What Is Sausage?

What is Sausage? Sausage is such an appropriately named meat. It’s a mixture of this and that, with lots of seasonings. We use plenty of sausage in our recipes, so we thought it might be helpful to explain which ones we use, and what they’re like.

Let’s Break It Down: Fresh, Smoked, and Cured

Traditionally, sausage contains beef and pork, but more recently turkey and chicken sausages have joined the lineup. They’re often lower in fat and calories (but check the labels because that’s not always the case). You’ll also find vegetarian sausages made from various meat alternatives. Smoked sausage lasts longer in the fridge than fresh sausage, and all of the varieties freeze well for several months when wrapped airtight.

The main categories of sausage are fresh, smoked, and cured. 

Fresh sausage starts with ground, chopped, or pureed uncooked meats, so most fresh sausage needs to be cooked before use. If you’re making a casserole with fresh sausage, precooking will be one of the first steps in the recipe. Common types of fresh sausage include:

• Breakfast sausage
• Chorizo
• Italian sausage
• Bratwurst

Sausage also comes in cooked form, though. Hot dogs, bologna, and mortadella are cooked sausages.

Sausage that is made into links usually has a casing to keep the sausage’s shape. It’s generally made from natural animal products, and when cooking, you’ll need to poke a few holes in the skin so it doesn’t burst from the steam that builds up. Cook sausage until no pink remains.

Smoked sausage is fully cooked and only needs to be heated briefly in a dish. In stores, you’ll often find smoked sausage in U-shaped packaging. Kielbasa (which is the Polish word for sausage) is a category of smoked sausage that we use often, such as this Sweet Potato with Sausage with Pesto  or this Pesto Rice recipe. These smoked sausages (often sold under brand names such as Hillshire Farms® and Aidell’s®) are convenient and tasty! We love them in dishes like this Sausage Kabobs recipe. 

• Smoked sausages are (as you might guess) cooked by a smoking process that flavors and preserves them. Smoked sausages last a lot longer than fresh.
• Cured sausage is ground meat that is salted and smoked for an extended period of time to preserve it. Salami is an example of cured sausage. It’s often used in sandwiches and appetizers. (We love salami in this Arugula Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, and Italian Chopped Salad.

A Glossary Of Sausages

There are dozens–maybe hundreds–of sausage varieties in the world. Just about every culture has its own unique flavor blend! There’s no way we could list them all, so we’re just going to focus on some of the most popular sausages. Ready? Heads up: this should get your appetite going in full gear!

Andouille: In the US, andouille is a Cajun favorite in gumbo and jambalaya, as well as for breakfasts. It comes in several forms that range from fresh and soft to dried and firm. It’s spicy, usually pork-based, and contains onions, spices, and smokey flavoring. Cook fresh andouille like ground beef, and smoked (like in this Red Beans and Rice recipe) is sliced.

Bratwurst: This fresh sausage originates in Germany, where the word “wurst” means sausage. Over the years it has evolved to become quite similar (in the US, that is) to mild Italian sausage. Brats are a favorite for grilling, and can also be broiled, baked or steamed.

Breakfast sausage: This fresh pork sausage is fairly similar to English sausage (Brits refer to them as bangers), but it’s a bit sweeter than the British version. Breakfast sausage originated with American farmers as an economical way to use up scraps of pork and the most prominent flavor is sage, sometimes with maple added. You’ll find breakfast sausage in bulk packages, links, and patties.

Chorizo: This fresh or smoked sausage is often confused with Andouille, and is often used in similar dishes. There is Mexican chorizo, which is usually fresh, and Spanish chorizo, which is a dried, smoked sausage. Chorizo gets its red color from a generous amount of paprika, but it also includes a range of seasonings like garlic, onion, chili peppers, and vinegar. Mexican chorizo (the most common type in the US) is usually an ingredient in other dishes–rarely served on its own. 

Hot dogs: Hot dogs are a type of sausage! Technically called frankfurter, sometimes called a weiner, they’re made from any number of ground meats. Most hot dogs, unless otherwise labeled, are made from a blend of pork and beef. Hot dogs can be eaten raw (since they’re already cooked), grilled, broiled, and boiled. Have you ever had Pigs in a Blanket? That’s a popular hot dog appetizer (or meal). More recently, chicken and vegetarian hot dogs have come on the scene.

Italian sausage: This is one of the most popular sausages in America, yet the name isn’t really accurate! In the U.s., our version of fresh mild Italian sausage is pork with anise and fennel added. Sweet Italian sausage includes basil, and hot sausage has chili peppers and/or cayenne pepper added for that blast of heat. American Italian sausage is grilled, roasted, and included in all sorts of dishes. In Italy, though, their traditional sausage is Salsiccia, made with a strong blend of hot chilis and peppers that marinate to create a powerful flavor. We use smoked Italian sausage in many recipes on our site, including One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies or Sausage and Veggie Hash. We also enjoy fresh Italian sausage in Creamy Sausage Pasta, Italian Sausage Hoagies, and  Sausage Gnocchi.