How Long Can Grilled Steak Sit Out: Understanding Food Safety Limits

It’s a fact that nothing is better than grilling up something that is yummy just like mouthwatering steaks. However, how long can grilled steaks sit out is a common question that is asked most of the time, in case you are cooking a steak for yourself, then you can easily fire up your indoor grill and simply grill up a juicy Ranch steak.

Moreover, whether your family is taking forever to come and enjoy the steaks you worked hard to grill and left it sitting on your counter, you must know how long the steak can sit out. According to the USDA, steak can sit out for just 2 hours and at temperatures higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, after that range, it’s become dangerous to eat. Because above this limit bacteria grow inside it at dangerous levels as a result it becomes unsafe to eat.

As you know, like all the other meats, grilled steak doesn’t stay fully safe to eat for all that long, especially whenever you left it to sit out in the heat of summer. However, to prevent any type of foodborne illness, refrigerate any leftovers as soon as you’re done eating.

Keep in mind that, food poisoning is nothing to joke about, I’ll tell you that. The CDC estimates that almost forty-eight million Americans get sick, 128,000 get hospitalized, and three thousand die from foodborne illnesses every year.

Different types of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter, feed and multiply in the temperature range between forty degrees °F and one hundred and forty °F, that’s considered the danger zone.

How Long Can Grilled Steak Sit Out?

Properly stored and constantly refrigerated, grilled steak lasts for almost three to four days in your fridge. So you can refrigerate it and use it up to make the best steak salad, Philly cheesesteak, or steak and eggs hash as your wish.

For that purpose, you have to pat the meat dry with a common paper towel or lint-free cloth to soak up the juices, and then transfer it to a food storage container with the simple lid shut, and store it on your fridge’s lowest shelf where it’s completely coldest.

In case, the steak is too big to fit in that food storage container, then just debone it, cut it up into equal halves or thirds, layer them one by one, and then separate them with common pieces of parchment paper to keep the juices from the top chunks from making those that are underneath them soggy. No doubt, refrigeration slows down the growth of all the pathogenic bacteria but doesn’t fully stop it, so steak kept for longer than that period becomes unsafe to heat.

Reheating process of Grilled Steak

The key point to reheating your grilled steak is to do it low and very slowly. Otherwise, its browned, flavorsome crust on the outside will fully dry out or even it can burn and blacken, coming out as chewable as a pair of old leather shoes.

That’s why; you need to avoid microwave reheating too. It’s a fact that microwave is great for reheating soups and stews since they contain much amount of water. But it is less used for steak or any other type of meat, poultry, or seafood for that reason.

Moreover, to reheat your grilled steaks you can place the steak on a simple sheet pan with a wire rack. After that, you have to preheat your oven to 250°F for almost thirty minutes, then just pop the steak right in and keep it there for a maximum of fifteen to twenty minutes.

Why Do You Need A Wire Rack?

Because, there are two functions of the rack, first, it lifts the meat, distributing the heat evenly, so you don’t need to flip it to the other side. Second, usually keeps it from soaking in any juices that drip down, so it can’t get soggy.

On The Stove Reheating

To reheat grilled steak on the stove requires you to lean over the stove, and melt butter, over medium heat in your heavy-bottomed, fully-seasoned cast iron skillet. After that place, your skillet on a suitable-sized burner then set the heat on your stove to medium, and let its metal heat up for a minimum of five minutes.

Now, add a lump of butter, as much as your heart requires, and put the steak right in it. Every fifteen seconds or so, you have to tilt your pan to one side, scoop that melted butter right up with a simple tablespoon, and baste the top of your steak with it.

You can throw in a fully crushed clove of garlic or two and/or some thyme to get a high-end restaurant-like fragrance and taste to your steak. Do this for three minutes on both sides, and you should be done.

Final Thoughts

In short, steak can sit at room temperature only for two hours. It’s a fact that it’s a super short window, but it’s better to be safe and eat your grilled steak a few minutes after it is fully cooked.