help! worrying about food poisoning

[bathsh3ba]

I was meant to be cooking for 10 tonight - 9 healthy adults, 1 8 yo. I made lasagne this morning and took it out the oven about midday - piping hot and I checked temperature, it was 80 degrees so over the 72 recommended. I cooled on the counter for an hour then put the two big dishes in the fridge. 2 hours later they are still warm in the middle - about 20 degrees. Am I going to give everyone food poisoning if I reheat thoroughly in another 2 hours?

Nah, it'll be fine.

I'd eat it anyway

It will be absolutely fine. I regularly cook this dish for 100 people at a time at work, and I have never poisoned them yet!

I wouldn't even have bothered fridging it, no need to worry at all!

It's the whole danger zone thing that worries me but it is hard to work out how long it has been in It!

Put the thermometer away!

Absolutely fine! It’s beef, you don’t need to check the temp!

You're reheating these lasagnes thoroughly though, right? So no worries.

Got home after picking up daughter and lasagnes now cold so feeling less worried! Yes I will reheat them thoroughly but if they didn't chill till after 4 they may have been in danger zone over 4 hours. Only just though so will take the chance and hope all ok!

You actually check the temperature with a thermometer?

I really think you need to throw your thermometer away.

Only if cooking a roast normally but I was paranoid about cooking for so many! Even without the thermometer them still being warm would have worried me!

But they have to be warm in order to get cool? So long as you reheat then well it's fine!

No it'll be fine. I often cook a big one, cook the beef, make up the lasagne, sprinkle the cheese on ready for cooking and leave it be in a cold oven for several hours. Then I cook it for 45 minutes before serving.

Been doing this for 20 plus years, never given anyone food poisoning yet (and I regularly remind my family of this fact).

I remember my mum making beef stew and leaving it sitting on the hob for an entire week, being reheated and then back to room temperature every day and not once refrigerated.
We never got ill and the flavour seemed to intensify each day!

Good luck with your dinner! There will be no poisoning though. You’ll have to work harder on that, shellfish and green eggs and stuff. It’ll be fine!