I have a beef stew cooking for tomorrow night, is that too long?

[MrsTumbletap]

So I want to come home to the smell of beef stew cooking like I did when I was a kid.

But I don't have time to make a stew in the morning before work, so I have whacked it all in the slow cooker on low. But won't that be over cooked by tomorrow at 5pm?

Don't have a mum anymore to ask these things. Google says 8-10 hours do does everyone just do it in the morning?!

It's fine to leave to cool down in a slow cooker. It's not the height of summer.

Just heat it up quickly on the stove. Always heat it back up quickly.

I would not take it out after cooking for a while, cool it down and then cook it again later. It's a finish what you start with me.

Yep that’s what my mum and my gran used to do.

Nobody ever got ill. As long as it’s covered which means no flies can get near it, it will be fine later in the day.

My great aunt didn’t own a fridge and she lived to the grand old age of 92 without getting ill from eating reheated stews.

Wolfie I am talking about what I do in my own kitchen at home. I adhere to rules and laws at work so my customers have no worries..

Dear god.
Many years ago houses weren’t insulated and didn’t have central heating. They were MUCH colder than most houses in the U.K. today. (Bitter memories of ice on the inside of the windows at granny’s house!)
It’s not fine to leave cooked food sitting in a slow cooker (still hot) for 24 hours. That’s bad advice. It really is.
By all means do things your own way but don’t give potentially dangerous advice online. You have no idea who will be eating this.

Buy a timer plug. Prepare your stew the evening before. Put it in the slow cooker,
cover and put in the fridge. Take it out in the morning. Set your timer plug so that the stew will be ready for you coming home.

Timer plugs aren’t recommended either. The food sits at an ambient temperature for too long.
You can buy slow cookers that have a keep warm setting but even then you shouldn’t leave food in them for 24 hours.

I often do slow cooker stuff for 24 hours, although usually larger cuts like chine or a lamb shoulder. Longer is better in my book. Think veg might be a bit mushy with a long cook, but chop it now and add in the morning.

Your slow cooker manual should give you some basic advice. 24 hours is way too long.

Cook over night. Leave to cool, and reheat thoroughly (ie piping/bubbling) for tea time.

I don't bother with the fridge if it is just getting eaten at tea time - but that brings out MN in panics.!

I cool things with lids quickly outside the back door then fridge. Jellies set that way too.

Round these parts we have a stew called 'Lobby' (bit like Scouse). Everything is chucked in and its simmered for hours.

Its then turned off overnight and left on the hob. Next day it gets reheated and again left on the hob. If you're lucky there will be some left by the third day because thats the day the spoon stands upright and it tastes amazing.
We've done this for years, going back for hundreds I suspect. The dish itself existed before fridges.

Puts hairs on your chest 😂