[Mass. Wine Guy]

After salting a chicken and leaving it in the fridge for a few hours, I took it out an hour before I planned to put it in the oven. I was leaving so I left a note to my son to put the chicken in the already heated oven.

When I returned a little over an hour later I found that he had not seen my note and the chicken was still in a pan on top of the stove. I then placed it in the oven.

Did my chicken become a bacterial science project of because it was left art room temperature too long? Would roasting it at 400 F. kill anything that might be risky?

Thanks.

[jostber]

Rub it with a lot of lime and fresh ginger and you should be safe.

[Devil Doc]

Ain't worth the risk. Chicken is cheap.

Doc

[Sonny]

Devil Doc is right...
health over a few bucks any day!

[sts9fan]

You'll be fine. It was probably bleached in the factory.

[JCarney]

No problem at all. It could have sat there for 4 or 5 hours with no risk of any unwanted bacteria. The internal temp of 165f to 170f will do the job.

JCarney

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Thank you, everyone.

I went the 170 F. internal temperature route and I think we'll be o.k. The pre-salting method makes for a very tender and juicy chicken.

[SET Man]

Hey!

   So, are you still alive there?

    Anyway, since you salted the chicken, if salted well and left it to cool down in the fridge before you took it out and left it in room temp. For a little over an hour you should be fine, better if you covered it.
 
    But if this were in Summer with higher room temp then I would be more concern about this.

    Of course just remember when is come to food... "When in doubt, toss it out!"  it is not worth it and I don't care if it is just a chicken or  a thick piece of kobe beef.

Take care,
Buddy

[Mass. Wine Guy]

You're totally right about hotter temperatures. Had it been the middle of August I would not have thought twice about tossing it.

[jqp]

Interesting - I would think that cooking it in a four hundred degree F oven would take care of most possible food bacteria, even if left on the bathroom of the bus station for an hour (before cooking not after   ).

What about salmonella, etc in foods...does cooking not kill all the bacteria and fungus, or is there still a risk? I can see a risk for under-cooked food but how about "over-cooked" food such as well done beef and chicken and stews that simmer for a few hours?

This is a serious question btw as I like poached eggs and sushi, which i know have to have care taken. But I hear there is bad beef etc from time to time in stores.

Are there some kind of poisons that bacteria and fungus produce in foods that still remain dangerous after thorough cooking?