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.