How to Tell if Jimmy Dean Sausage Is Bad (Explained!)
People who enjoy eating sausage for breakfast have probably heard of the famous Jimmy Dean brand. If you’re a fan of these products, you might be wondering about their shelf life.
Eating rotten meat can be dangerous, which is why it’s essential to keep track of the expiration dates, look for spoilage signs, and discard the meat if necessary.
You can establish if a Jimmy Dean Sausage has gone bad by paying attention to its color, smell, and taste, inspecting its texture, and checking the expiration date.
In this article, I’ll explain how to tell if Jimmy Dean sausage is bad. Plus, I’ll discuss different storage methods.
Does Jimmy Dean Sausage Go Bad?
Because these breakfast sausages are made from ground pork or sometimes turkey, Jimmy Dean sausages will go bad after a certain period.
Since these are pre-packaged sausages, you’ll see an expiration date on the packaging. This is the recommended date on which you should consume the sausages.
After that date, they may not go bad straight away, but their freshness and taste might be impaired.
Therefore, if you want to ensure the meat is safe to consume, you should always pay attention to the expiration date. However, there are also different signs to check when unsure if the meat has gone bad.
How Do You Know if Jimmy Dean Sausage Is Bad?
The use-by date is when the sausages will have optimum freshness, quality, and flavor. It’s essential always to keep an eye on this date.
However, you don’t have to follow it blindly. If you notice any of the signs outlined below and the sausage is still within the use-by date, don’t eat it.
On the other hand, although it’s not recommended to use sausages after this date, you can. If the meat tastes, smells, and looks okay, it’s still good for consumption.
However, the USDA doesn’t recommend it, and you’ll be doing so at your own risk.
If you’re wondering how to tell if Jimmy Dean sausage is bad, look for the following signs.
Color
If you’ve noticed the sausage has turned gray, it’s gone bad, and you should discard it. Any color change signifies that your meat has deteriorated in quality, and you shouldn’t risk eating it.
Mold
If you see mold on the sausage, you should also discard it immediately. If you eat meat with mold on it, you risk getting sick and developing a bacterial infection.
Smell
Sausages usually smell like fresh meat and herbs. If the sausage has a sour or unusual smell, it means it’s gone bad, and you shouldn’t consume it.
Slime
If the sausage is slimy or sticky, don’t eat it since this is another sign of spoilage.
Taste
Even if it looks perfectly fine, the sausage might still be bad.
Jimmy Dean sausages have a well-known flavor. If the sausage you’re eating tastes funky, don’t eat any more of it.
Even when you think the taste is just a little off, you shouldn’t consume it for fear of contracting food poisoning.
FAQ
How Long Is Jimmy Dean Sausage Good for After the Use-by Date?
As previously mentioned, the use-by date denotes when the sausage will be at its freshest. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the meat will go bad after that date, but this is the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Note that you can still consume the meat after this date, but you’re doing so at your own risk, and the manufacturer can’t be held responsible if anything happens to you.
Of course, always pay attention to other signs of spoilage, regardless of the date on the packaging. If not properly stored, meat can quickly go bad and cause food poisoning or other illnesses.
How Long Is Cooked Jimmy Dean Sausage Good for in the Fridge?
The USDA has established guidelines on how long you can store cooked sausages in the fridge. The time frame depends on whether you’ve opened the package or not.
- If you haven’t opened the package, you can store Jimmy Dean cooked sausage in the fridge for two weeks.
- If you’ve opened the package, you can store it in the fridge for seven days.
With this in mind, always keep an eye on signs of meat spoilage. If you notice any changes in the meat, don’t use it, regardless of the use-by date or the USDA recommendations.
How Long Is Uncooked Jimmy Dean Sausage Good for in the Fridge?
Unlike cooked sausage, fresh sausage has a much shorter storage time. In this case, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve opened the package or not.
It’s recommended to keep uncooked Jimmy Dean sausage in the fridge for one to two days.
Since the sausages are fresh, they go bad quickly. Therefore, it’s essential to follow the recommendations and the instructions on the packaging to ensure you don’t jeopardize your health.
Can You Freeze Jimmy Dean Sausage?
Besides keeping it in the refrigerator, you can store your Jimmy Dean sausage in the freezer.
If you cannot consume the sausages within the recommended dates, put the package in the freezer to extend its lifespan.
Of course, you should do this within the use-by or best-by dates.
According to the USDA recommendations, frozen sausage can be kept in the fridge for one to two months. However, this doesn’t mean the sausage will go bad after this period. It just means that it might deteriorate in quality, flavor, or texture.
If frozen within the recommended time frames, sausages will remain safe indefinitely.
If you want to defrost your sausage, it’s recommended to do so in the fridge. If you leave the sausage outside, harmful bacteria can develop quickly, especially in warm environments.
Furthermore, once you’ve defrosted a sausage, it’s not recommended to refreeze it.
In Summary
To conclude, meat is likely to go bad if kept past the recommended dates or if it’s not stored correctly. Hence, it’s important to always check the dates on the packaging.
Besides that, it’s essential to use your common sense. If the meat looks, smells, or tastes funky, don’t consume it. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Now you’ve learned how to tell if Jimmy Dean sausage is bad. It’s super popular and makes for an easy meal, so if you’re keeping a stock of it, make sure you know how to properly handle it.
For those of you on special diets, like the keto diet, you may want to know about how Jimmy Dean sausages apply to its rules – click here to learn more.
