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Can you really leave butter out? What foods to leave out and how long

Grandma used to leave butter unrefrigerated for days. Is that safe? What about other food, including Thanksgiving leftovers?

So where do you keep your butter?

We asked on Twitter, and 79-percent said in the fridge because it's dairy, while 21-percent did like Grandma used to do -- leave it out on the counter unrefrigerated.

But is that safe?

According to food microbiology professors, Don Schaffner at Rutgers University, and Ben Chapman at North Carolina State University, you can safely leave butter on the counter, not just for hours, but even days if you follow a few rules.

Butter's high fatty acid makes it less susceptible to bacteria. Just make sure it's pasteurized butter, and salted, since salt keeps bacteria at bay. Store in an air-tight container, and don't cross-contaminate with dirty utensils and double dipping.

How about cheese?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, soft cheeses like mozzarella and brie that have more moisture should be tossed out after more than two hours. Hard cheeses like parmesan and cheddar should be okay if they get a little warm.

What about pumpkin pie?

Food safety experts say homemade pumpkin pie should go in the refrigerator within 4 hours of baking. That's because of the protein in the eggs and milk used to make the pie. So why are grocery store pumpkin pies sitting out on the shelf all day and night? It's because the pies have added ingredients like preservatives.

In general follow the two-hour rule for leftovers: Refrigerate within two hours, and if in doubt -- throw it out.

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