Use or throw out ????

[grabber]

Hi Guys. The ??? I have is, I made 10 lbs of seasoned, cured ground pork for sausage, but life being what it is, I had to freeze it. It's now been about a month and I want to defrost and use it.
Anybody see a problem with that. All your help is much appreciated and good luck in your SB pools- LOL. Be safe.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I see no problem, if I understand your question correctly. It’s sausage you made then froze about a month ago?

 

[grabber]

Yeah. what's the difference, stuffed in sausage frozen or left bulk? Thanks.

 

[SmokinEdge]

No difference. If stuffed in casings and not vacuum packed you can sometimes get a dried out casing that can be tough, other than that there is no issue freezing sausage. My freezer is full of them.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

SmokinEdge has ya covered… and agree 100% with what he said!

 

[HalfSmoked]

Well covered.

Warren

 

[dr k]

It's cured folks.

 

[SmokinEdge]

It's cured folks.

And? That changes things how?

 

[Culinary Otter]

I might be a bit confused.

The way I understand it, you mixed the sausage meat with spices and cure. Never stuffed it, froze it, and now you want to thaw it out and stuff it into casings?

If that's the case, you should be fine thawing it (in the fridge), and then stuffing. Check your consistency, you might need to add a bit more water.

From a food safety standpoint I can't see a problem with this.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Hi Guys. The ??? I have is, I made 10 lbs of seasoned, cured ground pork for sausage, but life being what it is, I had to freeze it. It's now been about a month and I want to defrost and use it.
Anybody see a problem with that. All your help is much appreciated and good luck in your SB pools- LOL. Be safe.

Are you saying that you mixed the sausage then froze right away? Meaning no time for the cure to work?

 

[Culinary Otter]

Are you saying that you mixed the sausage then froze right away? Meaning no time for the cure to work?

That's what I'm thinking

 

[Culinary Otter]

SmokinEdge you likely have forgotten more about cure than I'll ever know.

If this is indeed the case, would it still be okay to thaw it and leave it overnight (after thawing) to let the cure do it's thing?

My understanding is that it's heat that shortens the runway for cure. Freezing should just slow (stop) the process. So I think this should still work but that's just a working theory.

 

[SmokinEdge]

That's what I'm thinking

If so, it still is of little to no concern with cure #1.
Between actual freeze time and actual thaw time, that is enough time for cure #1 and ground meat.

 

[SmokinEdge]

SmokinEdge you likely have forgotten more about cure than I'll ever know.

If this is indeed the case, would it still be okay to thaw it and leave it overnight (after thawing) to let the cure do it's thing?

My understanding is that it's heat that shortens the runway for cure. Freezing should just slow (stop) the process. So I think this should still work but that's just a working theory.

Agree

 

[Culinary Otter]

If so, it still is of little to no concern with cure #1.
Between actual freeze time and actual thaw time, that is enough time for cure #1 and ground meat.

Thanks. That corroborates my theory. Just think the original question got lost in the shadows so wanted to verify.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks. That corroborates my theory. Just think the original question got lost in the shadows so wanted to verify.

With ground meat this is fine. Nitrite works directly on the meat and does so down to freezing temps, which with salt is closer to 28* than 32* and since the cure is mixed all through the meat as small particles it will work. Plus a refrigerator thaw kind of starts the process back up but most of the nitrite will already be converted by then. Whole muscle or 1-2” cubed meat would be a different story.

 

[grabber]

Are you saying that you mixed the sausage then froze right away? Meaning no time for the cure to work?

I let it sit for 2 days but than could' stuff it. So I had to freeze it.