Sausages can be used in a wide variety of ways, but the most common one has surely to be making hot dogs. When making hot dogs, the sausages (usually wieners or frankfurters) usually get eaten very fast, because everyone, especially kids, simply loves them!
But that doesn’t always have to be the case – other times, there’s a lot of leftover sausages, which may leave you wondering:
How Long Is Sausage Good For? Sausage is good for at least one day, provided it is properly stored. That means you have to refrigerate it all the time because sausages turn bad very quickly when they sit out.
This was just to put it very briefly, though – in order to indeed understand this topic, we’ll have to dive into it a bit deeper.
So without any further ado, let’s just jump right into it!
Table of Contents
- Do sausages go bad in the fridge?
- How long are uncooked sausages good for in the fridge?
- How long are cooked sausages good for in the fridge?
- How long does frozen sausage last in the freezer?
- How long does cooked chicken sausage last in the fridge?
- How long are Johnsonville brats good for in the fridge?
- How long does Andouille sausage last in the fridge?
- How long do cooked brats last in the fridge?
- How long is Italian sausage good for in the fridge?
- How long is smoked sausage good for in the fridge?
- How long is summer sausage good for in the fridge?
- How long can you eat leftover sausage?
- Is it OK to eat expired sausage?
- How do you know if sausage is still good?
- Summary
- Resources
Do sausages go bad in the fridge?
Yes, sausages go bad in the fridge; in fact, it can happen just after a day. But with that being said, in most cases, sausages should last for at least two days when refrigerated, even though the “sell-by” date at the packaging might expire during that time.
But after you’ve had your sausages for more than two days, you’d better throw them out because eating them may very likely be dangerous.
How long are uncooked sausages good for in the fridge?
Fresh, uncooked sausages can last about one to two days in the fridge, provided you don’t leave them at room temperature for too long. However, when sausages get cooked, things change a bit; more about that comes in the following answer.
How long are cooked sausages good for in the fridge?
Cooked sausages are good for three to four days in the fridge – the exact timestamp depends on precisely what sausages we’re talking about. But in all cases, you should simply never cross the four-day limit unless you want to have a stomach ache.
So now you’re probably wondering – what about frozen sausages? How long do sausages last in the freezer? Your answer is coming soon!
How long does frozen sausage last in the freezer?
So to put it simply, sausages last up to two months in the freezer, but again, the exact timestamp depends on what sausages we’re talking about. Nevertheless, all frozen sausages simply stay safe to eat for a decent amount of time, so you can leave them in the freezer even throughout a vacation.
Unopened
Unopened sausages last up to two months in the freezer. If you want to get the best quality for quite a while, storing it at temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C) is crucial, and as always, you can expect the food to stay good for a long time this way.
Opened
As you have probably guessed, opened sausages last a bit shorter time than their unopened siblings – usually, opened sausages last something about a month in the freezer.
How long does cooked chicken sausage last in the fridge?
To be entirely sure that they’re safe, cooked chicken sausages should be eaten within a day or two. However, with that being said, in most cases, chicken sausages last for at least three days in the fridge before actually being dangerous to eat.
How long are Johnsonville brats good for in the fridge?
Just like any other sausages, Johnsonville breasts are suitable for at least two days in the fridge. But since Johnsonville brats are already cooked, they can last much longer most of the time – usually, Johnsonville brats won’t turn bad until more than seven days in the fridge!
Unopened
So no matter what the “sell-by” date on the packaging says, you don’t have to worry about eating unopened Jonhsonville brats if you haven’t had them home for more than a week now.
Opened
And believe it or not, the same goes for the opened ones – even opened Johnsonville brats are good for seven days in the fridge, provided you store carefully seal them into some airtight containers.
How long does Andouille sausage last in the fridge?
Andouille sausages are smoked, which makes them able to last for a bit longer than classic sausages do – Andouille sausage lasts for something around three to four days in the fridge, provided you don’t let it sit out for more than two hours throughout the time.
How long do cooked brats last in the fridge?
As explained above, cooked sausages have a longer lifespan than raw ones. Hence, cooked brats last for something like three or four days in the fridge, unlike the classic ones that probably wouldn’t make it even through the second day.
How long is Italian sausage good for in the fridge?
As long as you make sure that they under any circumstances don’t sit out for more than two hours, Italian sausage is good for something about two days in the fridge – so after having them home for a longer time, you should throw them away as soon as possible.
How long is smoked sausage good for in the fridge?
Just like the cooked ones, smoked sausages can last for a longer time than the raw type – because of that, smoked sausages are good for at least three days in the fridge (and in many cases even five!).
How long is summer sausage good for in the fridge?
Provided it’s stored correctly, an unopened pack of summer sausages will last for quite some time! That’s because summer sausage is good for around three weeks in the fridge.
How long can you eat leftover sausage?
Answering this question is very hard since it depends on many factors, but it obviously wouldn’t be us if we didn’t try – so generally speaking, you can eat leftover sausage for something like three to four days since it was cooked, but you have to keep it in the fridge.
Is it OK to eat expired sausage?
Yes, it probably is OK to eat expired sausage. That’s because, for most food, the expiration date marks only the time when it starts to spoil and not when it already is spoiled, meaning expired sausages are, in many cases, still good to go.
Now, let’s take a look at two examples:
Can you eat sausages 5 days out of date?
Yes, most likely, you can eat sausages 5 days out of date because they’re probably still safe. However, remember that eating expired food is always a bit risky, so if you want to be entirely sure you’re not going to get sick, you should rather throw the sausages out.
Can you eat sausages 7 days out of date?
And that goes double for sausages 7 days out of date – even though there is a possibility they’re still safe to eat, 7 days is simply a long time, and they may also very likely be now dangerous to eat.
So to ensure you’re not going to get sick, you should thoroughly check the sausages before eating them; how to do so is explained in the following answer.
How do you know if sausage is still good?
To know if sausage is still good, you just have to take a good look and a good sniff – if you notice anything weird in the sausage’s smell or appearance, it’s time to throw it out. But otherwise, the sausage is still good and can be eaten even if it has already expired!
Summary
Even when they’re stored properly, uncooked sausages don’t last for an enormous amount of time –they’re able to stay good for only a day or two. However, it’s a different story with cooked sausages – cooked sausages last up to five days in the fridge!
And if you need to store sausages for an even longer time, you can also put them into the freezer. There, they’ll stay suitable for up to two months.
Also Read:
- How Long Is Chinese Food Good For?
- Does Prosecco Go Bad?
- Does Marsala Wine Go Bad?
- Do Baby Carrots Go Bad?
- How Long Does Sushi Last?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
