Leaving the food out to cool off after cooking

Question

After cooking, if the food is hot I heard it is better to leave it out until it cools. Why? Because if you place it hot in the refrigerator, the bacteria will grow there.
On the other hand, I think that leaving it out too much on the shelf would also attract bacteria.
So what is the truth? What should I do, leaving it out to cool off or placing it hot in the refrigerator?

Answer

I leave my hot food (usually stews or soups) out (things like steaks and such go right in, covered), for a while, for a number of reasons:

1. A 'skin' forms over the top of the liquid, preventing evaporation via steaming, which creates a cooling effect.

2. I stir the pot frequently, bringing the hottest food out of the center, allowing it to cool faster.

3. I don't want to put hot food in the refer, it will tend to warm up the other foods already in there.

4. I like to cover the food once it's in the refer. If I put a pot in uncovered, the chances are fairly good that I'll forget about it and have dried glop the next day.

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