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Can I still eat cooked ground beef if it hasn't been refrigerated in a while?

Yesterday evening I made nachos with ground beef. I went to bed and accidentally left the food out for 18+ hours. I really want to finish them off, but I don't know that it's worth the risk of getting sick. Should I toss them outright?

Update:

Does it make any difference if the food was covered?

7 Answers

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  • 4 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Toss it out!

    Where I live..current temp are around 80 degrees F...ground beef would not do well sitting out for long. I would not even leave it out 1 hour

  • ?
    Lv 7
    4 years ago

    unless it is sticky or has a foul smell you can use it but I would cook it some more. but if it is sticky and or has a bad smell it is not good chuck it.

  • 4 years ago

    heat so that the meat and stuff that was cooked is really hot, and eat it in happiness! I usually make scrambled eggs on the remainder of the cooked ground beef from nachos or fajitas for breakfast the next morning without refrigerating it!

  • 4 years ago

    toss it or could make you very ill

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  • ?
    Lv 6
    4 years ago

    If you cook it well you shouldbe ok but I would still throw it out just in case.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    4 years ago

    i wouldnt....meat can be left out for no more than 2 hours..after that bacteria starts to multiply and you would get very sick

    Source(s): USDA
  • ?
    Lv 7
    4 years ago

    Toss 'em.

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