Sausage making is a popular technique to preserve meats. In fact, almost every country has a traditional way of preparing sausages. Curing, drying or smoking can be used to lengthen the shelf life of sausages. However, there are also fresh sausages or those made from meats that have not been previously cured, hence, they must be refrigerated and thoroughly cooked before eating.
Whether shipping fresh, cured, dried or smoked sausages, proper packing is essential to ensure that the processed meat products are in excellent condition when they arrive at their destination. Apart from keeping the sausages intact, sanitation is also a primary consideration to prevent the food items from getting exposed to organisms that can lead to spoilage.
Some sausages, particularly the fresh ones, are temperature sensitive and require refrigeration to avoid going bad. Here are some tips on how to properly pack and ship homemade sausages to ensure that they will arrive in perfect condition.
When shipping fresh sausages, place them in a Ziploc bag and flash freeze. Then, wrap it in butcher’s paper and bubble wrap before placing inside an air-tight container. Fill the empty spaces in the container with crumpled paper or bubble wrap to keep the frozen sausages in place.
Seal the container and place it in a slightly larger shipping box with a layer of packing peanuts or crumpled paper on the bottom. Fill the remaining void spaces on the sides with more packing materials. Place a disposable ice pack on top of the container and fill with more packing materials to prevent the container from shifting. Close the box and seal with packaging tape. For far destinations, a Styrofoam cooler is an ideal container. Place the ice pack inside the cooler before double-boxing in a sturdy cardboard box. Only pack the frozen sausages just before you leave for the post office or when the pickup is just about to arrive.
For sausages with longer shelf life, there is no need for ice packs. Simply place them in a Ziploc bag and wrap in bubble wrap before packing in an airtight container. Double box the container with ample packing materials on all sides, top, and bottom.
Always use the fastest option possible and avoid shipping near weekends or holidays to prevent the perishable items from getting stuck in a shipping warehouse over a long period of time.