Left beef casserole outside overnight 🙄

[Naughty1205]

Just a quick question: Can anyone can help. I cooked a beef casserole yesterday evening to eat today, as was trying to be super organised (that being my first mistake 🙄). I tried to cool it quickly before putting it in the fridge, by leaving it covered outside the back door, but only forgot to bloody bring it back inside until 7.30 this morning. Am fuming with myself. It's been in the fridge since, but after googling, it says to cool and refrigerate hot food within 2 hours or throw it out. I was just wondering if it would be best to get rid of it. It might be too risky? Thanks!

Thanks Lola! Nice and fresh!

4 degrees is what many fridges are. You'll be fine.

It will be fine. As long as nothing has been able to get into it.

I’ve fairly often left a pot of stew/chilli/curry in the kitchen overnight and eaten it the next day (in winter- would be a lot more wary in the summer).

I wouldn't worry on account of temperature but I'd check it really carefully for insects tbh.

I don’t really understand what you’re worried about. I would not be remotely concerned about eating a cooked casserole that had been left out in the kitchen, covered, overnight so same applies to it being outside (as long as no animals have got to it).

People worry far too much about refrigerating stuff these days. It’s likely to have developed a much better flavour by being left out of the fridge as well. Please don’t spoil it by boiling it, unless the liquid needs to be reduced anyway.

That's just extra protein! 😂

We just leave it on the counter overnight. I know you should refrigerate really but we have been fine doing this so far.

🐜🐜😁

Oh yeah, I didn't think about the insects aspect.

Thanks all. The lid is very tight fitting so not worried about insects. I put it into a different dish and into the oven at 180 for an hour. It did need to reduce a bit. It was piping hot. I'm sure it'll be grand 🤞

I wouldn't as I'd worry about cats/ rats / slugs as I live in the country