Does Hickory Farms Summer Sausage Require Refrigeration?

Hickory Farms offers a delicious selection of summer sausages that are perfect for gift giving or stocking your own pantry. Their popular summer sausage varieties like Signature Beef and Sweet & Smoky Turkey are made from quality meats and real wood smoke flavor. But with these fully cooked sausages, should they be refrigerated or can they safely stay shelf stable?

This article will go over how to store Hickory Farms summer sausage so that it stays fresh and doesn’t go bad.

Overview of Hickory Farms Summer Sausage

Hickory Farms carries several varieties of summer sausage

• Signature Beef Summer Sausage – Coarsely ground beef seasoned with spices and smoked over real hardwood fires. Hickory Farms’ #1 selling item.

• Sweet & Smoky Turkey Summer Sausage – Hickory-smoked turkey breast seasoned with honey, mustard and spices.

• Spicy Summer Sausage – Beef summer sausage with added kick from jalapeño and habanero peppers.

• Natural Summer Sausage: All-natural summer sausage made from beef that is smoked with natural wood smoke.

All of their sausages come fully cooked so they are ready to enjoy. The smoky meats are a popular staple in Hickory Farms’ gift boxes, or can be purchased individually.

Does Hickory Farms Summer Sausage Require Refrigeration?

Yes, Hickory Farms recommends refrigerating their summer sausages after opening.

While shelf stable when unopened thanks to the cooking process, the raw meats and moisture content mean opened packages should be refrigerated. Leaving them out too long at room temperature allows bacteria to multiply quickly.

Proper cold storage is the only way to slow bacteria growth and prevent spoilage in cooked meat products. So be sure to store any opened Hickory Farms summer sausage in the fridge.

How Is Hickory Farms Summer Sausage Prepared?

To understand why refrigeration is needed after opening, here’s how Hickory Farms makes their summer sausage:

• Raw meat is ground, seasoned, and stuffed into casings.

• The raw sausage links are hung in climate-controlled rooms and cold smoked for up to 14 hours over real wood fires.

• The smoked sausage is then fully cooked to an internal temperature of 152°F.

• After cooking, the sausages are quickly chilled then vacuum sealed.

• The cooked, sealed sausages are shipped frozen.

So while fully cooked, the raw meat content means opened packages should be refrigerated.

How Long Does Summer Sausage Last Refrigerated?

To maintain both safety and quality, Hickory Farms recommends consuming refrigerated summer sausage within the following time frames:

• Unopened package: Up to 6 weeks past the sell-by date if kept refrigerated.

• Opened package: Up to 3 weeks after opening.

The refrigeration preserves freshness and slows any bacteria growth. But for best flavor and texture, try to eat opened packages within 3 weeks.

Tips for Proper Refrigerated Storage

Follow these tips for keeping Hickory Farms summer sausage fresh after opening:

• Refrigerate or freeze after opening. Keep at 40°F or below.

• Transfer to an airtight container or resealable bag. Remove excess air.

• Avoid repeated temperature fluctuations.

• Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks then discard if not eaten.

• Can also freeze for 2-3 months to extend shelf life. Thaw in fridge before eating.

Proper cold storage locks in freshness and flavor. Refrigeration also eliminates concerns about pathogens multiplying on the cooked sausage if left out too long.

Signs of Spoilage

Check refrigerated summer sausage for the following before eating:

• Unpleasant odors – Should smell like smoked meat.

• Slime layer or mold – Should not be slimy or fuzzy.

• Off color – Should be pinkish-red, not brown, gray or green.

• Off tastes – Should taste like smoked meat.

If you notice any of these signs, the sausage has likely spoiled and should be discarded. When in doubt, throw it out!

Can Summer Sausage Stay at Room Temperature?

Hickory Farms does not recommend leaving their summer sausages out at room temperature once opened. The cooked meats can still harbor dangerous bacteria without refrigeration.

If taking sausage on picnics or other occasions without refrigeration, it’s best to keep it chilled in a cooler with ice packs. Limit any room temperature exposure.

For food safety, refrigeration is still the best practice after opening packages. So be sure to keep that delicious Hickory Farms summer sausage nice and cold!

Other Tips for Enjoying Hickory Farms Sausage

Here are some other recommendations for safely enjoying Hickory Farms summer sausage:

• Check “sell by” or “best by” dates before eating.

• Cook raw sausage patties or links to an internal temperature of 160°F.

• Reheat cooked sausage to 165°F.

• Rinse hands and surfaces after handling raw meats.

• Never re-freeze sausages after thawing.

Following proper storage, handling and cooking procedures will allow you to safely enjoy the signature flavors of Hickory Farms’ popular summer sausages.