How Long Can Cooked Hamburger Sit Out?

Is there anything better than cooked hamburgers in this world? Absolutely not. Hamburgers are extremely simple and internationally loved food. You can take this for your breakfast or lunch or eat it in the middle of the night. It is a go for food every time.

If you are a hamburger lover, then you must have a huge stock of burgers inside your refrigerator. Either you can keep the burgers out of the refrigerator or not? You will get all the replies to your queries in this article, so read on.

How Long Can Cooked Hamburger Sit Out?

The average shelf life of cooked hamburgers being placed out of the fridge is not more than 2 hours. There is a content of ground beef or chicken in the hamburgers. Many bacteria grow on the cooked ground meat if kept at a high temperature.

An ideal temperature for keeping the meat so it doesn’t go bad is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Above this temperature, the shelf life of the burgers starts to decrease. So, the first option of storing cooked hamburgers should be the refrigerator.

What Happens If Cooked Hamburger Sits Out Too Long?

The hamburgers will surely go bad if kept out for too long. As mentioned before, the ground beef part of the hamburgers makes the burgers “temperature sensitive”. At room temperature, the spoilage rate of cooked beef or burgers is huge.

The burgers will lose their freshness when they are bad. The beef will start going brown or grey. Also, you may smell a foul odour of beef. The buns of hamburgers may start to harden too.

There is an exception if you live in high altitude places or towns. The temperature is low in high altitudes, so the shelf life of hamburgers may increase even if left out.

How Long Can Cooked Hamburger Be In The Car For?

What if someone bought hamburgers from their favourite restaurant and forgot them in their car before going home. Whether they will be safe to eat? The same question may arise in your mind if you face the same situation.

Well, the rule is the same for this condition too. If the temperature is hot outside, the hamburgers will maximum last for 1 to 2 hours. On the other hand, in the cold, the lasting time may extend to 4 to 5 hours, but you must check for any spoilage signs before eating it. Don’t forget to defrost the hamburger buns if they get too cold.

What Should You Do If Cooked Hamburger Is Left Out Too Long?

We are very sorry to say, but the hamburgers will get spoiled if left out too long. The buns may get hardened, and the grounded beef or chicken will spoil too. Also, cheese is a dairy product that just goes bad very fast. You will have to toss the hamburgers out in such cases.

In the exception case, i.e. if the temperature is very low in your area. You can check the burgers if they are good to eat or not. All you need is the best microwave toaster oven. Put the hamburger inside the oven and reheat it for 1 to 2 minutes. Use microwave covers so that the texture does not get worse.

Does Cooked Hamburger Go Bad If Not Refrigerated?

The cooked hamburgers will undoubtedly go bad if left out in hot temperatures. The only way to make cooked hamburgers last long is to store them properly in the refrigerator. The temperature that the fridge provides for the cooked burgers is ideal.

Also, the best way to keep the burgers is in some airtight containers. You can also wrap the burgers in plastic wraps.

Does Cooked Hamburger Go Bad If You Lose Power?

The refrigerator maintains its temperature for almost 3 to 4 hours, even in power loss. You can surely keep the burgers inside the fridge for this much time. After that, you can consume your cooked hamburgers.

If the power does not recover after 3 to 4 hours, either eat them right away after checking properly or toss them out.

What Temperature Is Safe for Cooked Hamburger?

The safest temperature to store cooked hamburgers is below 40 Fahrenheit. To prevent stomach diseases, you should refrigerate the cooked burgers as soon as possible. At high temperatures, there are large chances of the growth of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.

Sources

• Consumers report
• Usda.gov
• Still tasty