Can you cook raw meat after being left out of the fridge for 20 hours?

When raw meat is left out at room temperature, bacteria begin to grow and multiply rapidly. These bacteria can cause food poisoning if ingested. Cooking the meat will kill the bacteria, but it is still not safe to eat because the toxins produced by the bacteria remain.

The USDA recommends that raw meat be refrigerated at 40°F or below and cooked within two days of purchase. If you are not going to cook the meat within two days, you can freeze it for up to six months.