If you just bought your new top-of-the-line food warmer and can't wait to put it to good use, make sure you enjoy its full potential by avoiding some common user errors.
3 Common Food Warmer Mistakes
Leaving Food in Too Long
According to the Food and Drug Administration, hot foods must first be brought to internal temperatures of 140°F before serving.
Be aware that some warmers only hold food at 110 °F to 120 °F, so check the product label to make sure your warmer has the capability to hold foods at 140 °F or warmer. This is the temperature that's required to keep bacteria at bay!
Once your hot dish has been brought to the correct temperature and you have safely placed it in your premium food warmer, you are able to safely hold food for two hours.
Treating Your Warmer Like a Shelf
No matter how limited your counter space or serving space, resist the urge to treat your new free-standing food warmer as if the top is prime real estate available for stacking supplies.
Do not place anything on top of your food warmer. This creates an unsafe environment and could potentially damage your food warmer.
[You can stave off repairs] and keep your appliances running longer by performing a few easy maintenance tips. You won't need a lot of mechanical expertise to keep your appliances in tip-top shape—just some common sense and a little elbow grease.
That includes food warmers.
Keeping them clean and in good working order will serve to protect your investment for the long haul.
We Can Help
Here at Thermodyne Foodservice Products, Inc., we have spent the past three decades providing quality food warmers for commercial, industrial, and institutional kitchens.
To hear more about our premium products or discuss which food warmer may be right for you, pleasecontact us at any time.
Once your hot dish has been brought to the correct temperature and you have safely placed it in your premium food warmer, you are able to safely hold food for two hours.
Be aware that some warmers only hold food at 110 °F to 120 °F, so check the product label to make sure your warmer has the capability to hold foods at 140 °F or warmer. This is the temperature that's required to keep bacteria at bay!
Once the food is cooked or reheated, it should be held hot, at or above 140 °F(60 °C). Food may be held in oven or on the serving line in heated chafing dishes, or on preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.
Food warmers maintain food temperatures above the minimum safe temperature of 140°F. They are called several different things: warmers, holding cabinets, hot boxes, warming drawers, etc. Food warmers are great for operations that have predictable rush periods, like school cafeterias and fast-food restaurants.
The best plan is to put leftovers in the refrigerator right after your meal. Food that is sitting out for a party or picnic should be chilled after two hours at typical room temperature. If it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or more, food should not sit out for more than one hour.
For meals that are less liquid, like sandwiches or wraps, use aluminum foil to wrap them up. This acts as a great insulator, keeping the heat trapped within. Additionally, consider wrapping your food in kitchen towels or cloth napkins before placing them inside your lunchbox to provide an extra layer of insulation.
Remember the 2-Hour Rule: Discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, unless you're keeping it hot or cold. If the buffet is held in a place where the temperature is above 90 °F, the safe holding time is reduced to 1 hour.
My advice is to put a two- to four-hour limit on hot-held food for both quality and safety best practices. If the cost and waste of discarding long-held chili are a problem, consider heating product in smaller batches with more frequency or reducing your production.
If you would like to clean up before then, you can extinguish the Sterno by covering the flame with a non-flammable metal object, such as a metal spatula that is wider than the flame opening. Give the Sterno cans plenty of time to cool down before you touch them directly.
For longer than this, check frequently with a food thermometer, to assure the food is remaining at a temperatures of 140°F or above. If necessary, adjust the oven's temperature to a higher setting. Keeping foods hot for extended periods (more than a couple of hours) may reduce the quality of the food.
This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone." That's why the Meat and Poultry Hotline advises consumers to 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.
First, put your food in a sealed container. Next, wrap thick tin foil around the food and be careful not to leave any holes where warm air can escape. Finally, wrap 2-3 towels tightly around the food and foil.
Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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