Buzz
You might feel uneasy about thawing sausages. Bacteria and other pathogens thrive on meat that isn't thawed properly. You can thaw sausages in the refrigerator, microwave, or a bowl of warm water. Using the refrigerator is the easiest but also the slowest method. The microwave is the fastest but may cause the sausages to burn during cooking. Thawing in a bowl of warm water is the least convenient, but you won't have to worry about burning the sausages when cooking.
Steps
Thawing in the Refrigerator
Check to ensure the refrigerator temperature is below 5°C. Higher temperatures can encourage bacterial growth and multiplication. You can use a thermometer to measure the temperature if your refrigerator doesn't have a built-in thermometer.
- Place the thermometer inside the refrigerator and close the door for 5 minutes, then take it out to read the temperature.
Keep the sausages in their original packaging. There's no need to remove the sausages from their packaging at this stage, as it actually helps them thaw faster and more evenly in the refrigerator.
- If the sausages are already out of their packaging, you can wrap them in plastic wrap before placing them in the fridge.
Place the sausages on a plate and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The plate will prevent the fridge from getting wet as the ice in the sausages melts. Make sure to keep the sausages separate from other ready-to-eat foods.
- If frozen pork comes into contact with other foods, you could get sick from eating those items.
Leave the sausages in the refrigerator until they feel soft to the touch. When the sausages are soft and you no longer feel any ice or frost on them, they are fully thawed. Thawing in the refrigerator is the easiest but also the slowest method. If you have a large batch of sausages, it might take up to 24 hours for them to thaw completely.
- Once thawed, you can keep the sausages in the fridge for 3-5 days before cooking. If you take them out of the fridge before this time, you should cook them immediately.
Thawing in the Microwave
Place the sausages on a microwave-safe plate. Keep the sausages in their packaging and place them on a plate that is safe for microwave use. Here are a few ways to check if your plate is microwave-safe:
- Some plates have labels on the bottom indicating whether they are microwave-safe.
- A symbol of a plate with wavy lines above it means the plate is microwave-safe.
- A wavy line symbol also indicates that the plate is safe for microwave use.
Place the sausages in the microwave and set it to the defrost mode until they can be separated. If your microwave doesn't have a defrost setting, use 50% power. Pause after 3-4 minutes and use a fork to check if the sausages can be pulled apart.
- If the sausages are still stuck together, restart the microwave and check again after about 1 minute.
Microwave the sausages in 2-minute intervals. Once the sausages are thawed enough to separate, microwave them for another 2 minutes. Leave space between each sausage on the plate to ensure even thawing. Check every 2 minutes until the sausages are fully thawed.
- Once thawed, cook the sausages immediately to prevent bacterial growth.
Thawing in a Bowl of Water
Remove the sausages from their packaging and place them in a bowl. Sausages are usually wrapped in protective packaging, which you need to remove for this method. Choose a bowl large enough to hold all the sausages you want to thaw.
- If you don't have a bowl big enough, you may need to use two bowls.
Pour lukewarm water into the bowl with the sausages. Lukewarm water is typically around 43°C. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature after pouring the water. A temperature between -5°C and 43°C is ideal.
Place the bowl in the sink under a slow-running tap. Adjust the faucet so that water drips quickly into a small stream. Ensure the water is cool and dripping, not flowing heavily. This helps maintain a stable water temperature for thawing.
- A dripping faucet keeps the water in the bowl moving continuously, preventing bacterial growth while the sausages thaw.
Leave the bowl under the faucet until the sausages are fully thawed. The thawing time depends on the number and size of the sausages in the bowl. For 1 or 2 sausages, it may take around 25 minutes. For 6 or more sausages, it could take an hour or longer.
- Do not leave the bowl under running water for more than 4 hours, as bacteria may start to grow.
Clean the bowl and sink with bleach. Once the sausages are thawed, thoroughly wash the bowl and sink. Failure to clean these surfaces properly can lead to the growth of bacteria or pathogens like salmonella.
Warnings
- Never thaw sausages or other meat products at room temperature. Bacteria thrive in meat left at room temperature.
What You'll Need
Thawing in the Refrigerator
- Refrigerator
- Thermometer
- Plate
Thawing in the Microwave
- Microwave
- Microwave-safe plate
- Fork
Thawing in a Bowl of Water
- Bowl
- Thermometer
- Sink
- Faucet
- Bleach
