Left pie out overnight

[ChocoChris]

Hi All,

Someone asked me if it is ok to eat a slice of lemon meringue pie that they left out overnight and I was not sure so I thought I'd ask the experts

The pie consists of an Italian meringue and lemon curd in a pastry crust. I put it together yesterday (Sunday) morning. The curd was made on Saturday and the meringue was made yesterday. I'm sure that you can't eat it but thought I'd ask as there is no cream component in it. What else would spoil overnight?

Thanks,

Chris

[Badiane]

It's fine...go ahead and eat it.

Boiling sugar syrup added to the egg whites will render it stable and the rest is fine.

I have never fridged a pie in my life and we aren't dead, never even been sick.

Go ahead and eat it. Trust me. I'm an eGullet member.

[alanamoana]

Go ahead and eat it.  Trust me.  I'm an eGullet member.

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I'd eat it too. I don't worry too much about pies like that. Fruit pies either. All the components are cooked/baked and overnight shouldn't be a problem. What do you think people did before they had refrigerators?! I guess they just threw away all their leftovers...

[ChocoChris]

Go ahead and eat it.  Trust me.  I'm an eGullet member.

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I'd eat it too. I don't worry too much about pies like that. Fruit pies either. All the components are cooked/baked and overnight shouldn't be a problem. What do you think people did before they had refrigerators?! I guess they just threw away all their leftovers...

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...or just ate them all??!

Thanks for your advice!

[Andrew Fenton]

Funny, the current issue of Cook's Illustrated-- which arrived at my house a day or two ago-- raises this same question. I don't have it at hand, but their response was that cooked fruit pies have enough acid to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. They specifically mentioned pies such as berry or apple, but I'd imagine the same would be true of lemon pie.

They do recommend refrigerating cream pies, though.

[ruthcooks]

Ever heard of a pie safe? Piece of "furniture" that people used to keep their pies and other foods in before refrigeration. I believe the "safe" refers to keeping away flies, bugs and critters, however.

Last summer I went to a small reunion where lemon meringue pies sat out on a kitchen counter for at least 4 days. They were pretty sad after all that time, but no one got sick from eating them.

[wawairis]

Better yet, can I have it??? It's my favorite pie!

[ChocoChris]

Funny, the current issue of Cook's Illustrated-- which arrived at my house a day or two ago-- raises this same question.  I don't have it at hand, but their response was that cooked fruit pies have enough acid to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.  They specifically mentioned pies such as berry or apple, but I'd imagine the same would be true of lemon pie.

They do recommend refrigerating cream pies, though.

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Thanks for that reference. I will have to find my copy and read it more thoroughly.

This is all very interesting info. I have heard of pie safes but never really thought about them. Makes sense that they were meant to keep the critters out of the pies including critters of the human variety.

[Serj]

I would never serve it to a customer but I would definitely eat it...!