To eat chilli left out overnight

[Purplegiraffe345]

I batch cooked chilli last night, put it in sealed containers and left it on the side to cool. I finished cooking around 8pm but realised around 5am this morning that the pots were still out on the side. I then put the pots in the fridge. I plan to freeze them later.

Will they be OK to eat?

It will be frowned upon on Mumsnet, but we would eat literally anything left out overnight and always have. Its not like we live somewhere hot. Just heat it to a high enough temperature when you reheat it and it will be fine.

It’ll be fine. Just make sure you heat it properly when you eat it.

@Purplegiraffe345 i have always left food out overnight because it’s too hot at my bedtime to put in the fridge or freezer. I eat that food routinely several times a week and have never (touch wood!!) had a problem. Unless your house is super warm I wouldn’t worry at all.

I have, lots of times. I don't bother putting it in the fridge and just have some out of the pot for lunch the next day. Though I make it with lentils not meat.

Yes, I would ( and have done). I guess the only exception would be those hot steamy summer night, but I guess you wouldn’t be eating chilli then!

Don’t like putting warm food in the fridge, and I’m not staying up to 2am waiting for it to cool down!

I frequently leave dishes like this in a cast iron pot to cool overnight on the hob, it will be absolutely fine.

Thanks all these posts have given me some reassurance. Il give it a go!

How warm is your house overnight?

If it's cosy then I wouldn't but if it's an ice block I'd be tempted.

I’m sure the food safety advice would say no but I’ve accidentally done this with chilli, casserole etc before, put it in the fridge as soon as I realised in the morning and always eaten it and always been fine. So I would.

ps reheat to piping hot, obviously.

I would still eat it. Unless your kitchen is 25 degrees.

Yes, we did this at the weekend. We were going to be late back Sunday so cooked a chilli Saturday and left it in the pot on the stove. Gently heated it up on Sunday until piping hot then did the rice. It was absolutely fine.

Room temp overnight would be plenty cool enough. I wouldn't give it a second thought. I always let things cool down to room temp before I refrigerate.

I would 👌🏻 no problem 🤣

I would because I live in England and it isn't that hot. Don't know what temp you kitchen is overnight but mine is cool. There won't have been exponential growth of bacteria because it was on the counter. Also I'd hear it to repasteurise it.

100% yes

Well I am super fussy about this sort of thing generally and even I would totally eat this (would make sure it’s piping hot though)

Tbh I often accidentally forget to refrigerate food that I have left out to cool down. Always eat it after reheating it to a very high temp. Never had an issue

Honestly shocked at the number of people who'd throw it away. We often leave food out overnight (rather than putting warm food in the fridge) and eat it the next day. Never been ill from that.

I literally do this a few times a week, not poisoned yet!

I can't believe people would throw it away - that's insane

I’d eat that - if just make sure it was brought to a high temp when reheating

I've been eating things like that for years and I'm still living. It'll be fine. Some cultures leave rice in the rice cooker overnight 🤷

I would eat it cold 😂😂
But I've a stomach of iron

Oh god I never even put stuff into Tupperware until the next morning. We eat quite late so food is still warm when we go to bed. Chilli, spag bol, curries etc... Just leave them in the pan on the hob with a lid on and sort them out the next morning. Never had any problems!

(Obviously wouldn't do this on a hot summers day but 90% of the year in the UK isn't warm anyway!)

As long as your kitchen isn't warm then i would and have done many tines with leftovers which I've forgotten to put in the fridge. I don't have a radiator in my kitchen tho and I wouldn't in the summer.

I've done this quite a few times and have never had any issues.