Storing Meat

All uncooked meats or sausages should be treated as fresh meat. We can keep on hand an amount that will be consumed within a few days and the rest should be frozen. A ready-to-eat product should not be stored for more than 7 days at 41° F, or 4 days at 45° F. This practice will help control the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, a harmful bacteria. Meats should be stored at 32-40° F (0-4° C). Remember that there are differences between home and commercial refrigerators and freezers:

Home refrigerator	Butcher’s cooler
36° - 40 F° (2° - 4° C)	32 F ° (0° C)
Home freezer	Butcher’s freezer
0° F (-18° C)	-25° F (- 32° C)

Meat products stored for a long time in a freezer start developing inferior taste due to the oxidation of fat. Those chemical changes known as ”rancidity” occur spontaneously and are triggered by light or oxygen. Meats stored in a freezer will turn rancid more slowly than meats stored in a refrigerator. Rancid meat is noticeable more with frozen meat than chilled meat because bacteria can spoil meat in a refrigerator well before rancidity begins. Antioxidants such as BHA, BHT, TBHQ, and rosemary extracts are commonly used to prevent fat oxidation and prolong the product's shelf-life.

Storing Sausages

Cold Smoked and Dry Sausages. In the past, sausages were made differently as meat preservation was the most important factor. The meat was cured with 2-2.5% salt and nitrate; then it was cold-smoked for a long time. Hot smoking only prevents the growth of bacteria on the outside, so it is not a strong preserving factor; however, cold smoke can penetrate meat thoroughly, providing it continues for a long time. During cold smoking, the meat loses a lot of moisture and becomes safe because of drying,

Traditionally made salami-type dry sausages are not cooked but dried only and can be stored at room temperature. Whether they are smoked or not matters little, as the drying makes them safe.

Hot Smoked and Cooked Sausages.Hot smoked sausages don't lose enough moisture to be considered safe, however, they are fully cooked, usually to 160° F (72° C) internal temperature. This kills bacteria, making sausages safe for a while. However, new bacteria will attack meat again, so the sausages must be kept in the refrigerator or the freezer. Cold smoked and dry sausages can be kept at room temperature if the temperature is below 59° F (15° C), and less than 60% humidity. They, of course, can be refrigerated or frozen.

Cooked Sausages. All other cooked sausages such as liver and blood sausages, head cheese, sausages made with filler material, vegetarian sausages, and others, must be refrigerated or frozen.

Fresh Sausages. These sausages have the shortest life and, after stuffing, should be consumed or placed in the refrigerator or the freezer. They are usually fried, barbecued, or grilled.

Note. Hot smoked sausages that were cured with nitrite will last even longer due to the preserving effects of salt, nitrite, and smoke. The amount of salt that was added would be a deciding factor as well as the amount of moisture that the sausage contains. If salt was applied at 2.2% (22 g/kg of meat) or more, the cured, hot-smoked, and fully cooked sausage should keep on drying whether kept in the refrigerator or kitchen pantry as long as the temperature is below 59° F (15° C), and less than 60% humidity. The sausage becomes semi-dry, then dry sausage that is microbiological safe. This is how European sausages were stored when the Second World War ended and there was no refrigeration.