Corn Chowder, 6 days old

[suziquzie]

I made it last Thursday. Would you eat it? There's no meat in it, but I'm thinking toss it. I toss most things after 3 days. There's so much of it I hate to waste it though.

[mozart]

Originally Posted by suziquzie

I made it last Thursday. Would you eat it? There's no meat in it, but I'm thinking toss it. I toss most things after 3 days. There's so much of it I hate to waste it though.

I wouldn't eat any prepared food that was 6 days old. Just the aesthetics alone are enough to make me toss it. However, from a pathogenic bacteria standpoint, it probably isn't any worse off than it was on day two, assuming the refrigerator is functioning properly. Food spoilage bacteria usually give some pretty good indications with both smell and changes in the physical characteristics of the food.

I am pretty careful about how I handle prepared foods after cooking. The reason is that most food poisonings occur due to contamination and improper storage AFTER cooking.

For example, one thing I see on cooking shows that drives me crazy is when the cook picks up a spoon and "tests" the food, and then uses the same spoon to test the food after seasoning and taking off the heat. This transfer of bacteria from the mouth to the spoon to the prepared food (the top of which may by now be well below 140 degrees) starts the process of potential problems.

Then the food sits there for an hour or so while you eat, and another hour to cool down. Then many folks will put the food in the original deep container into the refrigerator and it may well take sever hours to reach 40 degrees.

Even then the food would be relatively safe if reheated to boiling for a few minutes, but how many people really do that? Often we just reheat it to 120 degrees or so.

Anyway, last night I made a gigantic pot of bean soup with a couple of ham bones I had left from the holidays. I have learned from bitter experience that it is best to only keep a couple of servings in the refrigerator and freeze the rest in serving portions (in our case 2 portions). As good as my bean soup is,I don't want to be eating it for 3 days in a row. After the 2nd day, it just sits there and ends up getting thrown out.

As to the OP, why take a chance?

[suziquzie]

As to the OP, why take a chance?[/quote]

Because I am cheap....
It's in the trash, I'll have to make some more.

[Callisto in NC]

Originally Posted by suziquzie

I made it last Thursday. Would you eat it? There's no meat in it, but I'm thinking toss it. I toss most things after 3 days. There's so much of it I hate to waste it though.

THREE DAYS? I haven't even gotten around to thinking about freezing in three days. I must have been raised to have a high tolerance because I wouldn't even blink at eating something that was only 6 days old. I eat it and freeze the rest.

[Caine]

Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold.

[suziquzie]

I've been resisting saying that all day.....

[jabbur]

Personally, I would eat it as long as it still smells like chowder and doesn't have anything growing on it! Sometimes I think the germaphobies have taken over the world. Reheat it to the correct temp and you will kill any bugs that may have started a home. You can freeze it in smaller portions now too. If there is a lot of it don't throw it out yet. Chances are there is still some good stuff there.

[mozart]

I guess my criteria for what I will and won't eat is a little higher than "it won't kill me" type thinking.

Now if any of you can make a plausible argument that 6 day old chowder is actually of higher quality and taste than the day it was made, I might be willing to give it a try

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by jabbur

Reheat it to the correct temp and you will kill any bugs that may have started a home. .

Not true. Many bacteria throw off spores and toxins that are heat resistant and can give you food poisoning.

Bacillus cereus is one and it is found in: "foods such as turkey, beef, seafood, salads, potatoes, rice, noodles, food mixes -(sauces, soups, casseroles), milk powder, various bakery products and desserts especially items with custard and cream. "

Can you say, "corn chowder?"

If it were true, you wouldn't need a refrigerator.

IMO you should throw it out.

[Constance]

I would just like to have your corn chowder recipe, Suzi! Seriously.

As to how long I'll keep things in the fridge, that depends on what it is. I'll eat ham'n beans that are six days old.
Anything with milk or cream, like corn chowder, tends to get watery pretty quickly, so it goes into the freezer the third day...or else down the lane with my daughter when she gets home from work. She's always thrilled when she doesn't have to cook supper.

By the way, we never double-dip when we're tasting. I just spoon a little bit into a small bowl, and we taste out of that.
Also, when re-heating, we only heat up what we're going to eat that night. Leftovers go to the dog.

I think someone above said it depends on your refrigerator, and that's so true. I'm lucky to have a good dependable one now, but I've had my share of hand-me-downs, and if you can't trust your fridge to keep the food below 40 degrees, then you'd best be very careful.