Sausages

[jadyn]

I bought a pack of their top of the range chilled pork sausages from Aldi a few days ago. This morning I decided to freeze them as I don't anticipate using them before the "use-by date" (three days from today)

On the packaging it says that they can be frozen but I need to defrost the sausages in the bottom of the fridge for 24 hours before cooking them.

Are we now expected to anticipate when we're going to want to eat the sausages 24 hours ahead? Why can't I cook them from frozen as I've done with just about every other sausage over the years chilled or not? Does anyone have any suggestions as to why Aldi put this ludicrous instruction on the packaging?

Thank you.

[RATTER15]

We rarely plan meals that far in advance, I've no idea today what I will fancy eating tomorrow!

[jadyn]

^^^^

Thank you both. This food planning business is clearly not as good as some would have you believe!

[ummmm]

I would cook your sausages from frozen. Just do it slowly.

[murraymints]

frozen sausages...bung into defrost in Microwave..grill what's the problem ?

[ummmm]

Did you remove your own post, Chris?

[Buenchico]

Yes, Ummmm.

One of the few advantages of being a moderator is that, when you post an answer on the wrong thread, you can delete it ;-)

[ummmm]

HaHa...I did wonder why you might get abusive in a sausage thread :-D

[murraymints]

EEK !! ..

[gingejbee]

One more point....re Aldi and this "ludicrous instruction". Every pack of chilled sausages from every supermarket chain will tell you to thaw the product properly if you've chosen to home-freeze them. Nothing to do with Aldi, the Germans, the EU, Angela Merkel.....

[mccfluff]

i buy them, freeze them in two's and take them out the freezer when i need them and cook from frozen, done this for years and as far as i am aware i'm still alive.

i could be a zombie, i suppose but...

[gingejbee]

The instruction to thaw before cooking is simply because....home-freezing isn't the "optimum" way of freezing them....much slower than commercial freezing and then (if still frozen) may not be cooked through properly by some people...so it's a way of avoiding "troubles" with food hygiene.

[jadyn]

gingejbee, as far as I know, a frozen sausage is a frozen sausage. Years ago when I learnt the basics of food hygiene, I can't recall being told that food frozen from ambient temperature or chilled at home was potentially more dangerous from a bacteriological point of view than food fast frozen commercially.

People can develop food poisoning etc from undercooking such products regardless of whether the product was frozen commercially or at home. It seems to me that this business of a sausage seeming to be well cooked on the outside but less cooked on the inside can apply regardless of whether the sausage was bought chilled or frozen. If commercially frozen sausages were safe to that extent, there would be no chilled sausages on sale.

[gingejbee]

Well....we'll agree to differ...you cook from frozen and I'll thaw first.

[gumboil]

You can please yourself about the correct way to cook frozen sausages ginejbee, but I can assure you that chip shops just dump frozen sausages into the chip frier just like they do chips and I have never come across anyone who has succumbed to food poisoning using this method. In fact, the Federation of Fish Friers recommend the method.

It's nothing to do with the oil temperature. Sausages cook evenly and distinctively in chip shop friers regardless of the fat type, time and temperature involved. If they are cooked externally evenly,they are done.

Do you really consider that chip shops should defrost frozen sausages before cooking? Chip shops don't use chilled sausages. Having worked in a chip shop in my student days, I can assure you they'd soon be out of pocket if they defrosted frozen as you propose. Chip shop frozen sausages are no diifferent to the frozen sausages you buy in a supermarket.

If you really wish to waste your time and electricity in defrosting sausages before cooking in your microwave, it's your decision. I suggest you discuss the issue with your nearest chip shop proprieter. You never know, you may find your electricity bill decreases.