Leaving soup on the counter ok for 3 hours?

[Anonymous]

I just made a pot of lentil soup for us to have when we return from a holiday concert in 3 hours. OK to leave it on the counter or do I need to put it in the 'frig?

[Anonymous]

It’s ok!

[Anonymous]

Usually they say two hours at room temp. I'd put it in the fridge but you probably won't get sick.

[Anonymous]

I’ve left mine out several hours after cooking.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t stick a hot pot of soup into the fridge. Leave it out and you can reheat it when you return.

[Anonymous]

Lentil soup? It's fine.

I'd have a different answer for, say, clam chowder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually they say two hours at room temp. I'd put it in the fridge but you probably won't get sick.

Usually who says that?

Servsafe says it’s safe up to 4 hours. Make sure you heat it through just to be safe. You could also transfer to a crockpot and leave on low while you’re out.

[Anonymous]

Mayo Clinic says 2 hrs.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/food-safety/faq-20058500#:~:text=The%20best%20plan%20is%20to,for%20more%20than%20one%20hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usually they say two hours at room temp. I'd put it in the fridge but you probably won't get sick.

Usually who says that?

Servsafe says it’s safe up to 4 hours. Make sure you heat it through just to be safe. You could also transfer to a crockpot and leave on low while you’re out.

Two hours is the normal recommendation for home cooks:

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling
https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-the-2-Hour-Rule-with-leaving-food-out
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/live-well-eat-well/2016-09-16-how-important-2-hour-rule

You might think it errs too much on the side of caution, but it absolutely the standard advice.

[Anonymous]

Just bring it to boiling before you eat/serve it.

[Anonymous]

If the soup is hot when you leave it, you're good to go!

[Anonymous]

Not ok only 2 hours out is safe.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- We left it on the counter and lived to tell the tale! Even though I know that 2 hours is the oft-cited (but not usually heeded) advice, I found comfort in the crowd-source consensus here that we'd be ok leaving it out. As always, DCUM Foodies come through in the clutch!

BTW, highly recommend NYT Cooking Red Lentil Soup recipe! It was delicious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the soup is hot when you leave it, you're good to go!

This

[Anonymous]

It would not agree with my IBS