Cooking beef stew...

[Carty76]

In my exhausted fuzz I have just prepared and out in the oven a beef stew. I have just realised that the recipe states it needs to cook for 3.5 hours. By the time it's cooked and cooled it'll be God knows what time. After a rather difficult day with my sick baby I seriously need sleep!!

My question is would I be safe to let it cool in the oven overnight ready to freeze tomorrow morning?

[CarpeJugulum]

I've done it; bunged a lid on, left it to cool and it was actually not quite cold in the morning. Just thoroughly reheat when eating.

[Carty76]

That's exactly what I thought might happen! I was just going to leave it in the oven with foil on...

[Carty76]

P.S. The beef stew is for my baby that's why I just want to be totally sure

[CarpeJugulum]

I certainly fed mine reheated stew. Not till he was older though as he wouldn't touch it until he was older - maybe 8-10 months?

[ouryve]

Not - take it out of the oven and put it in a cool room to cool down. Cooling slowly can be lethal. My oven takes about 4 hours to fully cool down with the door shut, when it's empty. Having a hot stew in there would make it take longer.

If it's for your baby, then portion it while still hot and it should cool a lot more quickly.

[ooerrmissus]

If baby is likely to wake in the night and you can put the stew in the fridge then, then fine. Otherwise take it out now and cook tomorrow.

[bobs123]

When its cooked put it somewhere safe outside overnight to cool? Check night temps first - here it's going to be 1-5 degrees and fridge temp is 4 degrees.