# Getting things to room temperature.



## JoAnn L. (Aug 12, 2006)

When a recipe says to have your eggs, butter or cream cheese at room temperature, how long do you set it out of the refrigerator before using it?


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## Andy M. (Aug 12, 2006)

An hour or more should do the trick.  Of course, it depends on how cold the items were and how warm your kitchen is.


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## black chef (Aug 12, 2006)

JoAnn L. said:
			
		

> When a recipe says to have your eggs, butter or cream cheese at room temperature, how long do you set it out of the refrigerator before using it?



getting steak to room temperature is my biggest worry... 

by the time i get home from the gym (working out = eating more ), it's already 6:30; then, i have to take a 1.5 inch thick ribeye out and wait until it's at room temp before adding salt, cracked BP, and heating the cast iron skillet.

by the time i'm done with the sear-roasting, fanning the smoke out of my apartment, explaining to the neighbors that my place is NOT on fire... and telling them, "no, i don't have any leftovers," it's at least 9 pm.


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## lulu (Aug 12, 2006)

In the days when I didn't have a fridge I counted room temperature as being from my larder, where eggs were kept and milk came daily.  Nowadays I generally leave 40 minutes ish from the fridge, longer for eggs.  Also, I tend to leave eggs out when I know I am using them, but at home I get them straight from the chicken, so they are usually warmer than room temp, lol.

I think an hour is a safe rule of thumb, but if it is hot weather 40 mins is safer.


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## Shunka (Aug 12, 2006)

Here in Northern AZ, it can be as little as 20 minutes for some things to reach room temp. It also depends on how dense the item is too.


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## expatgirl (Aug 12, 2006)

Hi, JoAnn L.! 

I cheat on eggs----if I need them in a hurry I place them in a bowl of warm water, completely covered for about 10-15 minutes-----NEVER had a problem!!  Depending on what I'm using   them for I'll put my microwave on "defrost" for the butter and cream cheese and do it in 10 sec. cycles (I say this because microwaves differ).  Of course, if you have the time then by all means leave them out for an hour.

For Black Chef---no tips for your steak since you don't share!!!!  Ha!!
Just kidding--- I occasionally use the DEFROST cycle on the microwave and just keep an eye on the meat.  PS-- I take it that you don't have a smoke alarm near your kitchen????????


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## Andy M. (Aug 12, 2006)

black chef said:
			
		

> getting steak to room temperature is my biggest worry...


 
I have a double burner aluminum griddle that I use for fast defrosting and warming.  Any heavy flat aluminum surface will do.  Place a frozen or cold steak on this flat surface and it will warm up very quickly.

I prefer this to microwave defrosting as it so often cooks spots on the meat.


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## licia (Aug 12, 2006)

I saw on some show that they did the same thing with an upside down cast iron skillet.


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## Andy M. (Aug 12, 2006)

Aluminum is a MUCH better conductor of heat than cast iron so it will be more effective.  Cast iron, or any other metal surface will work better than leaving it out on the counter.

Regardless, the food to be defrosted must be flat so there is a lot of contact with the metal surface for this method to be effective.


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## Michael in FtW (Aug 12, 2006)

JoAnn - for things like eggs, cream cheese, butter ... an hour or two ... until it no longer feels cold to the touch.

To add to what Andy M. said about bringing meat and other things to room temp ... a heavy aluminum sheet pan works well, too - BUT - it needs air circulation so place it on the unlit stove grates or on a baking cooking rack ... anything where it can get airflow - NOT placed directly on a solid surface like a countertop, cutting board, etc.


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## FryBoy (Aug 12, 2006)

I don't have trouble grilling or pan broiling cold steaks right from the refrigerator -- it just takes a bit longer to get the middle to where I like it, and that means the outside will be more charred, which is what I want. I don't find that it dries out the meat.


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## Caine (Aug 13, 2006)

Butter? Who refrigerates butter? Are you aware that butter goes from the manufacturer to the wharehouse, to the store, without any refrigeration until the store gets it? Butter will last for at least two weeks, usually more unless you live in the desert, just kept inside a dark cupboard or pantry. 

