AIBU to be worried about my mother's idea on food safety? Or am I acting the wanker?

[Wombmates]

I decided to 'host' Christmas at my house this year as my brother is with his wife's family and it's not fair for mum and dad to always cook... However, mum has said she will buy the lion's share of the food (very sweet offer).
We are not exactly traditionalists and every year, we have the same thing - chicken breast ''rolled and stuffed' - if I had to guess I would say it was about 5-7lbs of meat, which we eat for the roast and then have as leftovers.
Mum has already bought this joint of meat and frozen it, so I said to her, I shall collect it on the 23rd so that I can defrost it in my fridge in time for the morning of the 25th. Mum says to me ''No bother, I shall defrost it on the worktop on the 24th and you can collect it on Christmas Eve night''. I said, "oh, I don't think it should be defrosted on the worktop - isn't that unsafe?" Mum breezily assures me that is the way she does it every year ''a day on the worktop and it's fine''. To be fair, we have never been sick from it (what we don't know...)

In 2007 I got seriously ill from chicken from a pub which was later found to have been kept in cold water in the filthy sink instead of the fridge (ok I was nicely compensated but the almost three weeks in hospital weren't great). Since then, I've probably been a bit ''over the top'' with food safety.

Since she said about leaving it on the worktop for ''a day'' I've been freaking out.

Sorry if this seems pathetic - but it's causing me no end of worry. Any advice? Do you think I should just tell her the 24th is no good for me and collect it -frozen- on the 23rd and just defrost it myself in the fridge? Again, I realise this may sound trite when there are so many other things to worry about, but any advice would be great. Thanks

I honestly don't understand what you think will happen - the food will be frozen and while it's defrosting it will stay chilled. Presumably it'll be covered in its plastic and then when it's defrosted it'll be blasted in the oven. It will be fine. You will be fine - stop worrying, enjoy a cocktail and forget about it!

Come to the Christmas bargains thread; £15-£20 a head should be very doable .

I work daily with bacteria, see the causes of good poisoning etc and I would defrost food on the work too. I this it's more unhygienic to have defrosting dripping food in a fridge contaminating other food. I think you should relax a little chances are where you got sick we're using unhygienic prep methods in an unclean environment. Unless your mother plans to defrost it a week before, or defrost and refreeze I wouldn't panic.

Are they different from the causes of bad poisoning?

(Sorry, it was just such a lovely typo... )

Haha anadventure, obviously my autocorrect is having a funny day. Obviously I see causes of FOOD poisoning, good poisoning rarely happens (unless it's before a big event where you wish you could lose a stone in an instant)

My lovely mum's house is an absolute pigsty (sorry Mum) and I never got sick. I am a complete germaphobe so know how you feel. However, most of the billions of bacteria that will breed during the 24 hours on the worktop will be killed during the cooking process.

Just make sure you cook it properly - I am sure you will

It'll be fine, it's how I defrost meat. If I defrost in the fridge it takes ages and I still end up with icy bits in the middle.

I would be more worried about defrosting in the fridge and it not thoroughly thawing. Now that would be dangerous.

I defrost everything on the worktop and then bung it in the fridge while still cold. No one's died yet.

We always went to Christmas dinner with Gran. I was perhaps about 10yo when dm discovered gran's preparation of the turkey went along the lines of:

1. Wash turkey in sink.
2. Place turkey on side
3. Dry turkey off with tea towel.
4. Put turkey in bowl.
5. put tea towel to dry where it would be used to dry up later.

None of us died got food poisoning,. But dm did offer to prepare the turkey in future (and "accidently" threw the tea towel away)

don't wash the turkey anyway, tea towel or not!

I know that everyone means well with their reassurances that defrosting on the worktop is fine. It really isn't.
It might be fine for you, with your strong stomach or you may have just been lucky. In reality it is an excellent way to give yourself and your family a big dose of nasty bacteria that would have been prevented if it had been defrosted in the fridge. The young/elderly and people with suppressed immune systems can be made very ill like this.

My Mum can't understand my 'ways' and wonders 'where I got them from' Just do what makes you feel happy - you are the one cooking it :)

I'm vegetarian so don't have to deal with the whole meat/poultry defrosting anymore, but in the past would have done it either way, depending on the weather and space in the fridge.

Sorry US link, www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/the-big-thaw-safe-defrosting-methods-for-consumers/CT_Index

Stuff never defrosts in my fridge. I defrosted some bolognese on the radiator yesterday

I have never had serious food poisoning though so I am possibly being a bit cavalier...

Well I've worked as a restaurant manager for many years and have a food hygiene certificate (blah blah blah!) And I have to say where do all the calculatorsgo is right.

There is an increased risk of bacteria and therefore food poisoning from defrosting on a worktop. You should always really defrost in a fridge, preferably on the bottom shelf so juices etc do not drip down if any manage to escape.

Of course if you do defrost on the worktop it doesn't automatically mean you will get food poisoning as other posters show but there is certainly an increased risk and its not something I would do.

I've always defrosted on the worktop if I've got less time, or the fridge if I've got plenty of time. Those of you saying it isn't safe- what's the actual reason for this? I'd be interested to know.

kinkyfuckery I always defrost meat and fish on the worktop. We always have pheasants for Christmas dinner and I did one year have to retrieve a fortnately still cling filmed pheasant from the cat. Cue shrieks of horror on here but it was going in the oven at 200c.

I'm glad you posted this OP. I don't defrost in the fridge because it never seems to defrost properly but I always have a niggling sense that's the way I'm supposed to do it.

Glad to see I'm not being hopelessly cavalier with my familys digestive health!

I don't defrost in the fridge it would take weeks to do a turkey. It took four days for half a pound of mince and that was still icy in the middle.
With something like a turkey or chicken that you can't see inside I would rather it be defrosted out of the fridge and thoroughly cooked rather than risk it going in the oven still frozen.

Didn't they used to tell yuu to put the turkey in tepid water?

Doesn't everyone defrost this way? Is there any other way? YABU OP, but then you now know this.

Despite what any overly conservative food guidelines may say, defrosting food on a worktop is fine if you don't leave it out too long. Meat does not immediately become toxic waste if left at room temperature for a bit. We don't mine turkey carcasses out of ice in antarctica - they are warm when the turkey is first killed.

I just avoid buying frozen chicken tbh as I am a bit overly cautious and don't like anything that has no hard and fast rule to it...I buy a fresh one and cook it from the fridge.

once a year as not great with cooking meat anyway

and free range

poor thing

dissolves into tears

I take things out of the freezer in the morning, defrost on worktop during the day, cook that evening. I would never be organized enough to allow the extra time to defrost things in the fridge.

Thanks once again for all your answers - I am still unsure what I am going to do - knowing me I shall pop to mum's on the 23rd and grab it out of her freezer then and pop it in my fridge. (I know to keep it at the bottom of the fridge) - I think it will just give me peace of mind. I know I am being ridiculous .... yet somehow, I can't help it :)

Hoping you all have a wonderful Christmas :)