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Sausage around the world MEAT THE MANY FLAVORS
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BY AMY LYNCH
ere’s a rundown of some of the most popular types of sausage you’ll see in grocery stores and markets, what to expect from each by way of flavor, and a few suggestions on how to best enjoy them:
Italian
Usually available in sweet, hot and mild varieties, pork-based Italian sausage features flavors that bring old-world spices to mind — basil, garlic, oregano and most distinctively, fennel seed. Sometimes referred to as “salsiccia,” Italian sausage makes a great addition to pasta sauces and rice dishes.
Polish Redolent of garlic and marjoram, traditional Polish sausage — aka kielbasa — must be made with cured pork (sometimes mixed with veal) to be considered the true genuine article. In Poland, diners can expect to find this sausage served hot dog-style on a bun complemented with onions and horseradish, or plated on its own with a side of sauerkraut.
Every country and every culture around the world seem to have a signature sausage all its own based on the influences of its unique native ingredients.
Saucisson
LAP CHEONG ARE OFTEN PART OF CHINESE NEW YEAR MENUS.
Wurst Just walk past any Bavarian meat counter or butcher shop and you’ll quickly find out that Germany is home to a dizzying family of sausage products, from the familiar bratwurst, frankfurters and garlicky knackwurst to fragrantly seasoned currywurst, veal-based weisswurst (white sausage) and rich blutwurst (blood sausage).
Chorizo This heavily spiced pork-based sausage is either prepared fresh or dry-cured, depending on which hemisphere you find it. In Spain and Portugal, chorizo is dry-cured, often fermented, sometimes smoked and usually seasoned with garlic, herbs, wine and dulce (sweet) or picante (spicy) smoked pimentón. Latin America favors raw chorizo, usually prepared with local chiles and vinegar instead of wine.
Merguez This North African recipe melds lamb and/ or beef with aromatic seasonings like harissa, cumin, sumac, garlic and chile peppers for a heady scent and characteristic red color. Merguez is usually served broiled or grilled with rice and vegetables.
Breakfast sausage Sometimes referred to as “country-style,” breakfast sausage is what many Americans count on as part of a morning meal in link or patty form alongside pancakes and eggs, or crumbled into gravy and ladled over biscuits. Usually spiced with sage and black pepper, this fresh pork sausage may also incorporate notes of brown sugar or maple syrup.
Thick, meaty saucisson is the more classic drycured sausage in France, heavy on the garlic and herbs and is an approachable starter sausage for anyone new to charcuterie.
Andouille Originating in France, a melting pot of seasonings that includes thyme, bay leaf, paprika and sage gives andouille its singular flavor, with cayenne added for a bit of spicy kick.
a combination of garlic, chile pepper, ginger and the addition of MSG as a flavor enhancer.
Vegan sausage Plant-based varieties rely on beans, nuts, mushrooms, oats, chickpeas, soy protein and other meat-free building blocks to mimic the texture of traditional sausage with all the traditional seasonings.
Summer sausage Akin to Italian salami, American summer sausage is dried or smoked in order to store safely at room temperature without the need for refrigeration. It’s usually made with pork, beef, venison or a combination of meats and seasoned with curing salt, garlic and mustard seeds.
Lap cheong These Cantonese pork sausages’ distinguishing taste stems from
Fresh chorizo is often cooked and crumbled to stuff inside corn tortillas and empanadas.
