Can I leave my Gumbo outside tonight?

Your gumbo has to cool to below 45 degrees. Then the gumbo needs to be kept below 45 degrees. Anything above that for multiple hours can result in harmful bacterial growth.

Will the outside temp cool it? Then, will the outside temp keep it cool?

Why wouldn’t you just put it in the fridge?

Transfer it ti smaller containers and put it in the fridge.

The hardest thing is to cool a gumbo. The safe way is to transfer to small, shallow dishes and refrigerate. The absolute best way is to ziploc and cover in ice.

Here’s what everyone needs to know in this situation:

When you boil the gumbo, it kills almost all the bacteria (enough to make it safe to eat). But there’s still a little bit there. That little bit has to grow to a big enough number in order for you to get sick. Warm temperatures allow the bacteria to grow quick. Cold temperatures slow down the growth which is why food lasts longer in a fridge.

So if the gumbo sits warm for hours (rule of thumb is over 4 hours can be bad), the bacteria can grow. If it grows to a large enough amount, it can get you sick.

Why not just reheat and boil it before eating to kill the bacteria that grew? Well, when you reheat it and bring it to a boil, it will kill a lot, but not all. So if a large amount grew, it may not kill enough to make it safe. Boiling it only kills X amount, and if you grew more than X amount, then there’s still enough bacteria there to get you sick.

This is as basic as can be as all bacteria types all have different growth rates and temperatures. And keep in mind that the bacteria has to be there to begin with. There’s not always Harmful bacteria there, it doesn’t come automatically with every food item. But there’s always a risk it is there or a risk that you introduce it. Which is why washing hands and preventing cross contamination is important.

Shallow containers are important if cooking in a fridge because the middle of the gumbo may take hours to cool if it’s a big container. This applies to a big pot. It’s near impossible to cool a big pot in 4 hours.

Knowledge is power. Understanding how it works and why helps a lot.

Yes, 40 degrees should be your benchmark. But since he was cooking and reheating within 24 hours, 45 degrees would have sufficed and would have cooled it enough for 24 hours. I was going with 45 because of the referenced outside temp, didn’t expect him to actually take the temp of the gumbo.

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45 degrees would have sufficed

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cooled it enough for 24 hours

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I don't understand how that would work. Contradicts what the USDA states.

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Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes.

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One of the most common causes of foodborne illness is improper cooling of cooked foods. Bacteria can be reintroduced to food after it is safely cooked. For this reason leftovers must be put in shallow containers for quick cooling and refrigerated at 40 °F or below within two hours.

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Source: USDA

USDA Appendix B

This is what you’re looking for.

Remember that church fundraiser gumbo that killed all them folks a couple years ago!

40 is the correct temperature. You need to get that food cooled to under 70 within two hours then below 40 in the next 4 hours.

Lol! You’re like a woman, mad about something that was said in the past. Grow a pair and get over it, Susan.