Is Smoked Sausage Fully Cooked? (Answered)

Is Smoked Sausage Fully Cooked

Sausage is one of the most versatile meats out there.

You can use sausage in so many different dishes, from breakfast to dinner. Not to mention, sausage can also be cooked in a variety of ways, including smoking.

However, a common question I hear around smoked sausages is if the smoking process cooks the sausage.

There is some confusion as to whether or not sausages that have been smoked also need to be cooked or if you can eat them straight from the package.

So are smoked sausages fully cooked?

Generally, hot smoked sausages are fully cooked whereas cold-smoked sausages are not fully cooked. Check the packaging to see if the sausages have been cooked prior to being packaged. If not then the smoked sausages should be cooked until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

That said, it’s important to distinguish between sausages that are fully cooked and the ones that are safe to consume.

Keep in mind that sausages are different than hot dogs.

So check out this article to learn if you can eat hotdogs straight from the packaging.

Eating Smoked Sausages from the Package

Generally, smoked sausages that are fully cooked are safe to consume out of the package. However, a sausage could be uncooked via cold smoking but still be safe to consume.

If sausage is uncooked but is safe to consume, it simply means that the sausage has been cured. Sausages are cured by adding curing salts such as sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate, and then air-drying them.

Sausages that are cured are protected from contamination by foodborne pathogens, making them safe for consumption.

However, you should never consider eating cold-smoked sausages raw unless the package states they the sausages have been cured or are safe to eat without cooking.

Cooking Smoked Sausages

If the sausages that you’ve bought are hot-smoked or cured, then there is no need to cook them again – all you have to do is warm them if you’re not a fan of eating cold sausages.

That being said, there is no harm in cooking your sausages all over again even if they have been hot smoked or cured.

People who prefer to eat sausages straight out of the package should make sure the sausages have been hot smoked or cured.

Make sure to read the package labels and watch out for phrases like “Cook before eating”, “Uncooked”, Needs to be fully cooked”, and others that imply that the sausages have to be cooked before eating.

It’s good to keep in mind that most frankfurters, hot dogs, bratwursts, and wieners are usually already cooked. Fresh sausages, on the other hand, have to be cooked.

You can even hot-smoke fresh sausages if you prefer the smoky flavor. You’ll just have to make sure that you use the right temperature over a long enough time to smoke your sausages so that they can cook fully.

Best Ways to Cook Smoked Sausages

The best ways to cook smoked sausages are on a grill or in a pan.

Just heat up some oil in a pan on medium heat and then add the sausages. If you’re using a grill, make sure that the grill is nice and hot before adding the sausages.

Once the sausages are in the pan or on the grill, cook them for about 10-15 minutes, flipping them occasionally so that they cook evenly on all sides. Also, when using a grill, covering the sausages in aluminium foil makes it easier to get more consistent results with moist links.

What’s more, to increase the chances of the sausages cooking uniformly and thoroughly, you can score them or even cut them butterfly-style (lengthwise).

If you’re not going to use a grill, then you can use a stovetop to fry your sausages. Just heat up some oil in a thick-bottomed frying pan over medium heat and then add the sausages to the pan.

Cook the sausages for 8-10 minutes, flipping them a few times during cooking so that they cook evenly on all sides.

To speed up the cooking process, you can slice the sausages. You can choose to add a little bit of oil when frying the sausages or just allow them to cook using their own fat.

How To Tell When Smoked Sausages Are Cooked

The most reliable way to know that sausages are done is to use a food thermometer. When the thermometer reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit, the sausages are cooked.

However, you can also use cooking times to plan out when the sausages will be fully cooked.

  • Grilled sausages will generally be ready in about 10-15 minutes
  • Baked sausages will take about 20-25 minutes
  • Pan-fried sausages should be done in about 8-10 minutes

If you’ve been cooking sausages for quite a while, you also know that you can reliably determine cooked sausages using sight alone. When the sausages have a nice, dark brown colour then the sausages are likely done.

That being said, it goes without saying that you never want to rely on your sight and sense of smell alone to decide whether the sausage is cooked or not.

If all the methods mentioned above are not appealing enough, you can poke the sausages with a knife and then touch the knife to your bottom lip – if it’s hot, the sausages are likely done.

And if the cooking process seems a tad complicated for you, the good news is that a majority of smoked sausages are usually precooked or cured. As such, you only have to reheat them if you prefer to eat hot sausages.

What Happens When You Eat Undercooked Sausages?

When you eat undercooked sausages, you’re taking a risk of potentially getting sick.

Eating undercooked sausages will increase your chances of suffering from Trichinosis (also known as trichinellosis). Trichinosis is a food-borne infection that comes as a result of eating raw or undercooked meat products from infected animals.

The worm that causes Trichinosis is known as Trichinella, and it falls under the category of roundworms.

Symptoms of Trichinosis include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, and abdominal pain. In advanced cases, also referred to as tissue invasion, you might experience the following symptoms:

  • Headache
  • Weakness
  • Constipation
  • Sensitivity to light
  • High fever
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Swelling of the face or eyelids
  • Muscle pain and tenderness
  • Itchy skin
  • Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

If you are at risk of catching trichinellosis or you think that you’ve already, it’s best that you seek medical attention as soon as you can.

There are prescription drugs that are used to treat the illness, and for best results, treatment should begin as early as possible.

Do You Have to Refrigerate Smoked Sausages?

If you’ve bought smoked sausages but are not planning to cook them all, you might be wondering if you should refrigerate them or not.

Information from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that dry-cured sausages such as salami or pepperoni can be left at room temperature for up to six weeks without going bad, as long as the package is not opened.

In a similar manner, dry-cured sausages can be stored in the refrigerator indefinitely if the package is unopened, or up to three weeks if the package is opened.

Sausages that are not dried are usually perishable, and that means that you must store them in the fridge for not more than a week if opened. On the other hand, you can store frozen sausages for two months if they are not dried and the package has not been opened.

One Last Word

Smoked sausages are a nice delicious treat to have. However, you should determine whether or not the sausages have been cured or hot smoked meaning the sausage is fully cooked or whether the sausage has only been cold smoked and needs to be cooked.

Generally, hot smoked sausages are fully cooked whereas cold-smoked sausages are not fully cooked. Check the packaging to see if the sausages have been cooked prior to being packaged. If not then the smoked sausages should be cooked until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Smoked sausages that have been cured may not need to be cooked before eating even if they are not considered fully cooked.

So always make sure to check the smoked sausage’s packaging before eating the sausage.

Steven

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