How to Store Cooked Sausage Balls

Store leftover meatballs for dinner on another evening.

Sausage meatballs are found atop pasta dishes and in soups and sandwiches. Make your own tasty meatballs using mild or spicy Italian sausage, bread crumbs, eggs and your preferred seasonings and spices. For convenience, you can make a large batch of meatballs and store some to serve for a future meal. The cooked meat items will last for a few days in your refrigerator and several months in your freezer. It is crucial to store the meatballs properly to avoid foodborne illness.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic storage container with an airtight lid
• Paper towel (optional)
• Storage label

Instructions

1. Cool hot meatballs quickly by putting them in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Transfer the cooled meatballs to a moisture- and vapor-proof plastic storage container.

3. Pour cooking liquid, such as marinara sauce or gravy, over the meatballs. The liquid will keep the meatballs from drying out. Allow a 1/2-inch head space at the top of of the container for expansion.

4. Wipe any sauce or gravy off of the container's rim using a paper towel.

5. Press an airtight lid onto the container.

6. Label the container with the sausage balls' storage date.

7. Store the meatballs in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for three to four days. Freeze the meatballs in 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for three to four months.

References

• Still Tasty: Cooked Meatballs
• Purdue University: Freezing Meat and Poultry
• Clemson University: Storing Meats and Seafood

Resources

• All Recipes: Wildfire Sausage Meatballs