Help! Food Safety

Not if you want to be safe. Fresh meat at body temp (100 F) is an excellent breeding ground, and that's a long time to leave it that way. If toxins were produced by a bad organism, they won't be destroyed by cooking the meat to 200 F.

It's not just the bugs themselves that can hurt you, it's the toxins they leave behind.

Google "exotoxins" for more info.

Cowboy,

I gotta agree with Joseph on this issue. Too long in the danger zone. It seems like it is an awful waste, but it sure isn't worth risking your health for it.

Yeah, better safe to throw the brisket than everyone get sick.

Even if the outside temp was cold, having it set on 100 would keep the inside at that temp. Too bad you weren't making Pastrami, with some TQ in there you'd been better off.

quote:

Originally posted by Joseph:
[qb]Google "exotoxins" for more info. [/qb]

Oh yeah, like that helps

Uh, where's the english to english translator?

quote:

The exotoxins of Clostridium perfringens (inf). This bacterium produces several significant exotoxins that play a role in the pathogenesis of gas gangrene, including:

* alpha toxin (lecithinase): increases the permeability of capillaries and muscle cells by breaking down lecithin in cytoplasmic membranes. This results in the gross edema (def) of gas gangrene.
* kappa toxin (collagenase): breaks down supportive connective tissue (collagen) resulting in the mushy lesions of gas gangrene.
* mu toxin (hyaluronidase): breaks down the tissue cement that holds cells together in tissue.

Joseph, you got a good website you'd recommend?

ahhhhh ya,,,now I definatley wouldnt eat it,,lol

After reading the replies above and calling my mom (a hospital dietician), my mother-in-law (a retired caterer), and a couple of doctor friends, I tossed both the brisket and the butt. Live and learn, I guess.
In the process of all these calls, though, I also learned that I was getting robbed by the local butcher. My untrimmed whole brisket cost $3.99/lb - that's over $50 I spoiled. The butt was $1.89/lb, which I was happy about after spending $2.49/lb at the supermarket on the first one I did. Supposedly these prices are way high. What do y'all pay?

I got my last untrimmed whole brisket at about $1.50/lb.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
[qb] Joseph, you got a good website you'd recommend? [/qb]

Sure. One of the best all around references is The Bad Bug Book.

http://www.foodsafety.gov/~mow/intro.html

This page has a table showing which pathogens are toxin producing:

http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/fsefborn.html

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinJ:
[qb] I got my last untrimmed whole brisket at about $1.50/lb. [/qb]

Wow. I am getting robbed. Where?

If you have a great relationship with a butcher and enjoy premium meats, then you are going to pay a lot. If you are like most of us and are just trying to get a bunch of people happy, you are going to have to find a Costco/Sam's Club type outlet and buy in bulk.
Most supermarkets do not have the space to consistently stock the cuts of meat which we are interested in. To get a taste of spareribs at my Kroger's, you will have a choice between two packages at $3.49 per pound; Sam's is going to have a dozen double-packs on display for $2.09. Back ribs/babybacks are going to run $4.50 at the butcher, about $3.50 at Sam's. For pork butts they often go on sale at grocery stores for .79 per pound, but not always available. Sam's always has them at 1.21 per pound. If you want to make pastrami, corned beef brisket is widely cheap and available as Saint Patrick's Day approaches.
Always bear in mind that one of the pleasures of a slow cooking smoker is to turn inexpensive meat into delicious meals.

CowboyEsq

Ya gotta watch the ad's. Thriftway here in K.C.,Ks. most always has brisket or butt, in cryovac, on sale for .99/lb. I have a freezer with about 6 ea. just in case ....

quote:

[qb]Wow. I am getting robbed. Where? [/qb]

Sam's Club was the place. It was choice quality and ended up picking up 2, 1 10 lb and 1 14.5 lb.