Another Will-I-Die-If-I-Eat-It question

[Uncle Wig]

The vacuum-pack of ground beef that I brought home from Trader Joe's at about 2pm and just now, about 9pm, discovered out on the counter. It's in the freezer now.

Tasty or deadly?

(I won't be making hamburgers; it'll go into a kind of chili so it'll be well-cooked.)

[C(-)ris]

Was it warm? Toss it.

[Uncle Wig]

C(-)ris wrote:
Was it warm? Toss it.

Definitely room temperature.

[Zoidberg]

C(-)ris wrote:
Was it warm? Toss it.

Agreed.

[RgrF]

Be brave, cook it like you always would. Meat should be at room temp before cooking anyway. Put me in your will.

[space-time]

what survives in vacuum...

[Paul F.]

What a bunch of wussies... And I only replaced the "P" out of respect for the ladies of the forum...
I've eaten steaks that were just under room temp for two days... And you're worried about a few HOURS?

Don't allow it over 40 degrees until you're ready to cook it, avoid cross contamination of surfaces and utensils, and cook properly... And don't worry so much!

[Dennis S]

Bacteria double every 20 minutes, I think.

[RgrF]

Bacteria are what give it flavor.

[Uncle Wig]

RgrF wrote:
Bacteria are what give it flavor.

There was an interesting interview about fermented foods on Fresh Air today. All the best foods are made with bacteria.