Vacuum Seal Johnson Sausage??

[pureflusher]

Can you vacuum seal Johnson Sausages after they are smoked? I made some cheese for gifts and thougt some sausage would go great.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Johnson sausages? :icon_eek:
Johnsonville?
What are you talking about?
You need to be much more specific to get a good answer.



~Martin

 

[pureflusher]

Sorry. Yes the johnsonville sausages

 

[boykjo]

[h3]Safety Guidelines for Vacuum Sealing Food[/h3]
If you have  taken proper steps in preparing your food in a clean and uncontaminated environment, then this should not be a problem. However, if there is any question about the safety, then err on the side of caution and do not vacuum pack the food, as you would be creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

Follow these guidelines to properly vacuum seal food:

1. Vacuum sealing food does not replace the need to pressure can or water bath home canned foods.
2. Wash hands before and during the vacuum sealing process.
3. Try not to touch food with your hands. Use clean spoons, tongs or something else to handle the food.
4. Be sure to keep utensils, cutting boards and counters clean.
5. Keep vacuum sealed foods in the refrigerator or freezer. Dry food, like crackers and nuts, can be stored at room temperature.
6. Freeze low-acid vacuum packaged foods and consume immediately after heating. Never heat a low-acid vacuum packaged food and allow it to stand at room temperature in the vacuum package.
7. Ensure that you do not cross contaminate food.
8. Properly label food sources with type of food and date packaged.
9. Ensure the seal is complete and that there is no debris in the seal.

[h3]Which Foods are Safe and How Long Do They Store?[/h3]

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Shelf life of vacuum packaged foods

Food	Stored In	Normal Shelf Life	Vacuum Shelf Life
Large cuts of meat: beef, poultry, lamb and pork	Freezer	6 months	2-3 years
Ground meat: beef, poultry, lamb and pork	Freezer	4 months	1 year
Fish	Freezer	6 months	2 years
Coffee beans	Room temperature	4 weeks	16 months
Coffee beans	Freezer	6-9 months	2-3 years
Berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries	Refrigerator	1-3 days	1 week
Berries: cranberries, huckleberries, blueberries	Refrigerator	3-6 days	2 weeks
Cheese - hard, semi-soft and pasteurized cheeses.*Soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, Ricotta, Cottage and Teleme MAY NOT be vacuum packaged	Refrigerator	1-2 weeks	4-8 months
Cookies, crackers	Room temperature (periodically opening)	1-2 weeks	3-6 weeks
Flour, sugar, rice	Room temperature	6 months	1-2 years
Lettuce	Refrigerator	3-6 days	2 weeks
Nuts	Room temperature	6 months	2 years
Oils with no preservatives, like safflower, canola, corn oil	Room temperature	5-6 months	1-1.5 years
Wine	Refrigerator	1-3 weeks	2-4 months

Above table adapted by Tilia Inc. from Dr. G.K.York, Dept. of Food Science & Tech, U of California, Davis  

Vaccum sealing food can be a productive way to maintain your food source as well as prolong its shelf life. Ensure that you take the proper steps in handling and storing your  food to reduce the presence of bacteria in your food storage.