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Christmas

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Original poster

Boxing Bolognese day panic

22 replies

bravefox · 25/12/2023 11:05

Help!

Hosting on Boxing Day. Thought I'd do spaghetti bolognese as it's an easy crowd pleaser.

Made sauce last night to save time. Finished cooking at about 10pm, left it out to cool before bridging but then forgot about it until about 7am this morning when I came down, so it's just been out on the counter with lid on overnight.

It's now in the fridge but panicking I might kill my whole family if I serve it to them tomorrow. Not sure of alternatives though given all the shops are shut. Wwyd??!

OP posts:

chipsandpeas · 25/12/2023 11:09

it will be fine

BIWI · 25/12/2023 11:10

It will be fine. Presumably it was relatively cool in your kitchen? Just make sure when you re-heat it that you bring it to a rolling boil, and then simmer it for at least 10-15 minutes.

Amandasummers · 25/12/2023 11:13

My mother in law leaves shit like this out on the job for days on end and they’re all still alive and kicking!! It will be fine x

minipie · 25/12/2023 11:51

I have done this at least twice. Add some water and mix in, simmer it strongly so it bubbles, stirring often so it doesn’t stick. That will kill off most things.

AnnaMagnani · 25/12/2023 11:53

It'll be fine.

Key thing is not to tell anyone.

Isthiscorrect · 25/12/2023 11:54

Don't worry. As other posters said it will be fine. Add some liquid and boil. Don't let it stick. You'll be fine. And enjoy today. Relax

Garman · 25/12/2023 11:57

It will be fine. Maybe learn a bit more about food safety, or I hope you’re exaggerating with the “it might kill everyone” comment.

MumHereAgain2023 · 25/12/2023 12:00

I would not be eating or serving it. You could easily make everyone sick

Mynewnameis · 25/12/2023 12:01

Just reheat it really well

MerryCheesemas · 25/12/2023 12:02

It’ll be fine. I do this all the time, never killed anyone yet

Whattodo112222 · 25/12/2023 12:03

It's sauce, so presume no meat in it? It'll be fine. Stop panicking.

Dartmoorcheffy · 25/12/2023 12:05

It will be absolutely fine. Its just sauce and would habe been too hot to go in the fridge anyway.

minipie · 25/12/2023 12:17

Whattodo112222 · 25/12/2023 12:03

It's sauce, so presume no meat in it? It'll be fine. Stop panicking.

It’s bolognese, it has meat. Will still be fine.

momager1 · 25/12/2023 12:38

It will be fine. Just make sure that you add a little water and heat it for at least 15 min before serving. OR if you have a crockpot, bung it in there and put it on low for several hours. I just screwed up and left a whole pot of mexican rice on the stove from last night, meant to freeze it. Now THAT has to go in the bin as rice is the worst for food poisoning.

Original poster

bravefox · 25/12/2023 12:52

Ok thank you everybody that's reassuring! I might try heating up a small bit later and seeing if I live to tell the tale....

OP posts:

HippeePrincess · 25/12/2023 12:56

I’d risk it if it was just the veg based sauce but absolutely not if it had the meat in.

Everyone says to eat it and they haven’t killed anyone yet but almost everytime I go to one friends house and we eat there I get so sick that I won’t eat her food anymore as I know they leave stuff out all the time overnight having forgotten about it in the oven etc. We always get a takeaway now and miraculously I’m not sick after eating there anymore.

cornonthesnob · 25/12/2023 15:07

I've done this umpteen times and lived to tell the tale.

I've done it with chicken too. (Shoot me..)

QueSyrahSyrah · 25/12/2023 15:17

It'll be absolutely fine.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 25/12/2023 15:33

It will be fine.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 25/12/2023 15:38

You couldn't have put it in the fridge hot so save getting up at 3am to put it away when cool I'm not sure what else you could have done.
anyway I do this all the time. Nobody has suffered any ill effects. If you're going to bring it to the boil you'll kill off any food borne nasties anyway
i have an advanced food hygiene certificate as i worked as a chef for some time and ran my own business at home (I would never be so blasé with customer food btw !) so I'm not ignorant about food safety. However, as I said, unless you've got a blast chiller you wouldn't have had much option anyway. If you are worried about that sort of thing I would avoid making food late at night as it's an inevitable issue how to cool it when you want to go to bed. Helpfully I have a freezing cold outisde utility room in the garage which cools everything down double quick in the winter

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 25/12/2023 15:44

Also do you have any vulnerable guests ? By that I mean young children, elderly, immune suppressed or pregnant as they are more susceptible to food borne microbes. If you want to stick on the safe side don't give it to anyone vulnerable but most people's constitutions will be more than up to seeing off any issues

Iknowtheyareusefulstorage · 25/12/2023 15:49

It will be fine - I do this all the time. Make sure it's piping hot when reheated and add a glass of red wine 😉

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