Italian sausage is one of the most popular varieties of sausage
currently available. To ensure that you get the best results when you
add this meat to any of your recipes, check out these tips and best
practices.
Keep It Fresh
When purchasing fresh Italian sausage, make sure to refrigerate it as soon as possible. If you are not planning to cook it within the next two days (at the most), go ahead and freeze it. It can be conveniently frozen in the package that it was purchased in or a vacuum-sealed bag will also help your meat retain its yummy flavor during its frozen slumber. Furthermore, if you choose to cook it before freezing it, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends refrigerating the Italian sausage for no longer than three to four days.
Of course, not all Italian sausage must be purchased fresh. Many fully-cooked varieties that simply require re-heating can be easily stored in your refrigerator. Just make sure to keep an eye on the "Use By" date for maximum freshness; if no date is available, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using sausage in an unopened package within two weeks. Once the package has been opened, the USDA recommends using it within one week.
For both fresh and fully-cooked Italian sausages, the USDA recommends freezing it no longer than one to two months. The fresh sausage you cooked can be safely frozen for two to three months.
Cooking it
When cooking this meat, there are a few characteristics to keep in mind that will affect the cooking process. First, although sausage makers do create other types of Italian sausage with other meats, it is primarily made from pork. As a result, there is a slight risk for exposure to Trichinella spiralis, even though U.S. pork is significantly cleaner than ever before. To ensure that you and your dinner guests are safe, make sure that any cooked Italian pork sausage reaches an internal temperature of 165-degrees Fahrenheit.
The second consideration is the type that you are cooking. Is it bulk (or ground) or is it in links where the meat is encased? For both types of Italian sausage, frying or cooking in a skillet is the easiest cooking method; however, the links can also be easily cooked on a grill for an extra smoky flavor. Regardless of the cooking method that you choose, you should always make sure that there is no noticeable pink meat. If thoroughly cooked, it will be brown throughout.
Checking for pink meat is extremely simple when browning ground Italian sausage in a skillet. Just stir the meat consistently, checking for glimpses of pink. Like browning hamburger meat, this process should only take a few minutes. The easiest, most accurate way to ensure that the links have been cooked all the way through is to cut just one in half and search for signs of pink meat.
Preparation Ideas
Italian sausage is exceptionally versatile. You can choose a spicy or sweet sausage blend to give your favorite pasta sauce, lasagna, kebabs, or other dish a great taste. In fact, it is so flavorful that it can stand on its own as a main course accompanied with peppers, rice, and many other side dishes.
Keep It Fresh
When purchasing fresh Italian sausage, make sure to refrigerate it as soon as possible. If you are not planning to cook it within the next two days (at the most), go ahead and freeze it. It can be conveniently frozen in the package that it was purchased in or a vacuum-sealed bag will also help your meat retain its yummy flavor during its frozen slumber. Furthermore, if you choose to cook it before freezing it, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends refrigerating the Italian sausage for no longer than three to four days.
Of course, not all Italian sausage must be purchased fresh. Many fully-cooked varieties that simply require re-heating can be easily stored in your refrigerator. Just make sure to keep an eye on the "Use By" date for maximum freshness; if no date is available, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using sausage in an unopened package within two weeks. Once the package has been opened, the USDA recommends using it within one week.
For both fresh and fully-cooked Italian sausages, the USDA recommends freezing it no longer than one to two months. The fresh sausage you cooked can be safely frozen for two to three months.
Cooking it
When cooking this meat, there are a few characteristics to keep in mind that will affect the cooking process. First, although sausage makers do create other types of Italian sausage with other meats, it is primarily made from pork. As a result, there is a slight risk for exposure to Trichinella spiralis, even though U.S. pork is significantly cleaner than ever before. To ensure that you and your dinner guests are safe, make sure that any cooked Italian pork sausage reaches an internal temperature of 165-degrees Fahrenheit.
The second consideration is the type that you are cooking. Is it bulk (or ground) or is it in links where the meat is encased? For both types of Italian sausage, frying or cooking in a skillet is the easiest cooking method; however, the links can also be easily cooked on a grill for an extra smoky flavor. Regardless of the cooking method that you choose, you should always make sure that there is no noticeable pink meat. If thoroughly cooked, it will be brown throughout.
Checking for pink meat is extremely simple when browning ground Italian sausage in a skillet. Just stir the meat consistently, checking for glimpses of pink. Like browning hamburger meat, this process should only take a few minutes. The easiest, most accurate way to ensure that the links have been cooked all the way through is to cut just one in half and search for signs of pink meat.
Preparation Ideas
Italian sausage is exceptionally versatile. You can choose a spicy or sweet sausage blend to give your favorite pasta sauce, lasagna, kebabs, or other dish a great taste. In fact, it is so flavorful that it can stand on its own as a main course accompanied with peppers, rice, and many other side dishes.
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