Can I leave a casserole in the oven overnight?

[SeeBoobies]

I'm cooking a beef casserole in the oven tonight and it will be ready at eleven. Can I turn the oven off and leave it there overnight or am I risking food poisoning?

It's best to cool food down quickly rather than slowly and reheat to piping hot if you're intending to eat it at a later date. 'Tepid' food is a haven for bacteria.

Agree with Cogito. But it's probably too late now! I'd have cooled it quickly.

If it was piping hot and you haven't opened the casserole, I would think you're fine. Anything that was in it will be dead from the cooking and if you haven't opened it no other organisms will have leapt in. Just reheat thoroughly.

Thanks for the advice everyone - sorry - bit slow replying. Cooled it quickly in the end. Kids refused to eat the damn thing next day anyway obviously. . .