Does Key Lime Pie Need To Be Refrigerated? Does It Go Bad?

Does Key Lime Pie Need To Be Refrigerated?

You cannot consider a meal completed without serving any dessert. No matter if it’s either lunch or dinner, if either a Thanksgiving or welcoming party, or a get-together- in every situation desserts are always tagged as “something special”. And if you’re tempted and got carried away with this reality and really want to follow the same at your place, then all I can suggest is you go for Key Lime Pie – believe me, a heap of appreciation will be waiting for you and your sense of choosing the dish.

So, now you can’t prevent yourself to go through this article to know a maximum about it and a question will certainly come to your mind, and that is Does Key Lime Pie Need To Be Refrigerated?

Am I right? So guys, without wasting much time let’s start a journey to collect all about key lime pie.

What Is Key Lime Pie?

Before we come to pie let’s begin with key lime. This is a kind of lime that is a smaller, seedier, stronger aroma, and higher acidity compared to Persian lime. This is so tiny that you need at least 20 of them to get your required amount of juice for the recipe that you’re going to apply only to prepare this unique pie.

Key lime pie is an American dessert, made of graham cracker crumbs, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, cream, and of course, the key lime juice. It comes either with a topping or without a topping. The topping is prepared with egg white or whipped cream. The filling contains egg yolks, lime zest, key lime juice, etc. And all these ingredients come together to prepare key lime pie- a tasty, yummy, uniquely flavoured, delicious food that must be loved by all.

How Long Can Key Lime Pie Stay Out At Room Temperature?

Food safety is the one thing that should not be compromised to keep you safe from foodborne illness. According to the USDA, most foods can sit out at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours, so as key lime pie. If key lime pie that has been taken out of the oven is left on the countertop for more than 2 hours, it means you’re inviting harmful bacteria to grow rapidly in the pie and that may cause food poisoning.

Also read: Does Sweet Potato Pie Need To Be Refrigerated

How To Tell If Key Lime Pie Is Bad?

To know the condition of a key lime pie several things to be kept in mind-colour, texture, smell, and taste. If you find your key lime pie has lost its natural vibrant green colour, and moulds have appeared on it in place of usual smoothness, that indicates that the time has come to discard your pie. Furthermore, if the pie releases off-smell and also tastes sour, then it’s certain that your key lime pie has gone bad.

How To Store Key Lime Pie?

The best way to enjoy your key lime pie is immediately after making it. There is one more way if it’s stored properly. The good thing is that it’s not difficult to store. Firstly, cover the pies loosely in plastic wrap and then place them in a fridge for some period. If you want to keep the pies for a longer time, then you have the second option to use a freezer for this purpose.  

Does Key Lime Pie Need To Be Refrigerated? [Store-Bought Or Homemade]

Key lime pie is a type of dish that always needs to be refrigerated if you’re looking to store the pies for the next few days. Before keeping in the refrigerator, you have to cover the pies loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and this will allow the key lime pies to stay good for 2-3 days. But there is a warning, try your best to keep the wrap away from contact with other foods as the pies tend to get spoiled early for this reason.

But again one more thing, if the key lemon pie is store-bought then it must contain preservatives that help to keep the pies good for a few more days compared to homemade as it doesn’t contain any preservatives.

Also read: Does Blueberry Pie Need To Be Refrigerated? Does It Go Bad?

How Long Does Key Lime Pie Last In The Fridge?

The creamy texture and citrus flavour of key lime pie make it popular, but the pies can turn bad if not properly stored. Therefore, although the refrigerator provides the necessary cold, still you cannot store the pies in the refrigerator for more than a maximum of 7 days after baking. After that, the pies might be lost their quality. 

Can I Freeze Key Lime Pie?

Key lime pies can be stored in a freezer if it’s packaged and stored properly. If everything has fallen in place, your pies will be good for 2-3 months without being deteriorated. But a few things should keep in mind while doing so.

  1. If the pie is already baked, then you have to freeze it within 1-2 days of baking.
  2. If your pies contain condensed milk then they can be frozen without having any issues. The high content of sugar helps the pies to keep their quality after being frozen and thawed.
  3. If the key lime pie has a topping that has whipped cream or meringue, then you should avoid freezing it. Because the both of ingredients will start breaking down and turn runny when thawed. Instead, you should leave the topping until you serve it.
  4. Cut the pies into pieces and put them uncovered in the freezer for 2-3 hours until they turn solid.
  5. Now, put all the pieces of key lime pie into an airtight heavy-duty freezer bag, and then place the bag anywhere in the freezer till you decide to use them.

Also read: Does Pumpkin Pie Need To Be Refrigerated Overnight?

Can You Reheat Frozen Key Lime Pie?

Yeah, you can reheat the key lime pie after being taken out of the freezer and then thawed well. You need to put all the pieces in the oven and reheat them at 350°F until the whole pieces including the filling get warmed enough so that you can enjoy having them.

FAQ’s

The Best Way To Defrost Homemade Or Store-Bought Key Lime Pie

Frozen key lime pie needs to be thawed and defrosted before serving. If it’s homemade, after being drawn out of the freezer, the pies are transferred to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before being served. As for the store-bought frozen key lime pie, some brands suggest letting the package sit out at room temperature for 2 hours.

How Long Does Key Lime Pie Last In The Freezer?

As I mentioned earlier, the key lime pie that has been kept in a freezer can be stored for as many as 3 months. Besides, if the process doesn’t be followed properly, an off smell and freezer burn could happen to ruin the pie.

Can Key Lime Pie Be Left Out Overnight?

Like most other fruit pies, key lime pie also can be left out overnight without much concern about its quality. But you should cover the pie with an overturned bowl to keep it safe for at least 2 days.

Can you get food poisoning from Key Lime Pie?

According to the USDA key lime pie is not safe for pregnant, old-aged, and kids as a kind of bacteria Salmonella enteritidis is commonly found in key lime pie, and that may cause serious health hazards to the above-mentioned people. Food poisoning or food-borne illness is certainly one of the issues that may cause having uncooked or undercooked key lime pie.

Final Words

Finally, we‘ve come to the end of this discussion on Does Key Lime Pie Need To Be Refrigerated? However, all I can hope is that from now on you would have no problem storing leftover or excessive key lime pie as long as you wish to keep them good. So, have a nice time. Good Bye!!!

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