I buy butter in packages of three, one pound, slabs. I cut one slab in half and put it in the butter dish in the cupboard, the other half goes in the butterkeeper built in to the refrigerator door, and two go in the freezer. When I am close to finishing the one in the butter dish, I add the another half from the fridge, and move a frozen slab to the refrigerator door.


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## black chef (Aug 13, 2006)

Caine said:
			
		

> Butter? Who refrigerates butter? Are you aware that butter goes from the manufacturer to the wharehouse, to the store, without any refrigeration until the store gets it? Butter will last for at least two weeks, usually more unless you live in the desert, just kept inside a dark cupboard or pantry.
> 
> I buy butter in packages of three, one pound, slabs. I cut one slab in half and put it in the butter dish in the cupboard, the other half goes in the butterkeeper built in to the refrigerator door, and two go in the freezer. When I am close to finishing the one in the butter dish, I add the another half from the fridge, and move a frozen slab to the refrigerator door.


just get a french butter dish... it's the oxygen that causes butter to go rancid.

here's a link:  http://www.frenchbutterdish.com/FAQ.htm
or http://itotd.com/articles/215/french-butter-dishes/

i primarily use clarified butter (plugra) or butter ghee (purity farms) for two reasons... (1) i'm lactose intolerant, (2) higher smoke point.


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## bjcotton (Aug 13, 2006)

I am lucky enough to know someone that knows someone that works for the local dairy company.  We get one pound containers of the butter that adheres to the paddles when they are finished churning it.  It is much more creamy than the stuff they sell to the stores.  I keep it in the cupboard with no problems...it's unsalted too.


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## black chef (Aug 13, 2006)

bjcotton said:
			
		

> I am lucky enough to know someone that knows someone that works for the local dairy company.  We get one pound containers of the butter that adheres to the paddles when they are finished churning it.  It is much more creamy than the stuff they sell to the stores.  I keep it in the cupboard with no problems...it's unsalted too.



i bet this stuff is RICH & FLAVORFUL...

what is it called... "paddle butter?"


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## expatgirl (Aug 13, 2006)

bjcotton said:
			
		

> I am lucky enough to know someone that knows someone that works for the local dairy company.  We get one pound containers of the butter that adheres to the paddles when they are finished churning it.  It is much more creamy than the stuff they sell to the stores.  I keep it in the cupboard with no problems...it's unsalted too.




Lucky Duck!!

Our company cooks in Egypt ( we had a staff house for people coming in and out ) always kept their butter on crockery and stored in the cupboards--never had a problem.


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## FryBoy (Aug 13, 2006)

Caine said:
			
		

> Butter? Who refrigerates butter? Are you aware that butter goes from the manufacturer to the wharehouse, to the store, without any refrigeration until the store gets it? Butter will last for at least two weeks, usually more unless you live in the desert, just kept inside a dark cupboard or pantry.


 
Are you sure of that? I believe that health regulations in every state require that butter be kept refrigerated at the dairy, in the warehouse, during shipping, and at the store. 

According to the Wisconsin Dairy Council, which presumably knows a thing or two about the subject, *butter can be safely kept out for no more than 2 hours. Butter can be stored wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer back for up to six months.*

See this site: *http://tinyurl.com/jdayo*

The site states that "The fat in [butter] will go rancid if left out at room temperature for extended periods of time." However, the site also notes that the reasons for refrigerating butter have more to due with quality than with food safety because butter doesn't support the rapid growth of microorganisms. They say it's generally safe to eat until it's "very rancid." 

Aside from protecting the taste, I prefer to play it safe and refrigerate my butter, and I freeze the extra (I don't use it much except in cooking). I find that it softens quickly enough for my needs, and a few seconds in the microwave will hurry things along if necessary. When I need butter for baking, I do leave it out for an hour or so, along with the eggs and milk I'm going to use.


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