Left Meat in Car

In an ordinary situation I wouldn't risk it.
Going on a trip? NO WAY. I have HAD food poisoning from bad luncheon meat before (from a Subway deli sandwich!) and I was sick for days. And it was so bad I almost went to the hospital. Going through that, with everyone with it, traveling??!! NOOOOOOOOOOO. WAAAAAAAAAAAAY.

4 moms found this helpful

hmmm - $50 in meat? or spoiled vacation because everyone's in the bathroom, has nothing to eat, or has to spend more than $50 in urgent care and pharmacy fees....? Suddenly, $50 doesn't seem like too much...

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your post made my stomach turn, i couldn't do it

let us know what you do

3 moms found this helpful

I would not mess with meat. I threw out a pork loin that we did not use by the end of our trip and it was past the sell by date. Food poisoning is terrible. Especially on vacation.

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Was it 90 degrees outside? If so, it was hotter in your car, even if it was in the shade. Toss it.

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Absolutely not. 90 degrees outside means well over 100 degrees in the car, and meat keft out in that kind of heat for 4 hours is spoiled. Forget the smell test. Meat can still be bad without it smelling bad. It's not worth the risk. Don't risk it.

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Food poisoning is sooo awful, it would completely ruin your trip. It sucks but I would toss it.

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If the meat isn't cold to the touch, don't eat it. Food poisoning is a very bad thing that could ruin your otherwise lovely vacation.

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I served cold cuts the night before I went on a trip. I took the leftovers with me and age them. I was sick for 3 days. The cold cuts were in the house but out for a couple of hours and still smelled good. Don't trust the smell.

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Personally I would cook the meat as soon as possible, and cook it very thoroughly, and in broken into small pieces form. Then I would pop it in the freezer for use in casseroles after you return. Buy a new batch of meat for the trip so that you can use in the ways you intended. Of course my opinion is coming much too late.

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90 degree heat? I don't think so, but that's just me.

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I would open the packages and smell it. If it doesn't smell bad I would use it. (I doubt it will smell bad.) Then, I would put the meat in the freezer for an hour or so until it becomes stff from the cold.

Then use it as you want.

I hope you have a nice time on your vacation. Good luck to you and yours.

1 mom found this helpful

If it had been sitting on a counter in an air-conditioned house for 4 hours, I'd say go with the smell test. But in 90-degree heat...no way. Toss it. The peace of mind is worth the extra cost of more meat.

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throw it away. I would not eat it. Even though it was 90 degree's outside, it was a lot hotter inside. I would not risk it.

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I would definitely ditch the no-longer-cold cuts and probably the rest too. I would not want to chance it on vacation. It is a pain and expensive I know (I have done the same thing on occasion though).

1 mom found this helpful

The ground beef and sausage I may give a second chance if still cool to the touch, but I'd make sure to cook them asap and not let them sit in the fridge for a while. The deli meat I wouldn't mess with. That's handled too much for me to feel safe.

I agree with the smell test. I have done this before and everything was fine..