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Original poster

...to have ham for dinner tonight after forgetting to put it in the fridge last night?

38 replies

MurkyMo · 26/05/2026 11:58

OK, I had one of those vacuum packed big ham fillets for dinner last night. I had simmered it in cider etc for hours and we only ate about a quarter of it. I wrapped it up in tinfoil and left it by the fridge to be put in there once it had cooled. However I completely forgot and it was out all night on the kitchen counter. It went in first thing this morning, 5.00.

So would it be unreasonable to have it again for dinner tonight or am I risking poisoning myself and himself??!

OP posts:
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muddyford · 30/05/2026 15:38

MPforTitipu · 26/05/2026 19:57

It's salted and soaked in alcohol. That's what people did before we had refrigeration to make meat last longer. I'd eat it.

So would I. And it's been cooked and quickly wrapped. Last night was cool here.

Idlikepeasplease · 30/05/2026 15:30

MurkyMo · 30/05/2026 12:03

But he's still alive! No ill effects at all. The rest of it is in the freezer now for future dinners. Lovely it was!!!

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Glad he was lucky op!!

E-coli takes up to a week to show symptoms though so 🤞😬 (bitter experience of a relative nearly dying from it 😩)

Zanatdy · 30/05/2026 12:05

Usually I would, and have. But not when it’s so hot (is here anyway).

Original poster
MurkyMo · 30/05/2026 12:03

MarmaladeSandwich7 · 27/05/2026 21:14

Absolutely not!

But he's still alive! No ill effects at all. The rest of it is in the freezer now for future dinners. Lovely it was!!!

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MarmaladeSandwich7 · 27/05/2026 21:14

Absolutely not!

Original poster
MurkyMo · 27/05/2026 07:17

He's still alive !

OP posts:
Original poster
MurkyMo · 26/05/2026 19:58

MyCottageGarden · 26/05/2026 19:55

Meat begins to grow bacteria after 60 mins out of the fridge.

The bacteria have to be there in numbers in the first place. Unlikely there were many on my ham considering it was simmering for hours and is stuffed full of nitrites and nitrates anyway.

OP posts:
MPforTitipu · 26/05/2026 19:57

It's salted and soaked in alcohol. That's what people did before we had refrigeration to make meat last longer. I'd eat it.

MyCottageGarden · 26/05/2026 19:55

Meat begins to grow bacteria after 60 mins out of the fridge.

VickyEadie · 26/05/2026 19:34

Growlybear83 · 26/05/2026 12:22

Im sure it will be fine. Before everyone had fridges, people used to eat cooked food the next day and didnt die 😆

No - but I was brought up in a house without a fridge and suffered repeated bouts of sjckness and diarrhoea, which I've alwags put down to lack of refrigeration.

Original poster
MurkyMo · 26/05/2026 19:32

OK, so the husband ate it. That was 2 hours ago and so far, so good!

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Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 26/05/2026 14:04

No I wouldn't. Possibly at Christmas overnight I'd risk it but no way last night.

I had gastroenteritis as a teenager probably from a pack of ham and it was horrible, couldn't stop puking up green gunk so it's a no from me.

Doesitneverend · 26/05/2026 12:52

Ham was always salted to preserve it though, so wasn't fresh.

I grew up in a house with an Aga, so the kitchen was always the warmest room in the house, which is where the ham lived. Either there or in the dining room which had an open fire. No one died or got food poisoning.

I am more cautious than my parents were but would still happily eat a ham that was still cooling down at bedtime and then refrigerated the next morning without even blinking.

Waitingfordoggo · 26/05/2026 12:50

My DH would happily eat it but I wouldn’t. I think my chances of getting ill would be very low but I wouldn’t be able to enjoy eating it.

Monty36 · 26/05/2026 12:45

Idlikepeasplease · 26/05/2026 12:31

This always gets mentioned, but back then it was a mix of food was fresher and often bought/eaten on the day, less waste, people used various preserving methods, people had pantries which kept food cold, and tbh sheer luck.

People did die from food poisoning. They still do now so to say they didnt then is completely untrue.

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Agree. And pork was eaten in the Autumn and Winter mostly.

Imfukinradiant · 26/05/2026 12:37

chirrupybird · 26/05/2026 12:10

I would eat it if it was wrapped in foil from being hot. Assuming no one handled it with mucky hands before it was wrapped up! If it was uncontaminated when wrapped up there shouldn't be much bacteria to multiply and ham is salted to keep it safe. If in doubt turn it into something that can get well heated again. I did slices of left over ham in (spicy) flour, egg and breadcrumbs and baked in the oven (or could be fried) recently. Although might not be the weather for that today!

Wrapping meat while it is hot is a recipe for disaster. It is one of the first flags on any basic food hygiene course.

Chiefangel · 26/05/2026 12:35

I would check any flies hadn’t got into it and personally I wouldn’t risk it because we’re in a heatwave.

Idlikepeasplease · 26/05/2026 12:31

Growlybear83 · 26/05/2026 12:22

Im sure it will be fine. Before everyone had fridges, people used to eat cooked food the next day and didnt die 😆

This always gets mentioned, but back then it was a mix of food was fresher and often bought/eaten on the day, less waste, people used various preserving methods, people had pantries which kept food cold, and tbh sheer luck.

People did die from food poisoning. They still do now so to say they didnt then is completely untrue.

Redflagsabounded · 26/05/2026 12:30

I'm pretty laissez-faire about these things but there's a world of difference between Christmas and a hot night! I wouldn't risk it.

I once risked some bacon I wasn't sure about - I couldn't even tell you what it tasted like as my body reacted immediately and involuntary spat it out in a millisecond, thank goodness. Even cured meats go off.

Original poster
MurkyMo · 26/05/2026 12:28

Well I mentioned it to himself and he said, so what, I'll eat it! I'm not so sure though so his and hers dinner tonight I think! I'll definitely discard the outside slice though.

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sprigatito · 26/05/2026 12:28

Yellowpingu · 26/05/2026 12:23

Christmas ham so in the middle of winter and quite possibly in a house with single glazing and no central heating so the house would be under 10°C through the night. Fine then, but not in the middle of a heatwave!

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Central heating was widespread when most MNers were children! Open fires were also more common. I remember staying with relatives for Christmas and being absolutely fucking boiling all the time. If anything, our generation is more likely to crack a window every now and again.

MonsterasEverywhere · 26/05/2026 12:27

I definitely wouldn't eat it. The temperatures overnight would have created an opportunity for bacteria to multiply. I certainly wouldn't serve it to anyone else. Trust me, food poisoning from pork is nasty.

Monty36 · 26/05/2026 12:26

No. Annoying but not worth being ill over.

Yellowpingu · 26/05/2026 12:23

MurkyMo · 26/05/2026 12:00

It was 20 - 21 degrees. I know, I know, probably best not to eat it but I remember years ago Christmas hams being left out over night.

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Christmas ham so in the middle of winter and quite possibly in a house with single glazing and no central heating so the house would be under 10°C through the night. Fine then, but not in the middle of a heatwave!

Growlybear83 · 26/05/2026 12:22

Im sure it will be fine. Before everyone had fridges, people used to eat cooked food the next day and didnt die 😆