How to / How long to store Dry Sausage???

[jdgabbard]

Ok, I'm thinking that this year I'm going to be turning a large majority of my harvested meats into dry sausages. Like summer, pepperoni, and the such.

But I've heard mixed opinions on how to store, and for how long. Some say leave it on the shelf, some say throw it in the fridge, some say freeze it.

I've thought about vacuum sealing it, and leaving it in the pantry, but I honestly just don't know how to store a large amount of it, not just a couple sticks.

[Reload3006]

I get a lot of dried meat even jerky from the locker plant ... vacuum packed and quick frozen so I just keep it that way. It has always lasted until its been eaten up.

[tinyejp]

The guidelines seem to be three months in any kind of storage, but one would assume once vacuum sealed and frozen, dry sausage would keep a long darn time...at least until next season when it can be replaced!

[jdgabbard]

Well, I pretty much guess it would last for a good while if vacuum sealed and frozen, but I'm more curious about vacuum sealing and shelf life. There is a book on the subject that I'm wanting to buy, but until I get back stateside, I don't want the extra bulk. And they don't offer it as an ebook, so I'll have to wait before ordering from Amazon.

[jdgabbard]

Although, I guess I could always just can the sausage... Maybe make shorter sticks and fill up some pint jars and cook it up in a brine... That would probably last FOREVER...

[Lloyd Smale]

i make a ton of summer sausage every year but cant help you as i vacuum pack it and freeze it.

[Twinkiethekid]

I think and my friends say it's always best to eat the meat or wild game within a year.

[MT Gianni]

The old Italian receipes for dry sausage kept meat with no refridgeration for up to a year. I am not ready to try any of that today.

[Dale in Louisiana]

The old Italian receipes for dry sausage kept meat with no refridgeration for up to a year. I am not ready to try any of that today.

Same thing with old Cajuns. The sausage they made, though, was dryer, saltier, and smoked a lot longer than the stuff you buy today. You can replicate it yourself, but it's difficult to buy.

We also had salt pork, basically pork chunks, heavily salted, stuffed tightly in a crock, then a layer of melted lard poured over the top to seal it from the atmosphere.

Dale in Louisiana

[Lloyd Smale]

keep in mind that most summer sausage, peperoni ect recipes ive seen are not for a dry sausage and they do need to be kept refrigerated if you not going to eat them in a couple days.

[Dale in Louisiana]

keep in mind that most summer sausage, peperoni ect recipes ive seen are not for a dry sausage and they do need to be kept refrigerated if you not going to eat them in a couple days.


You're absolutely right for modern recipes. Just remember that the REAL old recipes required no such frippery.

There are several cultures that continue to use these recipes.

dale in Louisiana