A Chef's Life: Recipe for Sausage Balls (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to refrigerate sausage balls after they are cooked? ›

Sausage balls can sit out while serving for up to two hours. Past that point, they should be refrigerated and reheated. Do sausage balls need a dipping sauce? Sausage balls are delicious all on their own, but you can pair with ranch, honey mustard, or any other dipping sauce you love.

Yes, you can freeze uncooked or cooked sausage balls. To freeze uncooked sausage balls: Roll the balls and place them on a baking sheet. Flash freeze them overnight, then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags. Wrap in foil and freeze flat for up to three months.

Store cooked sausage balls in an airtight container in your fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat these in the microwave or pop them back in the oven until heated through.

The USDA calls food that has been left sitting at room temperature a danger zone. The danger zone is typically food that is between 40°F and 140°F. This range of temperatures actually allows bacteria to rapidly grow and make food unsafe to eat. The time scale for bacteria growth is typically two hours maximum.

All sausages- except dry sausage - are perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated or frozen. Uncooked fresh sausage can be stored in the refrigerator one to two days; after cooking, keep for three to four days refrigerated (40 °F or less).

Poisonous microbes like bacteria are put into sleep mode by freezing. In simpler terms, it's almost impossible for most frozen foods to ever become spoiled in a working freezer. So, from a food safety perspective, your two-year-old meat is good to go. Thaw it, cook it, and enjoy it!

Crock pot: Place a damp paper towel in the bottom of crock pot (this well keep them from drying out as they reheat) Place sausage balls in crock pot and heat on low until heated through (a crock pot full may take 2-3 hours)

Strong or unpleasant odor: A strong or unsavory smell is the first sign your sausage has gone bad. If your sausage has a fish-like, acidic or sour smell, you'll likely want to throw it away.

Typically these balls, when made into round shapes using a cookie scoop and rolling in your hands, should retain their round shape. One reason some flatten when cooking if when pre-shredded cheese was used in the recipe. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't hold up as well as if you shred the cheese by hand from a block cheese.

PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: CORN SYRUP, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, VINEGAR, SUGAR, PORK BROTH, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE.

How do you reheat frozen sausage balls in the microwave? ›

Or, put the frozen sausage balls on a microwave-safe container and heat them on High in the microwave for 10 seconds per sausage ball. If your microwave is less than 1100 watts, you might need to add a few seconds for each sausage ball.

Yes, it's best to refrigerate sausage balls after making them, especially if they're not consumed immediately. Allow them to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.

Cooked food can only stay in the temperature danger zone for so long before it becomes unsafe to eat. Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away.

Fresh Sausage

Fresh sausages are sold raw, meaning you should treat them the same as any other perishable item. Raw sausage will stay fresh in the refrigerator for one or two days and in the freezer for one or two months. At room temperature, they will last a maximum of two hours.

“Bacteria grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40 F and 140 F,” the USDA says. “Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.”