Italian Sausage still a little pink?

Question

So im a little scared, I was cooking some italian sausage links on my cast iron skillet.

I cooked them 8-10 min a side on medium , then turned to low and cooked 7-8 minutes a side.

I checked the temp on the very middle and they all registered about 170 degrees (This was after they had been on low, at the very end)

Anyways I ate them, tasted fine etc...

But upon eating another one later, I discovered that there was still a pinkish color in the middle. (More towards the edges). It wasn't a lot....but the thing is I know this thermometer is accurate and I always use it.....Plus I cook them like this all the time. So I didn't understand why it was still a little pink on the inside.

Just for reference I stuck the thermometer on the inner most part, I made doubly sure. And they were all checked and all were 170-180 after they had been cooking on low (So it was prolly a high temp earlier when they were on medium)

Any ideas? Im kinda scared. For reference these were Sweet Italian Sausages (not sure if that would matter)

Answer 1

The salt treatment in sausage can cause it to retain a pinker color for a given temperature than would normal ground meat. The fact that you used a trusted thermometer, and that the sausages were well in the safe zone (even conservatively 165 F is more than enough) indicates that the sausage was perfectly safe.

Answer 2

I agree with the response regarding the salt content. Salt preserves and cures the meat and helps it keep it's color. That's why bacon is reddish and not grey when cooked. I recently made a batch of loose breakfast sausage and had the same experience. I then placed a 1/4# in a Ziplock and poached it to 160 and one to 175 degrees and when I broke it open it was still pinkish.

Answer 3

You mention that the pink was more toward the edges. Could it have been a smoke ring?

Picture.