Why does your Black Bean Soup only last 48 hours?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
When I list the leftover times in recipes I take into account two things. The main one is whether a recipe might be more likely to grow bacteria and become harmful with being kept too long. The other issue is how does a recipe taste and how well can it be reused.
An example of the former might be a salad dressing made with mayonnaise that after being made and then refrigerated might be at risk for going bad by being taken in and out of the refrigerator.
The second is much more subjective. With the Black Bean Soup that I mention, I find that the soup becomes more grainy the longer it is kept - and therefore less palatable. You may find this not as much a problem, and the soup might be fine for you on the 3rd or 4th day.
Note that I do use an instruction in some recipes that the leftovers to "reheat gently." This is generally in recipes where there are ingredients that would break down too much or those that might become tough. An example would be a recipe with salmon like the Saffron Salmon Risotto. This recipe was actually designed to be a dish that would make good leftovers, but overheating the salmon will cause it to break into small pieces. On the other hand, recipes like Beef Stewthat are reheated too much can cause the meat to become tough.
Thanks for writing.
Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet