Can anyone tell me if this sausage is safe to eat?

kelseyjessica

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Jul 11, 2014

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #1

Hi, I have a question in regards to some sausages I bought from a farmers market. They are smoked German sausages. They taste great but I am concerned as to if they are fully cooked or safe to eat. I have no knowledge of sausages so I would appreciate someone's help. The sausage is squishy and soft and pink in the center. I tried searching online and just found out information on smoke rings, but it doesn't look like that's the case with these sausages. Is this normal? Thank you!

photo (22).JPG

• kelseyjessica
• Jul 11, 2014

 

Last edited: Jul 11, 2014

tropics

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #2

That looks like raw meat to me, I would say cook it.

Richie

 

smokerjim

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #3

looks like it was somewhat smoked,but does look on the raw side,i would cook it to be sure,i'm sure you don't want to ruin your weekend.

 

tropics

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #4

Was that in a refrigerated case?

Richie

 

kelseyjessica

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Jul 11, 2014

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #5

tropics said:

 
Was that in a refrigerated case?

Richie

Click to expand...

It wasn't. I bought them at a market. They just had them on the table in bags, and I was told it was already cooked. I took them home and put them in my fridge but this is what the inside looks like. 

 

tropics

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• Jul 11, 2014

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Bring it back and see if he will eat it.

Richie

 

kelseyjessica

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Jul 11, 2014

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #7

Thanks for both of your help. I was afraid these were raw. I bought about 4 of them and they all look the same inside. I was reading a little about nitrates and how it changes the color of the meat and I was hoping that's all that it was. 

 

smokerjim

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #8

nitrates will change the color,could be wrong, but that sausage just looks raw to me.

 

foamheart

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #9

Smoking is not a cooking method or we could not cold smoke. Smoking originally was a preservation method like salting. Now its mostly a flavor enhancement.

If you are worried cook it, next time remember to ask the vendor if its been cooked to safety standards. Some of my sausages have and some have not, but I make sure and tell folks when they come and ask for them. 

 

rgautheir20420

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• Jul 11, 2014

• #10

smokerjim said:

 
nitrates will change the color,could be wrong, but that sausage just looks raw to me.

Click to expand...

From all of my reading, I believe it's the Nitrites in the Cure that make the meat look and maintain a nice pink color. Cure #1 is commonly used in sausages that are cold smoked and then either cooked through to a safe IT or are then frozen and thoroughly cooked before serving. Looking at the area of the sausage that isn't exposed from the casing, it looks to have been smoked and slightly dried? Which would make me hope a Cure was used to protect the meat. I could be wrong too though 

Either way, do as everyone else has said and cook it to be safe.