Safe time for pork chop in fridge?

[Robin Garr]

The food critic on his day off, wonders whether that piece of pork chop left over from Monday night is still any good. Hey, it's been in the refrigerator!

How would you handle a delicious leftover piece of natural, pastured pork, pan-seared with fresh sage, oven-finished to just a rosy center, delicious on the first night, but the leftover now four days old, kept in a tightly sealed container in the coldest part of the fridge?

I've already made my decision, but I'll hold off reporting it for a while to see what you folks would do.

The food critic on his day off, wonders whether that piece of pork chop left over from Monday night is still any good. Hey, it's been in the refrigerator!

How would you handle a delicious leftover piece of natural, pastured pork, pan-seared with fresh sage, oven-finished to just a rosy center, delicious on the first night, but the leftover now four days old, kept in a tightly sealed container in the coldest part of the fridge?

I've already made my decision, but I'll hold off reporting it for a while to see what you folks would do.

If it didn't have anything growing on it and had no off-smells, I'd eat it, no second thoughts.

I'd reheat it, cut it up and place on a bed of greens fresh from my garden. Wash it down with some Jolly Good ESJ rosé and call life good.

I'll keep most cooked meat up to a week. Some, like steak grilled rare, I'll just reheat as is, if it's during the next couple of days. After that, I'll usually turn it into a different dish, adding different variations of spices, onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and the like, and serving it over rice or tossing with pasta.

[Jenise]

Four days? No problem, that would have been breakfast.

I always feel that meat is fine at least until about a week.

I've got a brontosaurus-size veal chop from Sunday still in the fridge. Maybe I'll gnaw it with dinner.

[Jenise]

I've got a brontosaurus-size veal chop from Sunday still in the fridge. Maybe I'll gnaw it with dinner.

Be sure to grunt afterward.

I had a similar ponderance (is that a word?) at noon today when I wondered about the half of chile verde carnitas burrito that was left over from a great dinner we had out on Tuesday night. I heated it, smelled then tasted and it was delicious. No off taste at all.
So Robin, what'd you do??

I've got a brontosaurus-size veal chop from Sunday still in the fridge. Maybe I'll gnaw it with dinner.

Be sure to grunt afterward.

No, no Jenise, one does not grunt after a large VEAL chop. Just look contented and satiated. Especially considering the price of good veal.

[Robin Garr]

So Robin, what'd you do??

It smelled fine and looked perfect, so I didn't worry overmuch. I patted it with a damp paper towel to convince myself it was clean, then sliced it thin and quickly re-heated the slices in the toaster oven. (It was just au point when I served the chop Monday, so I didn't want to overheat and toughen the leftovers.) I served it on a toasted English muffin with lettuce, mayo and Zatarain's mustard, and I was a happy boy.

You had to ask!? C'mon now.
Heated through in a small covered cocotte with a splash of white wine and a tsp capers -- served over a bed of buttered and parsleyed penne.

So Robin, what'd you do??

It smelled fine and looked perfect, so I didn't worry overmuch. I patted it with a damp paper towel to convince myself it was clean, then sliced it thin and quickly re-heated the slices in the toaster oven. (It was just au point when I served the chop Monday, so I didn't want to overheat and toughen the leftovers.) I served it on a toasted English muffin with lettuce, mayo and Zatarain's mustard, and I was a happy boy.

Kinda heading toward the famous breaded tenderloin there. (Which I love).

[Robin Garr]

You had to ask!? C'mon now.

Just having a little fun.

The doc who was treating my leg last year told me - when I mentioned eating some leftovers and having an allergic reaction to something in it - that leftovers not eaten withon 48 hours should be tossed. Yeah, right. LOL Never did figure out what the reaction was from, but the nurse told me that my daily dose of Zyrtec probably kept it from being life-threatening.

I've got a brontosaurus-size veal chop from Sunday still in the fridge. Maybe I'll gnaw it with dinner.

Be sure to grunt afterward.

No, no Jenise, one does not grunt after a large VEAL chop. Just look contented and satiated. Especially considering the price of good veal.

It was yummy, even gently re-heated. Silky. (Maybe it's just my mood but I think I would have preferred beef.)

Four days? No problem, that would have been breakfast.

I love you Jenise

For me this would have been debated for about 5 or 7 seconds while I opened a Diet Coke, maybe slightly hungover on a weekend morning...and I would have said "that pork chop looks pretty good"

We take whatever is leftover be it pork, beef, meatloaf or mystery meat; slice it thin and make a sandwich. Saves on cold cuts, and no reheating is required.

[Jenise]

I love you Jenise

For me this would have been debated for about 5 or 7 seconds while I opened a Diet Coke, maybe slightly hungover on a weekend morning...and I would have said "that pork chop looks pretty good"

If you saw my smothered pork chop post, that's precisely what happened to the rest of those. Cold right out of the fridge. But then I 1) like almost any food cold, and 2) detest the spoiled flavor of reheated meat that wasn't braised or stewed or cooked well done the first time around. God designed me with the tastebuds to detect when meat is rotting or decayed so that I can protect my family, and it kicks in when grilled or roasted meats get reheated. I don't understand how others don't taste that.