Is It Safe To Try 'Forever Soup' That's Been Simmering For Days — Or Years?

There's something to be said for staying in touch with the old ways. Sure, there are some fields where it's important to stay on the cutting edge — there's a reason we don't prescribe leeches anymore — but society's frantic race into the future can result in many precious things being left behind. Consider the perpetual stew which had a bit of a moment in 2023 after Annie Rauwerda started a perpetual stew party that lasted for two months. The purpose of a perpetual stew, which first came about in medieval times so inns could make sure travelers always had a meal, may be lost in a world where people can have their very own bowl of stew in a couple of hours. However, the resourcefulness and communal spirit that a perpetual stew represents is something that's sorely needed in our modern society, a society which has become increasingly isolated and dependent on instant gratification.

Something we don't need in our modern society is food poisoning — which raises the question of whether perpetual stew is safe to eat. Sure, it may be a bit of a "stew of Theseus" situation where it's unclear how much of the original stew remains, but it's still a food that's lasted for months, right? Worry not! So long as it's maintained at the right temperature and refreshed periodically, perpetual stew is perfectly safe to eat.

Food doesn't just go bad without a reason. The illnesses we get from spoiled food are a result of the harmful bacteria that come along to feed on it. E. coli is one such bacteria; salmonella is another. Bacteria are living organisms, and like any other living organism, they have trouble surviving when the temperature gets too high or too low. This is why freezing your food can help preserve it for longer than it might last in the fridge, and why it's so important to cook your chicken until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

For perpetual stew, the magic number is around 200 degrees Fahrenheit — a steady simmer. That's high enough to kill any harmful bacteria, which thrive at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but not so high that the stew boils too intensely and loses its flavor, something that also happens with soups. It also helps to keep the stew refreshed as cooks must continue to add liquid to keep the braise going so that the stew doesn't become dry. With this in mind, you can quite easily create a communal stew experience to rival Brunswick stew (which originated in either Virginia or Georgia, depending on who you ask) and Booyah (which originated in Wisconsin). Oh, and it goes without saying: Don't make a perpetual stew on your stove as leaving it unattended is a serious fire hazard.