Types of Smoked Sausage

Smoked sausage is seasoned ground meat stuffed into casings and smoked, hot or cold. There are many varieties of precooked and uncooked smoked sausage. Seasonings, thickness of casings and the type of meat used make the distinction. Some people create their own smoked sausage from scratch, while others stick to the store-bought variety.

Features

Any type of smoked sausage can be enhanced with non-traditional ingredients to give it a completely different taste and texture. Cheese bits can be added as a filler to any precooked sausage, melting and squirting when it's reheated. Jalapeño peppers have become a commercial favorite for more zing in precooked sausages. Beer is another flavor enhancer popular with raw or cooked varieties, particularly bratwurst. Raw smoked sausage can be cooked in beer as an alternative to traditional methods.

Bratwurst

German in origin, bratwurst can be raw or cooked while smoked in manufacture. Famous for its tailgate party and neighborhood cookout presence, bratwurst is traditionally served on a bun with accompaniment of onions, green peppers and mustard or the German dish of sauerkraut. It is usually served as an entrée, but it can be found as a substitute for kielbasa or any recipe calling for smoked sausage. It is pork based with a mottled appearance and thin casing and nicknamed the "brat."

Polish

The Polish word for sausage is kielbasa. In Poland, all sausages are kielbasa, with many different types to choose from based on a standard formula. The names are interchangeable in the United States, but according to guidelines published by the Polish government, an authentic Polish sausage features pork, salt, pepper, garlic and marjoram. Manufactured varieties in the Unites States feature beef, pork and turkey that are precooked and have mild flavors and a see-through or very lightly colored skin.

Summer

Some types of sausage do not need to be refrigerated after manufacture. Summer sausage is one of these types. Precooked, it has a reasonably long shelf life. Mustard seeds, black pepper and garlic are combined with beef, pork, venison or a combination thereof. With a thin skin and mildly spicy taste, summer sausage is usually served cold in slices with crackers, cheese or mustard. Summer sausage is firm, but not hard, and has a thick, easily peeled skin.

Turkey

Healthy living prompts people to look for alternative foods that are lower in fat but still taste good enough to eat. Turkey sausage fits that description and is commercially sold as an alternative to its beef counterpart. Pale in color, it is sold raw or precooked with a collagen or translucent casing. Very mild spices vary per manufacturer but never overwhelm its delicate taste. Keep it refrigerated at all times, then cook or reheat before eating.

References

• Johnsonville Farms
• I Love Sausage
• Wedliny Domowe

Resources

• National Center for Home Food Preservation