Cooked food sitting at room temperature is in what the USDA calls the “Danger Zone,” which is between 40°F and 140°F. In this range of temperatures, bacteria grows rapidly and the food can become unsafe to eat, so it should only be left out no more than two hours. Can sausage balls be served at room temperature?
Cook’s note: Pre-cooked sausage balls may be frozen and then reheated at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Reynolds® Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
Can sausage spoil?
A well-made sausage is a thing of beauty, and they’re some of the tastiest treats to keep in your fridge for quick meals or late-night attacks of the munchies. Like anything else, they will spoil over time, though, so it’s always a good idea to check whether they’re still safe to eat. Sometimes you can tell it at a glance, but sometimes you can’t.
Another inquiry we ran across in our research was “What happens if you eat spoiled sausage?”.
The outcome of eating spoiled sausage depends on the individual. Just like any food borne illness, the young and old are more susceptible to severe sickness. Also if the person has any immune disorders. Bad sausage that doesn’t have any harmful bacteria will just taste off. You might get a upset stomach but nothing too serious.
Ground breakfast sausage does not last longer than other sausages. In fact it will not last as long as dry cured sausage. Since ground breakfast sausage is fresh it will go bad just like any other meat. Any change in smell or appearance is a sign the sausage is going bad. Sell by date is a good indication, but this also isn’t perfect.
A frequent question we ran across in our research was “How to tell if sausage is bad?”.
As a general rule for inspecting sausage for any signs of spoilage start with the smell. Raw meat usually doesn’t have a strong smell. Spoiled sausage meat will have a pungent and rancid smell that is overwhelming.
How long can you keep cooked sausages?
Some bacteria hides very well and can still make someone sick if eaten. It is always good to know a date of when the sausage was processed. Then you can have a indication of how long it can be kept. This is with cooked sausages. They will generally take longer to spoil than fresh sausages. Fresh or raw sausages perish a lot faster.
Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; sausages should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
Why are my sausage balls so greasy after baking?
Your sausage balls will be dry and lacking the flavor the grease gives them during baking. Just toss them in a paper-towel lined bowl to absorb any excess grease afterward. If you use nice sausage (it really is worth a buck or two more), you won’t have the super greasy problem to begin with.