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AIBU?

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Original poster

to not eat chicken casserole left out overnight?

92 replies

tumpymummy · 15/04/2017 18:50

Help! We have just arrived at MIL's house for Easter weekend. She is getting dinner ready which is a chicken casserole. However she has just said that she made the casserole yesterday and has left it on the hob for 24 hours! Hubby asked why she hadn't put it in the fridge after making it? She says it was because she couldn't lift the pan (too heavy with casserole in) and that it will be fine!!! I dont think it will and would never normally eat chicken that hasn't been refridgerated. I have said to hubby that I am not happy eating it, but he says we have to so as not to offend her after she has been to all this trouble. She also had the heating on today so it's not as though her kitchen has been cool all day. What do I do?!

OP posts:
anyoldname76 · 15/04/2017 19:49

id eat it, if it gave me food poisening it would be a good excuse not to eat there again Grin

User4637384885 · 15/04/2017 19:56

I'm vegetarian so wouldn't eat it anyway, but if I wasn't I wouldn't trust it. It's really not sensible with poultry I understand.

Igneococcus · 15/04/2017 20:01

I'd eat it, assuming it was cooked through properly and covered up all day, and I'm a microbiologist.

CrowyMcCrowFace · 15/04/2017 20:16

I'd eat if thoroughly reheated.

The only time I've ever suffered from food poisoning it was from a dodgy takeaway. Chicken Shwarma in a hot country with flies buzzing round. It was spectacularly grim although I did lose half a stone in a week, so not all bad!

I wouldn't feed it to kids though, I don't think. I'm happy to risk d&v myself but not to upset their stomachs.

Realistically, if you don't fancy it, fair enough...

MulderitsmeX · 15/04/2017 20:21

I defo would not eat it. I know someone who was once hospital because of chicken food poisoning.

My friend is in food health and safety and would defo advise against this. Tbh thats a bit gross, ill eat veg that's been out in casserole but not meat!

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 15/04/2017 20:24

100% no.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 15/04/2017 20:28

As long as it's been covered and is properly heated and simmered for a bit it will be fine. I always leave big pans of stuff out overnight and give that treatment.

Wouldn't do it with rice though.

whatisforteamum · 15/04/2017 20:32

No way.where I work food has to be refrigerated 90 minutes after cooking as harmful bacteria can multiply.why risk food poisoning I would tell your Mil this is far from ideal for her to do this and risk her health.

StealthPolarBear · 15/04/2017 20:34

How do you refrigerate exactly 90 mins after cooking? A stew or chilli or something would still be very hot.

Oblomov17 · 15/04/2017 20:36

I eat this kind of thing all the time. But then, I have the stomach of a rock!

HurricaneHalle · 15/04/2017 20:43

I'd become vegan by the time she dishes up.

Igneococcus · 15/04/2017 21:00

If you cook a casserole (which usually are cooked for quite some time) and leave the lid on from the moment you turn the heat off, where are all those harmfull bacteria coming from? Neither Salmonella nor Campylobacter survive being boiled for more than a couple of minutes. Unless mil's kitchen is utterly disgustingly filthy i can simply not see how you would get a big enough number of microbes in that casserole to spoil it in that time. It would be different if it wasn't covered, or if she sprinkled some herbs on top that she chopped on a board she used for raw chicken or something like that but cooked thoroughly and covered all the time, I really wouldn't worry.

CherylVole · 15/04/2017 21:05

Campalybactr ( yes I had it) is from UNCOOKED chicken

UppityHumpty · 15/04/2017 21:06

I'd eat it if it was heated up thoroughly.

228agreenend · 15/04/2017 21:06

If it was cooked, then that's fine. I often batch cook and leave things on the cooker overnight because it hasn't cooled enough to go into the fridge.

It was prepared, ie, veg and raw chicken in a pan, and not cooked, I wouldn't.

Original poster
tumpymummy · 15/04/2017 21:52

So! It was left in the pot all day covered up and it was well heated up so DH and the kids (teenagers) ate it! Luckily we were allowed to serve ourselves so I just dished up a small portion without much meat in. MIL did remark that I wasn't eating much but I said I wasn't hungry. Luckily I had pigged a doughnut with my cup of tea not long before dinner so I wouldn't be hungry. Afterwards there was loads left so I very quickly suggested that tomorrow we eat out at a favourite restaurant and was very encouraging when MIL suggested freezing it for herself in small portions. Fingers crossed we won't be up all night. Confused

OP posts:
Firesuit · 15/04/2017 22:41

I went through a phase where I'd cook a meal in a pot, say a curry, for supper, then have it again for lunch and supper the following day and lunch on the third day. It stayed in the pot on the stove the whole time and was just reheated for the next meal. Never had any problems. (Would always make fresh rice to accompany.)

Oysterbabe · 15/04/2017 22:45

I'd eat it, I do this kind of thing all the time and it's never caused me any issues.

pardrej · 15/04/2017 22:52

I would ¯\(ツ)/¯

haveacupoftea · 15/04/2017 22:54

I would eat it if I wasn't pregnant.

SuperRainbows · 16/04/2017 07:54

Hope you're all feeling okay.

user1491572121 · 16/04/2017 08:03

I'd eat it.

Whisky2014 · 16/04/2017 08:06

I would eat it. Not an issue

TheWayYouLookTonight · 16/04/2017 08:06

I'd eat it, assuming it was cooked through properly and covered up all day, and I'm a microbiologist

Me too. Also a microbiologist. Any bacteria would have been killed in the initial cooking, and keeping the lid on tight will prevent there being any new bacteria introduced. Just reheat to piping hot to be doubly sure and off you go! Hope you and your family don't suffer any ill effects OP.

Scribblegirl · 16/04/2017 08:12

Oh god absolutely would. When I cook a casserole in my cast-iron in the evening I don't usually bother to put it in the fridge until the next morning. It takes hours to cool down enough to put in the fridge and I refuse to stay up to 2am just to put away a casserole Grin