Please bear with me - can I do this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Freeze, defrost and then brown. You could brown now and freeze but then the end product will not be good. Browning adds flavor and texture. Both will be off if you freeze browned sausage.

Thanks for that helpful framing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The entire recipe is super easy and takes less than 30 minutes. You're going to waste more time freezing and defrosting vs just buying it later and cooking it right away. Plus Italian chicken sausage?? They sell regular Italian sausage everywhere.

The whole point of asking is that there is one store where I can buy this store-made Italian chicken sausage, which the family likes, and I only get there every now and then. But I am not able to make the dish till next week due to schedule, hence, the freeze or brown/freeze question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s going to be dry and bland either way.

This. And with a weird texture from being frozen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Browning the sausage takes like 5 minutes. Why are you trying to do that?

This. Just freeze it now and brown it when you need it.

So just freeze the links then defrost? But any reason I can't brown and freeze? While it only takes five minutes, it would only mean one pot to clean when I assemble the meal for the family.

You need the crust from the pan when you cook the kale.

I guess it's possible you could cook the sausage and the kale and freeze the whole thing, but the kale and sausage need to cook together.

You're also going to need a skillet for the breadcrumbs.

Yeah, I was going to make the breadcrumbs when I brown the sausage. They last a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire recipe is super easy and takes less than 30 minutes. You're going to waste more time freezing and defrosting vs just buying it later and cooking it right away. Plus Italian chicken sausage?? They sell regular Italian sausage everywhere.

The whole point of asking is that there is one store where I can buy this store-made Italian chicken sausage, which the family likes, and I only get there every now and then. But I am not able to make the dish till next week due to schedule, hence, the freeze or brown/freeze question.

Well it’s going to suck regardless so freeze it any way you like.

[Anonymous]

What is the sell by date on the sausage? It usually doesn’t go bad immediately.

[Anonymous]

I freeze sausage all the time. In fact usually I buy it frozen. It defrosts just fine to proceed with recipe. I would not brown it then freeze, you will lose the “browning” flavor and crispiness in the pan in the finished dish.

[Anonymous]

You can.

However, you’ll lose some of the flavor from browning the meat now because then you will still sauté the leaks in that oil with the bits. You lose flavor, and as someone mentioned above, texture with the brown meat.

[Anonymous]

freeze the uncooked sausages. then defrost before cooking.

[Anonymous]

Don’t brown ahead of time, you have already compromised the dish by using chicken. FFS.