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John Wayne 
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, La
Member since May 2007
191 posts
| Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 7:55 pm)
How long can seafood gumbo sit out before going bad? TIA 
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Btrtigerfan
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
2017 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 7:59 pm to John Wayne)
It's good for awhile. You would never want to put it in the fridge hot, anyway. Anything 8-10 hours should be okay. Especially if it was covered. The bad thing about seafood gumbo is that reheating it is murder on the seafood. Bring it up to temp slow and don't boil it.
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CITWTT
LSU Fan
baton rouge
Member since Sep 2005
25101 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:02 pm to John Wayne)
Put the pot of hot into your sink filled with water and ice cubes and you cn chill it in a very short bit of time to go to the fridge. As to sitting out on the counter 2 hrs before needing to be cooled
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Ole Geauxt
LSU Fan
KnowLa.
Member since Dec 2007
29888 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:03 pm to Btrtigerfan)
quote:
Anything 8-10 hours should be okay.
that's about 6-7 hours past where i feel comfy leaving it out..
but, i hate dry heavin' with a passion..
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Btrtigerfan
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
2017 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:09 pm to Ole Geauxt)
I'm only basing that on my bad habit of gumbo making. By the time I roast my bird, boil the giblets, pick the meat, roast the bones, reduce the stock, stir the roux, cook the veggies, and add the meat. I am sleepy.
I put the lid on and go to bed. (I am drunk at that point)
The next morning, I bring it to just under boiling, serve, then store the rest.
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CITWTT
LSU Fan
baton rouge
Member since Sep 2005
25101 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:11 pm to Ole Geauxt)
I had the pleasure of telling a party host his shite was spoiled years ago at a party. He and all of the other attendees that desired it had at it, all of them were puking for three days.
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Ole Geauxt
LSU Fan
KnowLa.
Member since Dec 2007
29888 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:12 pm to Btrtigerfan)
i know it probly doesn't make much difference, but the OP had "seafood" in the title and the thought of leaving that out 8 hours give me the heebie jeebies..
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John Wayne
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, La
Member since May 2007
191 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:14 pm to Btrtigerfan)
Haha it was done and we ate at noon yesterday at the camp. It was "out" until I got home and put it in the fridge around 5:00. I had to transport it.
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Btrtigerfan
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
2017 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:22 pm to Ole Geauxt)
quote:
the OP had "seafood" in the title and the thought of leaving that out 8 hours give me the heebie jeebies.
True. You certainly can't trust the "smell" test.
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John Wayne
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, La
Member since May 2007
191 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:28 pm to Btrtigerfan)
Well it smelled fine and tasted great. FWIW I brought the gumbo to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 mins. I guess we'll find out in about 12 hours if it was good or not. Haha
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CITWTT
LSU Fan
baton rouge
Member since Sep 2005
25101 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/8/12 at 8:32 pm to John Wayne)
Sniff wisely when you go to reheat it.
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Mr. Tom Morrow 
Penn State Fan
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Member since Jun 2012
1845 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 9:12 am to John Wayne)
quote:
Well it smelled fine and tasted great. FWIW I brought the gumbo to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 mins. I guess we'll find out in about 12 hours if it was good or not. Haha
Just and FYI but while boiling it would kill any sort of parasite that was living in it, that isn't the danger of leaving it out. Depending on the type of toxin produced by the bacteria, some are not capable of being boiled away and can still make you sick. I never take chances beyond 3 hours but I find that I'm probably on the extreme end of that spectrum.
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OldSouth
LSU Fan
Folsom, LA
Member since Oct 2011
4192 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 10:49 am to Btrtigerfan)
quote:
You would never want to put it in the fridge hot, anyway.
Why is that?
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John Wayne
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, La
Member since May 2007
191 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:01 am to Mr. Tom Morrow)
Well, it's 16 hours later since we ate the leftovers and we're all fine so far. Here's to hoping that trend continues!
Thanks everyone for the input. I think next time i'll definitely try the ice bath to cool it quickly.
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DoctorTechnical
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2009
753 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:07 am to OldSouth)
quote:
Why is that
I was told two reasons:
1: Big heat source may raise your fridge's internal temp past the safety point.
2: Cover cools first, creating condensation and a moist environment over the much-longer-to-cool liquid, which in turn favors bacteria growth.
I was told one solution was to break it up into much smaller portions. Food should take no more than two hours to reach fridge temp.
CITWIT does that about sound right?
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OldSouth
LSU Fan
Folsom, LA
Member since Oct 2011
4192 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:25 am to DoctorTechnical)
quote:
1: Big heat source may raise your fridge's internal temp past the safety point.
Is that still true with modern refrigeration?
quote:
2: Cover cools first, creating condensation and a moist environment over the much-longer-to-cool liquid, which in turn favors bacteria growth.
I was told one solution was to break it up into much smaller portions. Food should take no more than two hours to reach fridge temp.
It's a liquid. How would a moist env. affect anything? I really don't know.
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DoctorTechnical
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2009
753 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:45 am to OldSouth)
Unfortunately my source for all food-tech knowledge* passed away this Spring. R.I.P. friend and neighbor Harvard Bardwell.
*Other than Alton Brown and you good folks here on F&D.
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CITWTT
LSU Fan
baton rouge
Member since Sep 2005
25101 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:53 am to OldSouth)
A very large amount is the answer to that problem. Improperly cooled foods of any type will turn into a huge serving of illness, and it doesn't take a long time with liquids. The temperature difference making the condensation will start in about thirty minutes and continue untill the contents of the pot get near the temp of the lid/cover. One way of preventing this is a tight wrap of the pot with plaxtic wrap, then popping holes into it which allows for breathing, or a bain marie of cool water to chill the ingredients quickly before storing. Sink, water, and ice, the stir it every once in a while to do it evenly.
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Nick Papa Georgio 
Georgetown Fan
NYC
Member since Mar 2009
4193 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 11:55 am to OldSouth)
My Dad used to make gumbo at night, turn off the heat, put on the lid and go to bed... In the morning he would turn it on low and by lunch time it was perfect.
Never had a problem with the freshness and the seafood was never overcooked.
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JasonL79 
New Orleans Saints Fan
Gretna
Member since Jan 2010
2823 posts
| re: Seafood Gumbo "Shelf life" (Posted on 10/9/12 at 1:12 pm to OldSouth)
quote:
quote:
1: Big heat source may raise your fridge's internal temp past the safety point.
Is that still true with modern refrigeration?
Make a big pot of gumbo and place it in the fridge. It will heat up the whole fridge a good bit. I used to make my gumbo in gallon containers and let it cool in a commercial fridge/cooler but when I tried it at home, it heated the fridge up to like 60 or higher.
Like others have said, it's best to pour it into smaller containers to cool and even better to cool it off in containers submerged in ice. This is what they teach in food safety classes.
And really the best thing to do with seafood if you aren't going to eat it right then, is to add the seafood later when you are heating it up. Seafood only takes a few minutes to cook in gumbo and this way it won't be overcooked when you go to eat it.
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