Have You Left Raw Chicken in Crockpot on Warm – 2 Warnings!
The warm feature is a very useful feature of a crock pot. But it’s useful until you use it properly. And there the confusion arises after you’ve left raw chicken in crockpot on warm?
Yes, you can but there are certain conditions. In this article, I’ve explained everything related to this. So, keep exploring the topic and get over all your confusion.
Can You Leave Raw Chicken In A Crockpot On Warm?
Yes, you can leave the raw chicken in a crockpot on warm but only for 2-4 hours. However, some experts suggest you can keep them warm for around 24 hours. Most times there won’t be any problem if you do it but sometimes it can be dangerous. If you leave then it can ruin your food as well as make it poisonous for you. Below I’ll be discussing this.
What Will Happen If You Leave Raw Chicken in a Crockpot on Warm?
In general, there shouldn’t be any big issue if you leave the raw chicken in the crockpot for around 24 hours. However, I don’t recommend it because there are also some risks.
The temperature at a warm setting is generally between 145°F-165°F (62°C-74°C). And we know between 40°F-140°F (4.5°C-6°C) bacteria grow rapidly which doubles the number just in 20 minutes. Now you can see that the temperature of the warm setting is extremely close to the preferred temperature. And according to the USDA, it is called a Danger Zone.
So now your food can get spoiled or poisonous in 2 ways. First, if the slow cooker fails to maintain the temperature precisely, and second if you frequently open and close the lid.
Did you know – Every year almost 48M Americans are poisoned, 128000 get hospitalized and 3000 die due to food poisoning? [Source: CDC]
Next, let me make you aware of another problem. If raw chicken is left in a crockpot for too long, it may become overcooked and dry.
Well, here I am with good news for you. If you’re using a quality slow cooker then you won’t have to worry much about it. Most quality crock pot comes with an automatic shutdown feature. So, when the time is ideal it will automatically shut down.
What if You’ve Left Raw Chicken in Crockpot on Warm?
So, did you leave the raw chicken in the crockpot for around a day? Now thinking about what to do?
The first thing you will check is the temperature in the warm setting. If it’s above 145°F (63°C) then I think you don’t have to worry. Because the bacteria grow between 40°F-140°F (4.5°C-6°C).
One more thing you need to make sure that the crockpot maintains the temperature properly. However, if you think you did uncover the lid of the crockpot frequently or the cooker has a defect, I think you should avoid eating the food. It can cause food poisoning.
How to Leave Raw Chicken In A Crockpot on Warm?
Now you know that you can put raw chicken in a crockpot and leave it on warm. So, at this moment you might be thinking of how you can do that. Don’t worry here I’ll tell you how to do it.
You just have to set the crockpot in warm mode and leave it for a couple of hours. Make sure to put the right amount of water under the chicken to avoid any burning.
How Long Should You Leave Raw Chicken In A Crockpot on Warm?
Now keep that aside and let’s focus on the main topic. You might be wondering how long you can put a raw chicken in a crockpot on warm. Your thinking ends here, you can put a raw chicken in a crockpot for 5-6 hours (Some suggest 24 hours) but it is recommended to not leave it for over 4 hours.
You might be thinking why I’m telling you that you can leave the chicken for 6 hours maximum. Well, it is not recommended. The maximum length of time is 4 hours. But if you accidentally leave it for more than 4 hours and the time is under 6 hours then the food chicken will be still good but if it is more than 6 hours then there is a chance that the chicken will burn and some other issues I’ve mentioned above
Verdict
I hope you got your answers to the question – left raw chicken in crockpot on warm.
So, now you know how long you can leave the raw chicken in the slow cooker without any hesitation. Always be careful about the temperature and time you set to keep the chicken warm. Don’t leave the chicken all day long. Be sure to put the chicken in the refrigerator for some time after you put it out of the cooker.
However, if you’ve some extra time then pay a visit to this article – Slow cooker french dip sandwich recipe.
Have a good day.
