Simple Hacks on How to Store and Freeze Raw and Cooked Sausage and Brats
Never allow raw meat, including sausage and brats, to sit out at room temperature for more than two hours and only one hour if the air temperature is above 90°F. Bacteria multiply rapidly in unrefrigerated food. In addition, if left unrefrigerated, some organisms can create toxins that will survive the cooking process even if they cook to temperatures that kill the bacteria themselves.