We often see Muslims eating food that is piping hot, whether in or outside Ramadan. Our cultures have conditioned us to believe that the food is best when it is hot and smoking, when in reality it is the opposite. I wanted to mention that the Sunnah is to cool the food because it has more barakah.

عن أسماء بنتِ أبِي بكرٍ أنها كانت إذا ثرَدَتْ غطَّتْه شيئًا حتى يذهب فورُه ودخانُه ثم تقول : إني سمعتُ رسولَ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ يقول إنه أعظمُ لِلبركةِ

On the authority of Asmaa bint Abi Bakr radiallahu anha that when she made tharid, she would cover it until it is bubbling and smoke disappeared. Then she said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah sallahu alayhi wa salam say: It is greater in blessings”

[Silsilatus-Saheeha (2/262)]

Also:

قال أبو هريرةَ : لا يُؤكلُ طعامٌ حتى يذهبَ بُخارُهُ

Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu said: “Do not eat food until the steam disappears”

[Graded Saheeh by Al-Albani in al-Irwaa al-Ghalil no. 1978]
We even use the idiom “fresh out of the oven” in our society as a praise, when in reality it is something blameworthy and against the Sunnah.

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan