If you want to make a beautiful sausage, you should keep some in your fridge. They’re great for quick meals or when you get the munchies late at night. They will go bad over time, though, so it’s always a good idea to make sure they’re still safe to eat. Sometimes you can tell it at a glance, but sometimes you can’t.
Sausage is a delicious staple in many diets, but like any meat, it doesn’t last forever. Knowing how to identify signs of spoilage in cooked sausage is an important skill for any home cook. Don’t take chances when it comes to food safety.
In this guide, we’ll cover the top ways to tell if your cooked sausage has gone bad, plus tips on proper storage to maximize freshness.
Trust Your Nose: Rotten Smells Signal Spoiled Sausage
Your nose knows when sausage has turned Trust your sense of smell as the first indicator of spoiled cooked sausage,
Some key rotten smells to watch for
- Sour, sharp acidic scent
- Ammonia-like smell
- Generally unpleasant, putrid odor
If your cooked sausage gives off any of these strongly unpleasant odors, it has likely gone bad and should be discarded.
Examine the Color for Changes
Color offers another useful clue about your cooked sausage’s freshness. Watch for these hue alterations:
- Grayish tinges
- Unnatural or uneven discoloration
- Greenish cast
- Brown or tan color
Properly cooked fresh sausage should retain a uniform pink, reddish or brownish color depending on type. Any odd or off-putting colors are red flags for spoilage.
Check Texture and Appearance
The look and feel of your sausage also provides signs of whether it’s gone off or is still safe to eat.
-Slimy film or residue on the exterior
-Mushy when poked versus firm
-Dry, cracked, or shriveled appearance
High-quality cooked sausage should retain a fairly firm, moist texture. Drastic changes in appearance indicate the sausage is past its prime.
Monitor Storage Time and Temps
In addition to using your senses, keep storage time and temperatures in mind to prevent consumption of spoiled sausage:
- Discard cooked sausage left at room temperature over 2 hours
- Follow USDA refrigerator storage times of just 3-4 days for cooked sausage
- Freeze extra cooked sausage immediately for longer shelf life
- Avoid freezing previously frozen and thawed sausage again
When unsure, remember the old adage “When in doubt, throw it out” to protect yourself from possible foodborne illnesses.
Prevent Premature Spoilage with Proper Storage
Proper storage methods help cooked sausage stay fresh as long as possible:
- Allow sausage to cool completely before refrigerating
- Wrap tightly or place in sealed container
- Store on lower fridge shelves away from fresh produce
- Divide into smaller portions for quick cooling when freezing
- Defrost frozen sausage safely in refrigerator, cold water, or microwave
Following safe storage practices extends the shelf life of cooked sausage significantly.
What If I Eat Spoiled Sausage?
If you suspect you’ve eaten spoiled sausage, monitor yourself closely for symptoms of food poisoning like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or abdominal cramps.
Discontinue consumption immediately and discard any remaining sausage from that package. Severe symptoms may require medical treatment so consult a doctor if you have concerns.
Paying attention to signs of spoilage and using safe handling methods reduces the risks associated with bad sausage. Trust your senses, follow best practices and enjoy sausage the tasty and safe way.
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Trust the Obvious Signs
Most of the time, your eyes, nose and fingers tell you what you need to know. If your sausage turned gray in the fridge, that’s a bad sign. When a sausage is done, it should be slimy or have that funny, sweet-sour, funky smell. Either way, you should just throw it away. Those sights and smells tell you that there’s been some spoilage in your sausage. The problem is that spoilage isn’t your big worry when it comes to food safety. The really dangerous bacteria operate in stealth mode, and you won’t even know they’re there.
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
The bacteria that make your week-old hot dogs slimy are unpleasant, but they’re not especially dangerous. The ones that can make you really sick – E. coli, salmonella, listeria, yersinia – are a whole different story. They can be very dangerous if you are very young, old, or already sick, but they will usually just make your days very bad if you are young and healthy.
The trouble is that these really dangerous microorganisms, which are called “pathogens,” don’t put up a sign to let you know they’re there. You can’t see, smell or taste them or feel them with your fingers. To avoid getting them, make sure you buy your sausages from a reputable store, cook them correctly, and carefully follow the “best by” dates and stored in the fridge times given.
How can I tell if my meat’s gone bad?
FAQ
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