The USDA calls food that has been left sitting at room temperature a danger zone. The danger zone is typically food that is between 40°F and 140°F. This range of temperatures actually allows bacteria to rapidly grow and make food unsafe to eat. The time scale for bacteria growth is typically two hours maximum. So how are you supposed to handle sausage balls after they have been cooked? You don’t want to waste some of the best tasting food from Stripling’s General Store do you? Leftover sausage balls should be properly placed in a tightly sealed dish before being refrigerated. Now you know how to store sausage balls to keep them fresh and safe so you can enjoy them as a snack later or part of your next meal.
Safety Comes First
Working with ground meat calls for a certain level of safety in the kitchen. In order to prevent contamination, ground meat of any kind should be kept below 40°F or above 140°F. Of course, when you purchase properly packed sausage balls they will be safe in the refrigerator for a few days and up to a month in the freezer. It is a good idea to cook them while they are still fresh for optimum freshness and flavor. Cooked sausage balls can be kept for up to 3 to 4 days.
Keep Your Sausage Balls to Themselves
There are a lot of odoriferous foods that tend to make other foods smell or taste like them if they are not stored right. This is one of the main reasons that sausage balls need to be kept in air tight containers. You do not want their aroma to be absorbed by other foods in your fridge like cream or butter. Consider storing them in sealable storage bags for food and/or airtight containers meant for refrigerator storage use. Make it easier on yourself too and line the bottom and sides of storage containers with wax paper so the sausage balls don’t stain them with fat or transfer their aroma.
Prevention Is the Answer
Keeping a clean kitchen and handling food properly is the answer to being able to stay safe and enjoy great tasting foods. You should wash your hands for twenty seconds before and after you have handled raw sausage. Cross-contamination can also be prevented by keeping cutting boards and utensils that have been used with raw sausage separate from other equipment in your kitchen. Also, be sure to sanitize equipment and utensils that have been used after cooking sausage balls, and enjoy great tasting food with the entire family.
FAQs
Prevention Is the Answer
How long can sausage balls stay unrefrigerated? ›
Sausage balls can sit out while serving for up to two hours. Past that point, they should be refrigerated and reheated.
How to keep sausage balls fresh? ›
Are leftover sausage balls supposed to be refrigerated after cooking or do you keep them at room temperature. They should be tightly covered and refrigerated.
How long can sausage go unrefrigerated? ›
At room temperature, they will last a maximum of two hours. You can prolong the life of your fresh sausage by cooking it and storing it. Once you've cooked the sausages, they will last three to four days in the fridge and up to four months in the freezer.
What's the best way to reheat sausage balls? ›
Reheat the sausage balls in the oven or air fryer, for the best texture. In the oven, reheat the sausage balls on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. In the air fryer, reheat the sausage balls at 400°F for 4-5 minutes.
How do you store sausage without a refrigerator? ›
Preserving Sausage by Drying
The most important factor in this method is the choice of the area where the sausages will be stored. This space should be warm, but out of sunlight. The sausages are dried by hanging them with a string. If hanging is not possible, they can also be dried wrapped in newspaper.
What sausage does not need to be refrigerated? ›
All sausage — except dry sausage — is perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated. The following storage times should be followed for maximum quality.
How do you keep sausage moist and cooked? ›
To determine whether it's done, you can measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Sausages should reach 155–165°F (68–74°C). Alternatively, boiling them before cooking in a pan or on a grill can ensure that they're thoroughly cooked and remain moist.
How do you store sausage long term? ›
We recommend leaving sausage in vacuum packages until used to prolong shelf life. After opening a vacuum package, remove the remainder of the package. Rewrap sausage tightly to keep air out. If sausage is moist, wipe dry before repackaging.
How do you keep sausage rolls fresh? ›
A cooked sausage roll will last in your fridge for up to three days. Be sure to pop it in the fridge once it's cooled down though, as a sausage roll shouldn't be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If you freeze your sausage roll, it will last for up to three months.
Myth: You shouldn't put hot foods in the refrigerator.
If you leave food out to cool and forget about it after 2 hours, throw it away. Bacteria can grow rapidly on food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Do sausages need to be refrigerated? ›
All sausages- except dry sausage - are perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated or frozen. Uncooked fresh sausage can be stored in the refrigerator one to two days; after cooking, keep for three to four days refrigerated (40 °F or less).
Can summer sausage be left out? ›
There are many sausages that are perfectly safe to leave out of your cooler, but be aware that not all summer sausages are created equal and some must be refrigerated to stay fresh. If you're not sure whether your sausage needs to be refrigerated, check with the manufacturer.
How do you reheat sausage without drying it out? ›
How can you reheat cooked sausages (bratwurst, hot dogs, etc.) without drying them out or burning them? You could loosely wrap them in foil and sprinkle with a little water. Heat your oven to 350 and put the foil wrapped sausages in for about 10 minutes.
Can I freeze sausage? ›
Freezing keeps food safe indefinitely. Keep sausages in the freezer (0 °F or less) for one to two months for best quality.
What temperature is reheated sausage done? ›
Cooking and storing sausages
Once cooked, sausages should be cooled, then chilled between 1-4C, where they can be kept for up to two days (but not past the use-by date). To reheat, cook until the internal temp reaches 70C again.
How long can sausage rolls be left out of the fridge? ›
A cooked sausage roll will last in your fridge for up to three days. Be sure to pop it in the fridge once it's cooled down though, as a sausage roll shouldn't be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If you freeze your sausage roll, it will last for up to three months. Who invented sausage rolls?
Do cooked sausages need to be refrigerated? ›
All sausages- except dry sausage - are perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated or frozen. Uncooked fresh sausage can be stored in the refrigerator one to two days; after cooking, keep for three to four days refrigerated (40 °F or less).
Can sausage spoiled if it was stored in the fridge? ›
After purchasing sausage, it will last in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. As long as they are properly stored, they will remain safe to consume even if the sell-by date expires during that time. If you freeze raw sausage, use it within 1 to 2 months before its quality begins to deteriorate.
How long are little smokies good for after the expiration date? ›
A "use by date" is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The product should still be safe if it has been handled properly after this date unless there is noticeable spoilage (off odor, flavor, texture). Same is true for the "once opened use within 7 days" concept.
