Reheating Sausages - Methods, Pros & Cons | Sausages Shopping Guide
How to reheat cooked sausages
Reheating sausages safely
Sausages can be reheated but we recommend you reheat them only once. Repeated reheating will affect the taste, texture and nutritional quality of sausages and the risk of bacterial contamination increases every time you handle them.
To be suitable for reheating, the sausages should have been cooked to 71℃ initially, then wrapped and refrigerated or frozen within 2 hours. They should be reheated or defrosted fully and reheated within 2 days.
Always reheat sausages thoroughly until piping hot, when the centre of the meat reaches a core temperature of 71℃ and bacteria is destroyed. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, slice the sausage in half to confirm there is no pink meat.
Different ways to reheat cooked sausages
The most effective methods for reheating sausages are in a microwave, on the hob, in the oven and on the barbie.
| Method | Guidelines | Pros | Cons |
| Reheating cooked sausages in a microwave | Place 2 sausages on a microwavable plate and cover with paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute (increase by 30 seconds if more than 2) then check. Flip and cook at 20 second intervals until piping hot and steaming. | Very quick and doesn’t compromise the quality | Danger of overcooking and becoming rubbery and dry. Difficult to observe progress and requires frequent checks. |
| Reheating cooked sausages in the oven | Preheat the oven to 170℃, place sausages on a lined baking sheet, and brush with oil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until piping hot. | This method is the easiest and perfect for reheating large quantities of sausage. | Large volumes will take longer to reheat. |
| Reheating cooked sausages in a frying pan | Add a small amount of oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Cook low and slow for 10 minutes until piping hot and evenly browned. | This is the fastest method of reheating sausages and is popular with cafe chefs as they can openly observe whilst cooking. Also adds flavour. | None |
| Reheating cooked sausages on the BBQ | Brush sausages with a little oil and place on the BBQ at a low temperature to prevent bursting. Baste and turn frequently for approximately 10 minutes until the internal temp is 71℃. | Perfect option for quickly reheating bags of precooked sausages for a sausage sizzle or family barbecue. | Monitor temperature and prevent burning the outside before the interior is fully cooked through. |
Safe food handling after reheating
Sausages that have been reheated should be eaten immediately and not allowed to sit out at room temperature after cooking. They can be refrigerated within 1 hour of cooking and eaten cold within 24 hours. After that, throw them away.
Sausages that have been reheated can not be reheated or refrozen. The rule to remember is to cook once and reheat once. Enjoy your sausages.
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