Can I eat chili that sat out overnight (covered in a saucepan)?

Sure, it's fine. My ol man has been doing it all his life and hasn't gotten sick or died yet...but I keep hopin! ;)

throw it out

throw it out


Finally someone with common sense

You cooked it yesterday, that sterilized it. The lid prevented it from contacting the air, its ok today still. Before refrigeration, people ate stuff out of the dutch oven for days (peas porridge in the pot 9 days old). I wouldn't test it beyond 2-3 days too much, but 1 day old is fine, especially when covered, and spiced with habeneros.






and if you use clean technique when cooking, not cross contaminating stuff


I agree w/ShadowDander and the AC. Chili cooks a long time and should have been sterile when the heat was last on.

I leave food out overnight all the time. But It does depend on what the food is.

For example, foods like chili that have garlic, onions and other allicins in it contain natural anti-microbials that kill germs. So if you cook with a lot of spices like that, you can generally expect that they take longer to spoil.

Also, if your chili has tomato and salt in it, the acid and the salt also makes it harder for most bacteria to grow.

It would take at least 2 days for something like a covered pot of chili to turn.

Left out overnight should be okay.

I wouldn't do this in any commercial operation, just my own kitchen.

Yeah, made a pot of chili last night, forgot to put it in the fridge - been sitting for about 24 hours now covered in a saucepan. Will it be okay if I boil it before eating it?

It does have ground beef.

You cooked it yesterday, that sterilized it. The lid prevented it from contacting the air, its ok today still. Before refrigeration, people ate stuff out of the dutch oven for days (peas porridge in the pot 9 days old).

You cooked it yesterday, that sterilized it. The lid prevented it from contacting the air, its ok today still. Before refrigeration, people ate stuff out of the dutch oven for days (peas porridge in the pot 9 days old).


that was in colder climates where they didn't have central heating, b/c it hadn't been invented yet LOL... the pantry area where food was kept was often as cold as the number settings a refrigerator around the 2 or 3 mark... they didn't do it in the summer months, except with certain foods that they would cover with layers of salt in a container, or put it in a bag in a cold river (*shrug* that's my understanding, anyway)... OP you can try a spoonful or 3 and then wait and see what happens.. your system may be more tolerant to pathogens at certain stages.... mine isn't... I have to be very careful with food spoilage, everything makes me sick if it's even the slightest bit "off."

Yeah, made a pot of chili last night, forgot to put it in the fridge - been sitting for about 24 hours now covered in a saucepan. Will it be okay if I boil it before eating it?

It does have ground beef.



just heat the fucker up you'll be fine. I survived many years with this mentality.

You cooked it yesterday, that sterilized it. The lid prevented it from contacting the air, its ok today still. Before refrigeration, people ate stuff out of the dutch oven for days (peas porridge in the pot 9 days old). I wouldn't test it beyond 2-3 days too much, but 1 day old is fine, especially when covered, and spiced with habeneros.






and if you use clean technique when cooking, not cross contaminating stuff


I agree w/ShadowDander and the AC. Chili cooks a long time and should have been sterile when the heat was last on.

I leave food out overnight all the time. But It does depend on what the food is.

For example, foods like chili that have garlic, onions and other allicins in it contain natural anti-microbials that kill germs. So if you cook with a lot of spices like that, you can generally expect that they take longer to spoil.

Also, if your chili has tomato and salt in it, the acid and the salt also makes it harder for most bacteria to grow.

It would take at least 2 days for something like a covered pot of chili to turn.

Left out overnight should be okay.

I wouldn't do this in any commercial operation, just my own kitchen.


The production of allicin for health maintenance has become common. The substance can be used as an antibiotic, given its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. This helps make allicin helpful for some cases of arteriosclerosis. Along with this application, allicin is also understood to aid in dissolving excess fats in the body, and also demonstrates limited antioxidant properties as well. However, it is important to remember that allicin will not withstand a great deal of heat. Thus, cooking with crushed or minced garlic will not allow the user to receive any health benefits of these types from the allicin content of the cooked garlic.

I do it all the time. eat it and ignore the wimps

Anything that sits out for longer then 4 hours you should not eat.

40-140 is the danger zone and if left in this range for longer then 4 hours should not be eaten


Agreed, but won't heating it to above 160 for a few minutes kill whatever harmful bacteria has grown?

well did you eat it?

You will shit your pants while eating at McDonalds tomorrow.


LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

that reads like the fortune cookie message from hell.

Heat it and eat it!

well did you eat it?


OP is dead.

Anything that sits out for longer then 4 hours you should not eat.

40-140 is the danger zone and if left in this range for longer then 4 hours should not be eaten


Agreed, but won't heating it to above 160 for a few minutes kill whatever harmful bacteria has grown?


I would not risk it