We’ve all been there, right? You cook up a big batch of sausages for the family barbecue, and even after everyone’s had their fill, there’s still a plateful of those savory links staring at you from the countertop. What do you do? If you’re like me, you don’t want to see good food (or hard work!) go to waste, so you wrap those bad boys up and stick them in the fridge. But as the days tick by, you start to wonder: Are they still safe to eat?
Well, fear not! I’m here to help you navigate the ins and outs of sausage storage so that you can enjoy your leftovers without playing a risky game of “food safety roulette.”
First things first, cooked sausage does have a fridge life, but it’s not eternal. According to the USDA, cooked sausage can be safely stored in the fridge at or below 40°F for up to four days. Why four days, you ask? This timeframe strikes a balance between food quality and food safety.
Bacteria, those tiny uninvited dinner guests, love to crash the party when food is left at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F — what we in the food safety biz call the “Danger Zone.” But when you store food properly in the fridge, you slow these bacteria down, keeping their numbers at bay and your food safer for longer.
However, not all sausages are made equal. Some have preservatives that can extend their fridge life, while others, like fresh, homemade sausages, may have a shorter shelf life due to the lack of additives. So, always check the label for storage instructions, and when in doubt, stick to the four-day rule.
You’ve got your cooked sausages stored away, but four days have passed, and you forgot to label them (happens to the best of us). What now? It’s time for the two classic tests: visual and sniff. Check your sausages for any signs of spoilage like a dull color, slimy texture, or an off-putting smell. If anything seems amiss, it’s better to play it safe and throw them out. Remember, when it comes to food safety, “When in doubt, throw it out!”
If your sausages have passed the tests and you’re ready to chow down, make sure you reheat them to an internal temperature of 165°F. This temperature is the golden standard set by the FDA to ensure any potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. Use a food thermometer to check, because guessing games should be saved for family game night, not food safety.
Let’s say you’ve made more sausages than you can shake a spatula at, and you know you won’t eat them within four days. That’s where your frosty friend, the freezer, comes in. If you properly store cooked sausages in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in freezer-safe materials, you can extend their life for up to two months. Freezing acts like a pause button, keeping the sausages safe until you’re ready to defrost and enjoy them.
