can i refreeze sausage
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Sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat, often pork, beef, or poultry, along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
When used as an adjective, the word sausage can refer to the loose sausage meat, which can be formed into patties or stuffed into a skin. When referred to as “a sausage”, the product is usually cylindrical and encased in a skin.
Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made from intestine but sometimes from synthetic materials. Sausages that are sold raw are cooked in many ways, including pan-frying, broiling and barbecuing. Some sausages are cooked during processing, and the casing may then be removed.
Sausage making is a traditional food preservation technique. Sausages may be preserved by curing, drying (often in association with fermentation or culturing, which can contribute to preservation), smoking, or freezing. Some cured or smoked sausages can be stored without refrigeration. Most fresh sausages must be refrigerated or frozen until they are cooked.
Sausages are made in a wide range of national and regional varieties, which differ by the types of meats that are used, the flavouring or spicing ingredients (garlic, peppers, wine, etc.), and the manner of preparation.
History
Sausage making is a natural outcome of efficient butchery. Traditionally, sausage makers salted various tissues and organs such as scraps, organ meats, blood, and fat to help preserve them. They then stuffed them into tubular casings made from the cleaned intestines of the animal, producing the characteristic cylindrical shape. Hence, sausages, puddings, and salami are among the oldest of prepared foods, whether cooked and eaten immediately or dried to varying degrees.
An Akkadian cuneiform tablet records a dish of intestine casings filled with some sort of forcemeat.
A Chinese type of sausage has been described, lup cheong (pinyin: làcháng) from the Northern and Southern dynasties (589 BC–420 BC), made from goat and lamb meat with salt, and flavoured with green onion, bean sauce, ginger, and pepper. The modern type of lup cheong has a comparatively long shelf life, mainly because of a high content of lactobacilli; so high that it is considered sour by many.
The most famous sausage in ancient Italy
The Greek poet Homer mentioned a kind of blood sausage in the Odyssey, Epicharmus wrote a comedy titled The Sausage, and Aristophanes’ play The Knights is about a sausage vendor who is elected leader. Evidence suggests that sausages were already popular both among the ancient Greeks and Romans and most likely with the various tribes occupying the larger part of Europe.
The most famous sausage in ancient Italy was from Lucania (modern Basilicata) and was called lucanica, a name which lives on in a variety of modern sausages in the Mediterranean. During the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, sausages were associated with the Lupercalia festival. Early in the 10th century during the Byzantine Empire, Leo VI the Wise outlawed the production of blood sausages following cases of food poisoning.
Can I Refreeze Sausage?
Sausage of any kind — cooked, raw, in casings or in bulk — can be refrozen after being thawed — as long as you follow some rules. Freezing doesn’t destroy bacteria and ground meat products, like sausage, are more easily contaminated than whole cuts of meat. For this reason, you should be extra careful whenever you cook with sausages. When you follow safe food handling practices, you can safely refreeze those sausages for later use.
Handle With Care
You can refreeze sausage, if you handle it safely. First, buy sausage at the end of your shopping trip so it stays cold longer. Refrigerate it as soon as you get home at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and freeze it within two days. Thaw sausage overnight in the refrigerator, never at room temperature, which promotes bacterial growth. Pork and beef sausage should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 160 F. Cook sausage containing poultry to 165 F. Once cooked, the sausage should be cooled quickly and frozen or refrigerated within two hours. Following these steps cuts the risk of foodborne pathogens contaminating the sausage, making it safe to refreeze.
Pack It Up
To refreeze previously frozen raw or cooked sausage, pack it loosely into airtight freezer boxes or plastic bags. Squeeze out as much of the air as you can and seal it tightly. Label the packages with the date and pack them in a freezer set at 0 F or colder.
Taste Test
Food stays safe indefinitely in the freezer, but that doesn’t mean it will taste good after years in the freezer. Sausage and other ground meats tend to lose quality faster than larger cuts of frozen meat, especially if they’ve been frozen and thawed already. The process of freezing, thawing and refreezing causes moisture loss, and may make the meat more prone to freezer burn or an unpleasant taste. Your best bet is to use the sausages within one month. After that, the meat might not taste as fresh as it should.
Use It Up
When it’s time to use refrozen sausage, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Heat it in a skillet, slow cooker or baking dish to 160 F. Sausage that’s been thawed several times tastes best when combined with other ingredients in a savory casserole, soup or pasta dish. The moisture in sauces and broths will help alleviate any dryness and flavorful ingredients mask the “frozen” taste.
Freezing Sausage
By freezing your sausages you are saving yourself time by planning ahead for you and your family. Freezing sausages also gives you the ability to buy more at once and potentially save money. Freezing meats is the best way to store large amounts and buy them in bulk, so freezing your sausage is a practical way to save money.
You can freeze sausages that are uncooked or cooked. If you want to freeze uncooked sausages then you’ll just have to thaw it out prior to cooking when you are ready to use it. You also have the option to cook sausages then freeze them cooked. If you are choosing to freeze cooked sausages, it is important to let the sausage cool first prior to putting it in the freezer.
One key to freezing your sausage is keeping air out. So make sure that you store your frozen sausages in air tight bags or containers. One tip for keeping sausage fresh is to double up on the packaging. You could wrap the sausages up in foil and then add them to a ziplock bag to keep them stored extra tight.
After sausage has been thawed out, it is in fact okay to put it back in the freezer if necessary. It is just important to follow a few steps to avoid food contamination. It is safe to thaw out raw sausages, cook them and then freeze the cooked sausages.
As long as the sausage was thawed properly and not left out on the counter or in the refrigerator for too long, it can be refrozen. It is also important to make sure to let the cooked sausage cool entirely before placing it in the freezer.
How to Properly Thaw and Reheat Sausage
The safest way to thaw frozen sausage is to put it in the refrigerator and let it thaw slowly. Once fully thawed, it is safe to cook the meat. Never thaw sausage on the counter or at room temperature. Thawing sausage at room temperature could cause bacteria or airborne pathogens to grow, due to the fact that the outer parts will thaw much faster than the center. If left out for longer than two hours at room temperature, sausages should be thrown away.
Sausages can be reheated using a microwave, in a pan on the stovetop, or by baking them in the oven. The most important step when reheating sausages is ensuring that it is properly heated all the way through.
Use a meat thermometer to ensure you have properly heated your sausage before eating them. Sausage should be heated to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees fahrenheit. Here are some step by step tips for reheating sausages:
Reheating Sausages in the Microwave
- Start by thawing the frozen sausage in the refrigerator overnight.
- Microwave on high for about 3 minutes.
- Ensure that the sausage is thoroughly heated throughout before eating.
- If you don’t eat all of the sausage and would like to refreeze it, let it cool.
- Place in an airtight bag and store in the freezer or refrigerator.
Reheating Sausages on the Stove
- Thaw sausage overnight in the fridge.
- Place in a skillet over medium heat.
- Heat sausage for about 10 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees fahrenheit.
- Once cooled, sausage can be refrozen in an airtight container.
Reheating Sausages in the Oven
- Once the sausage has thawed overnight, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the sausages in a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Cook in the oven, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until sausage reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Cool completely before refreezing.
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