to not put the chilli in the fridge overnight?

[Bogeyface]

I should say that our kitchen is very cool overnight and first thing in the morning.

I make chilli the day before we are having it and then leave it to "ferment" overnight. I find that it doesnt seem to get such intense flavours if I fridge it. I have been doing this for years and we have never been ill, I cook it through properly first and as I say, the kitchen is always cool.

DH only just realised I do this and is now paranoid we will all die of food poisoning! I wouldnt do it if it was warm in there, but should I fridge it?

In winter I frequently leave soups/stews out. In this weather, I wouldn't. I bought perfect looking strawberries and raspberries in M&S yesterday. They were already mouldy this morning!

I agree with you, chilli's better the next day and putting it in the fridge would obviously stop the process.

Are you going to reheat it before you eat it? Presumably, if it's well heated, any nasties will be overcome by the furnace of simmering spices that is your lunch. I'd also say that, if it was hot when you put the lid on and the lid stays on, it's almost vacuum sealed so the risk is tiny. Elf'n'safety might not like that though.

The most viable alternative is to cook it overnight in a slow cooker. Ask DH if he'd rather wake up to a house reeking of chilli

Well....you probably should put it in the fridge, but I'm guilty of doing this exact thing on Monday night.

I'm fine, the children are fine, DH is fine.

Can you stick it in the (off) oven so he can't see it?

Ugh I can never do chilli in the slow cooker - it's always really watery!

Hah, good plan Snatch!

I've left a gammon joint in the, now turned off, slow cooker. I'm convinced it will improve it!

You're right, stuff made with mince goes a bit slimy in the slow cooker (or maybe I'm doing it wrong.) You're not "leaving it out", Bogey. It's a planned maturation phase.

I do leave it in the oven without taking the lid off so I guess it is sealed and yes, I do reheat it to boiling point. Bugger him, he is the one that loves chilli the rest of us can take it or leave it! So he can either do without or risk his life :o

You're not "leaving it out", Bogey. It's a planned maturation phase.

thank you, I will use this phrase from now on!

Re making it in the slow cooker, you dont need anywhere near as much liquid as you do on the stove or in the oven. Fry off the mince and onions and drain all the fat off (this is the only time I would advocate mince rinsing :o) and add half the amount of liquid you would normally use. Slow cookers dont allow for evapouration like you would get on the stove or in the oven so all the liquid is retained and therefore makes it much more watery.

Yikes, is it not warm these days where you live. The recommended time to leave cooked meat out is 2 hours.
I might leave it out overnight during winter, but not in this weather.

I leave loads of sealed pans of things out and never have food poisoning issues.As long as it's not rice and will be cooked through thoroughly I don't see the problem.

Many people around the world don't have larder size fridges.

We put chili in the fridge once it's cooled. It still tastes better the next day.

I made chilli last night and it is safely tucked up in the fridge and like Testing it will still taste better when I reheat it. I wouldn't risk it and I'm fairly slapdash with bacteria and use by dates.

I leave stews out overnight as I tend to cook big batches later in the evening and they aren't cool when I go to bed. I'd never thought about it "maturing" more as not safe to put in the fridge when warm. But I also have a cool kitchen (most of the year). I think any "standing" time improves the flavour, whether refrigerated or not.