Michigan
State University Extension
Preserving
Food Safely - 01600789
10/13/97
1. The cure mentioned for several sausage recipes
contains 6.25% sodium nitrite which gives a red, cured color
to the sausage after heating. Sausages which do not contain
cure will be brown, not red, after processing. Cures such
as Modern Cure, or Prague Powder can sometimes be purchased
from small commercial sausage makers. Complete cures can
often be purchased in grocery stores or locker plants.
Follow the instructions on the container if complete cures
are used. Complete cures often replace most of the salt and
sugar called for in the sausage recipes.
2. Fresh sausage is readily perishable and has a short
shelf life of 4 to 5 days at refrigerator temperature.
3. Fresh sausage should be frozen if it is to be kept
more than 4 or 5 days. Fresh sausage or cooked sausage can
be kept 2 to 3 months at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and slightly
longer at colder
temperatures.
4. To keep fresh sausage patties from falling apart
while frying, add up to 1/2 cup of cold water for each 4
pounds of sausage and mix well with the hands until the mass
becomes sticky and dough-like.
5. A meat thermometer is a must to check the internal
temperature of cooked sausages such as thuringer, polish
sausage, bockwurst, liver sausage and cooked salami.
6. Seasonings in sausage can be altered to suit
individual tastes. Products containing cure will benefit
from the addition of 28 grams monosodium glutamate and 6
grams sodium erythorbate per 25 pound batch.
7. Natural spices may result in some discoloration
around large spice particles. Spice discoloration is not
harmful.
8. Fresh uncooked sausages and cooked sausages (those
heated to 152 degrees Fahrenheit during processing) can be
pan-fried, baked in an oven, simmered, pan-broiled or
grilled. However, some cooked sausages (salami, liver
sausage) are eaten cold.
