# cured breakfast sausage does a cured sausage have to be smoked or can you just freeze and properly cook before eating?



## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

does a cured sausage have to be smoked or can you just freeze and properly cook before eating?


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## tropics (Jun 19, 2022)

You can freeze it and cook it any time you want.
Richie


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## indaswamp (Jun 19, 2022)

^^^^^This. Richie got you covered.


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## chopsaw (Jun 19, 2022)

I add cure to a lot of fresh sausage . Great for the grill .


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## tx smoker (Jun 19, 2022)

Just curious, why would you want to cure breakfast sausage? It is typically a fresh sausage that is cooked fairly quickly so there really isn't a need to cure it.

Robert


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## boykjo (Jun 19, 2022)

I get this sausage at our local food lion in the Raleigh NC area. Its a semi dried breakfast sausage.
Pretty off the hook stuff. Been trying to copy it with no luck......


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## SmokinEdge (Jun 19, 2022)

ljb said:


> does a cured sausage have to be smoked or can you just freeze and properly cook before eating?


Welcome from Colorado.
Everyone has you covered. There are fresh sausage recipes that I add cure #1 to just for that color and flavor. Do you care to share this recipe? Besides pictures we really like recipes.


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## chopsaw (Jun 19, 2022)

L
 ljb
  I do it for taste texture and color . Makes a great grilling sausage like I said . I add it to all chicken sausage . That's a tip I took from 

 tropics
 . Fantastic chicken Italian recipe .
Fully cooked , has a pink tint .






AC Leggs bratwurst with cure one and pepper jack cheese added .
Cast iron grill pan . You can see the color .






Both of the above were not smoked and spent time in the freezer .
So there isn't a reason not to do it , if that's what you want to do .

Went to the Bells farms web sight . Great looking sausage !


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## tx smoker (Jun 19, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> So there isn't a reason not to do it , if that's what you want to do .


Excellent point. I've never put cure into fresh sausage but as you noted, there's no reason not to if that's what you want to do. I kinda got the impression that the OP thought it needed to be done versus doing it because he wanted to do it.

Robert


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## indaswamp (Jun 19, 2022)

Chopsaw, I like the idea of cure in fresh chicken sausages......I'll try that...


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## DougE (Jun 19, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Chopsaw, I like the idea of cure in fresh chicken sausages......I'll try that...


Me too. I have a chicken parmesan sausage recipe I've been aiming to add some cure to. I think it'd be really good.


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## chopsaw (Jun 19, 2022)

There's something about the chicken Italian with cure added that makes it really good . 

I just looked up the ingredients for Cracker barrel's breakfast sausage . It has sodium nitrite in the list .


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## indaswamp (Jun 19, 2022)

I want to make the Italian Chicken Basil, Asiago and sundried tomato sausage but with cure #1.....


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## chopsaw (Jun 19, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> I want to make the Italian Chicken Basil, Asiago and sundried tomato


I bet that's good . I have an Italian herb and cheese from TSM . Uses Romano and motz cheese . Dry white wine for the liquid .


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## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

tropics said:


> You can freeze it and cook it any time you want.
> Richie


Thank You Richie, I thought so I separated and froze not having the time for smoking. Whole reason for even maybe rushing this I found out that a person passed away and he was my go-to for sausage. It was a spur of the moment/motivation to doing this. Thanks for the reply LJB


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## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> ^^^^^This. Richie got you covered.


Thank You


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## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> I add cure to a lot of fresh sausage . Great for the grill .


I've made the fresh breakfast sausage before mainly wanted to use cure to see what the taste difference would be. Thanks for the reply LJB


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## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

tx smoker said:


> Just curious, why would you want to cure breakfast sausage? It is typically a fresh sausage that is cooked fairly quickly so there really isn't a need to cure it.
> 
> Robert


Mostly to see what the taste difference would be. I've made fresh Sausage before without cure. I guess the bottom line just experimenting. I knew the cure salt would change the taste but didn't know what it would do to the recipe. Thanks for the reply LJB


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## ljb (Jun 19, 2022)

boykjo said:


> I get this sausage at our local food lion in the Raleigh NC area. Its a semi dried breakfast sausage.
> Pretty off the hook stuff. Been trying to copy it with no luck......


Nice good luck, unfortunately 2 sausage people I know in my area have passed with the last one a week ago today so no more shiggin. (hanging around and peeping) with hopes of picking up on something. Thanks for the reply LJB


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## Bearcarver (Jun 20, 2022)

tx smoker said:


> Just curious, *why would you want to cure breakfast sausage? *It is typically a fresh sausage that is cooked fairly quickly so there really isn't a need to cure it.
> 
> Robert


*Maybe to get Awesome Flavor???*
One of the first things I ever did in a Smoker (12 years ago) was to change Boring fresh Venison Sausage into Awesome Cured Venison Sausage.
The pictures are no longer there, But below are the links to the first 2 times I did it:
*Changing Fresh Venison Sausage into "Cured & Smoked"
Venison Sausage Converted Part #2*

Bear

 Venison "Fresh" sausage: (Not cured or smoked)






This is what Venison "Fresh" sausage looks like, if you then cure it & smoke it:


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## thirdeye (Jun 20, 2022)

tropics said:


> You can freeze it and cook it any time you want.
> Richie





chopsaw said:


> I add cure to a lot of fresh sausage . Great for the grill .





tx smoker said:


> Just curious, why would you want to cure breakfast sausage? It is typically a fresh sausage that is cooked fairly quickly so there really isn't a need to cure it.
> 
> Robert





SmokinEdge said:


> Welcome from Colorado.
> Everyone has you covered. There are fresh sausage recipes that I add cure #1 to just for that color and flavor. Do you care to share this recipe? Besides pictures we really like recipes.


Bingo.  Cure can give ordinary (fresh) sausage a pinkish color, and add the 'cured' flavor. Many of the Texas hot link recipes call for a lower dose of Tenderquick just for that purpose.


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## ljb (Jun 20, 2022)

Thank You all for the reply's, thinking I'm going to like this Place Thanks again LJB


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## SmokinEdge (Jun 20, 2022)

Glad to have you aboard.


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