 180 deg F. The lower settings are recommended for keeping cooked food warm.

http://westbend.com/support/product-faqs/slow-cookers/temperatures.html

 

[Twigs]

Oh, I was hoping for some new fangled way. I don't like to microwave thaw it.

I use a microwave for a short time (not to completely defrost) if I'm in a rush. To defrost chicken the rest of the way I use the Miracle Thaw defrosting plate (there are other brands out there too) and it really works well, defrosts the chicken without cooking it on the edges like a microwave. I place it in the sink, heat it with very hot water, place the chicken on it, then keep repeating the process until it is completely defrosted.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I use a microwave for a short time (not to completely defrost) if I'm in a rush. To defrost chicken the rest of the way I use the Miracle Thaw defrosting plate (there are other brands out there too) and it really works well, defrosts the chicken without cooking it on the edges like a microwave. I place it in the sink, heat it with very hot water, place the chicken on it, then keep repeating the process until it is completely defrosted.

How long does it take, usually?

 

[Mickeycrocs]

I find it tastes different if I put it in while it's frozen.

 

[bcla]

The variables are way too many for me to say yes it is definitely safe. How big are the pieces? How much liquid? What is the starting temp of everything already in when you put the chicken in. How much total volume. How much of that volume is the frozen chicken? How efficient is your model. etc etc blah blah etc etc. Those are all things that affect the answer to your question. The issue isn't whether the chicken will get cooked. It will eventually.
The issue is how fast it can get the chicken out of the danger zone of temperatures. The answer is there are at least some circumstances where it cannot. Therefore it is a risk.

So the bottom line is it's a risk. But given the ways of safely and easily quick thawing chicken breasts these days, it is a risk that it is not necessary to take. So why take it?

If it's cooked all the way through to a high enough temperature for at least 15 minutes, the danger zone isn't really that big a deal unless the meat is contaminated with staph. The bacteria will definite be dead, but the toxins will survive. A pressure cooker is probably best to kill nearly anything.

 

[scrapquitler]

I usually defrost all meat before cooking it in a Crock Pot. Anyone ever put frozen chicken breasts in a Crock Pot and live to tell? If so, do you cook it on high or low setting?

I've done it many times, and I'm not dead yet.

 

[katie01]

I've done it many times, and I'm not dead yet.

I survived it too

 

[bdcp]

I've been putting frozen chicken (and other meats) in my crockpot for 35 years and no one has ever gotten sick. As long as it gets cooked thoroughly and gets to a high enough temperature, there is no safety issue at all.

BTW, you should never defrost meat using hot or warm water. Always use cool water. I also never microwave chicken, even for a short time. It cooks the edges and makes it tough and dry.

 

[Marchand63]

Yep do it all the time. I just compensate for the liquid that the thaw will ad to the recipe.

 

[bcla]

I've been putting frozen chicken (and other meats) in my crockpot for 35 years and no one has ever gotten sick. As long as it gets cooked thoroughly and gets to a high enough temperature, there is no safety issue at all.

BTW, you should never defrost meat using hot or warm water. Always use cool water. I also never microwave chicken, even for a short time. It cooks the edges and makes it tough and dry.

It really depends on what may be in the frozen chicken. Most bacteria won't survive heat, although some spores will and can produce toxins, and those toxins remain unless exposed high enough temperatures to decompose them. Some bacteria die at typical cooking temps, but the toxins they produce only decompose at higher than boiling temperatures.

The recommendation to thaw in a refrigerator is sound. The idea is to minimize the time when bacteria might grow. A thawed chicken will get to cooking temperature much faster, while a frozen chicken might have some parts for some time at those temperatures. Staph is pretty bad since the toxin is persistent.

Granted, a home kitchen isn't being inspected by a county health department. It's pretty rare for someone to get sick from food poisoning. Most cases are mild and are hard to trace to food preparation.

 

[MataHari22]

Granted, a home kitchen isn't being inspected by a county health department. It's pretty rare for someone to get sick from food poisoning. Most cases are mild and are hard to trace to food preparation.

No, actually food borne illness is actually pretty common. Most go unreported because yes, most cases are mild.