Homemade Sausage Making

I just made a batch of Texas Smokey links,(the recipe I posted on the website a while back.) something came up and I am not going to have enough time to smoke them. I did use cure in them and I was wondering if I could freeze them and smoke them when I have more time? Also If I cannot do this how long do I have before they go bad in the refrigerator? Thanks

I had the same problem with a batch of csabai I made and froze them for 2 weeks. Defrosted them in the fridge slowly and smoked them without noticing any difference at all. I even got caught out once with an 8 kg batch ready to stuff meat mix. The end result was the same.
Maybe I was just plain lucky.
Go ahead my friend but defrost them slowly.
Regards,
Jan.

My freezer is set for minus 10° F and I have a fridge that is set for 32°F wherein I allow meat to thaw.

Hi Blackriver,
They'll be fine if you freeze them. Thaw and smoke. Another idea is just to smoke them heavily as you grill them.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

SS & CW - why is it important to thaw the meat slowly?

Actually, the quicker the better - within reason. To speed things up, some folks unwisely use a microwave or another heat source. This will start the cooking process and change the texture and color of the meat. Frozen meat thaws on the outside first inviting bacterial growth on the exterior while the interior is yet frozen - precisely the reason it should be done inside a refrigerator.
Let`s take a hard look at what happens when we freeze meat. First of all, we must remember that meat is about 75% water and when water freezes, it expands about 10 per cent. When water in meat expands, it ruptures cells. This results in the loss of elasticity and the ability to hold water. The amount of damage is directly proportionate to the temperature and speed of freezing.
Whenever meat is being frozen slowly, it`s important to realize that water inside meat cells contain more salt. At lower temperature it is under higher pressure and the molecules of water are pushed by this pressure from muscle tissue into connective tissue. Outside the cells, ice crystals grow larger, damaging the meat`s composition.
Whenever meat is frozen at very low temperatures, water molecules in the cells simply have insufficient time to vacate the cells and move to areas having lower pressure. Ice crystals in this case, are very small and they do much less damage.
Did you know that the curing process actually begins sooner in meat that has been previously frozen? It`s because the cells` structures have been ruptured. Fish contain more water than red meat. As a result, ice crystallization does more damage.
When meat has been frozen and ice crystals have ruptured cells, an "exudate" of minerals, proteins, blood, water, collagen, and other substances leak out. This liquid should always be saved and added back to the sausage mixture as it was part of the meat cells to begin with. If thawing meat exhibits very little liquid exudates, then you`ll know that it was frozen quickly
Have you wondered why we must freeze meat below zero to destroy trichinella spiralis? Meat freezes at 28°F not 32°. To completely freeze the water in meat, temperatures must reach well below zero. Most home freezers are not capable of doing this.
Cabonaia, I hope this has answered a few of the questions you might have concerning freezing and thawing of meat. Thank you for your interest and participation. It is a pleasure to have you with us.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Mr. Wagon sir, you are a compendium of useful information and obscure knowledge! The detail about frozen meat curing faster than fresh is particularly interesting. Thanks for greatly adding to my knowledge with this and all your other answers and advice on this site. It amazes me to consider how much more I now have to forget, after just a few months here.

Another thing I think I just learned is that sausage, because it is fattier than most meats, should freeze particularly well by comparison because there is less water in it - due to the fact that fat has less water in it than muscle. Which might also explain why I sleep warmer than I used to and am a lot more dense.

Thanks a lot for the replies! Thanks Chuckwagon for the info in my book I will read that

Hi,
Just one small addition, frozen and thawed out fish, due to ruptured cells, accept curing and smoking much better for a superior end result.
I always freeze slabs of Tasmanian salmon before they get the full treatment.
Jan.

Thanks Gents! Kind words - always appreciated.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon