All About Sausage - Cooking Tips

A dry Italian sausage made from choice cuts of fresh pork that are combined with natural seasonings and cured with smoke and chili pepper. This meat can be served as a topping on pizzas, as meat for main dishes, or as an appetizer.

A course-grained smoked meat made with pork, chitterlings, pepper, wine, onions, and seasonings. French in origin, but brought to Louisiana by German and French immigrants, this sausage is most often associated with Cajun cooking. It is produced in two main varieties: a mild sausage (French in origin) and a spicier, Cajun version (derived from French influence) that is used as an ingredient for various Cajun foods such as soups, stews and meat dishes. There are a number of versions produced that generally provide a spicy, smoky, rich, earthy flavor, which may also have a slightly sweet taste. Andouille, which has a noticeable flavor of herbs and garlic, is used as an ingredient in meat dishes, as an appetizer, and is especially well suited for jambalaya or gumbo. Tasso, also known as Cajun ham, can sometimes be substituted for Andouille, but if combined in a main dish, it may not offer the distinct flavors of Andouille and may also add too much of a smoky flavor to the food. Andouilettes, which are generally 1 inch or less in diameter, are smaller versions of Andouille sausage.

A plump, mildly flavored sausage that is often served like a hot dog sandwich. Since the sausage is German in origin, it is also a popular accompaniment to sauerkraut.

A large link sausage that is typically made of pork, seasoned pork blood, suet, breadcrumbs, and oatmeal, although other ingredients may be added. It is generally precooked, somewhat open textured and dark crimson to black in color. This type of sausage may also be referred to as blood pudding or black pudding as it is in Ireland; however a true blood sausage will have less cereal as an additive, less seasoning, and will always be made with pork blood as an ingredient. Blood sausage can be eaten raw, since it is precooked, or fried, or added to soups, stews, and main dishes.
Blood sausage is produced in a number of different varieties in numerous regions of the world. Germany produces blutwurst, which is made of pig's lungs, chopped bacon, and various seasonings. In Spain, morcilla is a typical blood sausage that contains pig's blood, suet, and seasonings. It is produced as a heavily smoked meat or as a somewhat sweet and spicy meat. A Polish-American version of blood sausage is referred to as kishka, which is made with blood, beef and barley to be served as a breakfast sausage. Other names for this sausage that may be used are kiska, kiske, kishke, kiszka, der ma, and stuffed derma. Since each region has their own version of blood sausage, there will be a wide variety of ingredients used for making the sausage, which will cause it to vary in taste and texture.

A German sausage that is made with ground bits of pork, beef, beef blood, and seasonings. It is a spicy precooked sausage, but it is usually heated again before serving to provide optimum flavor.

A type of sausage traditionally made from ground veal and pork (usually more veal than pork), with milk and eggs added, that may be seasoned with chives and parsley. The mixture is finely ground and packed into a thin sheep's casing. German in origin, this sausage is pale in color before being cooked and becomes tan colored after being cooked. Indicative of its light coloring when made fresh, bockwurst is also known as Weisswurst, translated to mean white sausage. Although sold as a partially cooked or smoked sausage, it is typically sold raw or fresh, so it is important that it be thoroughly cooked or smoked before it is eaten. To prepare, heat the sausage in water that is boiling lightly until it is thoroughly cooked, which is typically 10 or 15 minutes. In addition to boiling, it can be fried or grilled, cooking it on all sides until golden brown. If fried or grilled, slit the casing in several locations to allow the casing to expand as it cooks without breaking apart.
To store, keep the fresh sausage refrigerated and use within several days as it is highly perishable and will spoil easily. It is a sausage that goes well with cabbage, sauerkraut, fried potatoes, dark heavy breads, seasoned mustard, and beer.

Boudin Blanc Sausage

A mildly flavored sausage that can be made with pork, veal, or chicken with the addition of rice as a filler, giving the sausage a pale color. The French version of the sausage includes milk as an ingredient, while a Louisiana version uses additional rice.

A type of German sausage made of pork or a combination of pork and veal with spices and herbs. It is usually purchased fresh, so it must be thoroughly cooked before it can be eaten. It is popular when grilled, fried, or broiled.

A type of pork sausage that is Creole/Cajun in origin and has a hot and spicy flavor. Chaurice is popular in Creole/Cajun cooking both as a main dish and as an ingredient in dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.

A small highly seasoned pork sausage native to Mexico.

A coarsely ground dry pork sausage that is heavily seasoned, smoked, and produced into links that range in size from small to jumbo frank. When produced in Mexico, this spicy sausage is uncooked and made from fresh pork. The Spanish product, which is also very spicy, is produced from smoked pork that is dry-cured.

An Italian fresh pork sausage that has a creamy, mild flavor. It is usually produced in links under a foot long with a diameter of nearly three inches. Clove and nutmeg seasonings give the sausage a unique flavor. It is often boiled and served with potatoes and beans or added to soups and stews.

Often referred to as Polish sausage (which is uncooked), Kielbasa is a precooked smoked sausage that is highly seasoned with ingredients such as garlic and then produced in links or rings that are approximately 1" to 2" in diameter. The traditional kielbasa was most often made only of pork, but it is now produced as a combination of both lean pork and beef or with turkey.

A type of sausage that is made with processes and ingredients typical of those used to make Poland's "kielbasa" (sausage). It may consist of coarsely chopped pork or a combination of coarsely chopped pork and finely chopped beef, seasoned with garlic, pepper, nutmeg, and possibly mace. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly, packed in a casing, dried, and then smoke-cured. The Polish sausage available in many food stores today may range from bratwurst that is 7 inches long to a ring of sausage that is almost 24 inches long. Precooked Polish sausage can be served as an appetizer or mixed into other food ingredients, while other non-cooked varieties require cooking on a grill or in an oven before serving.

A sausage made with ground turkey and a combination of several spices, such as caraway, nutmeg, and ginger. Traditional bratwurst, which is German in origin, is made with pork and veal. Turkey bratwurst is a popular alternative to traditional bratwurst because of its low fat content. It is most often available fresh, so it must be well cooked before it is served. Turkey bratwurst is best when it is grilled, fried, broiled, or baked.

A variety of lean sausage made from turkey meat and a mixture of fat, salt, and seasonings. A variety of sizes are available ranging from small link size portions to rings of sausage measuring approximately 12 inches in length. Turkey sausage is produced in various flavors, such as smoked, Italian, or hot and spicy, and may be available as cooked or uncooked meat. It can be served in sandwiches, soups, chili, on pizza, with pasta, in stratas, or with a variety of other types of foods.