Here's How Long Summer Sausage Lasts After Opening

The summer sausage was brought to the U.S. by German immigrants who settled in Texas. In fact, New Braunfels Smokehouse (the company who makes some of Buc-ee's beef jerky) is an extant example of a Texas summer sausage manufacturer from a German tradition. And now, you can find it in supermarkets pretty much everywhere (along with summer sausage's hotter, messier cousin: Thuringer). So it's easy to bring home and snack on it little by little or serve it up, sliced, on a charcuterie board. If you don't use the entire link, however, you might be wondering how long you have to eat it until it will start to go bad.

According to the USDA you have three weeks to finish it, provided it has been stored correctly in the refrigerator. While many commercially sold summer sausages are shelf-stable before you open them, the USDA says they should only stay fresh for three months if you store an unopened package in the fridge.

Because summer sausage is perishable once it's opened, you shouldn't leave it out on the counter at room temperature for more than two hours as it can reach dangerous temperatures where bacteria thrive. Further, you should always use a clean knife to slice it to prevent cross-contamination. If you want to be really careful, you should not take bites off the whole link, either, as your mouth can introduce bacteria to it that can cause it to spoil faster; just like drinking straight from a carton of milk or juice.

You can also freeze your summer sausage if you're not sure you'll finish it before the three weeks are up (you can freeze it when unopened, as well) and it'll retain its quality for up to two months. (It'll stay safe to eat for as long as it's frozen, even when freezer burnt, though you might find its taste and texture change for the worse beyond a couple months.) For best results (whether the summer sausage is opened or not), wrap it up tightly with an outer layer like aluminum foil or plastic wrap and then put it in a heavy-duty freezer-safe bag, pushing out as much air as possible before it goes in.