Your favorite sausages?

[Muse]

I'm fresh out of mine, so they were on my shopping list yesterday when I made one of my periodic runs to my favorite local market, The Berkeley Bowl (I patronized them when they inhabited an abandoned bowling alley!). So, I saunter up to the meat department and look over the offerings of Saag's in bulk... "I'll take 3 of those, 6 of those..." That's the way it works there. I didn't notice my favorites. This has happened before, the display is complicated. I asked and was informed that (evidently) Saag's no longer produces knackwurst, which always came out on the label they'd slap on the package as "Garlic Sausage."

Dang! Double Dang!! After experimenting with all their other offerings I had settled on their knackwurst as for-me perfect. Not terribly intense or hot, perfectly flavorful, and apparently relatively low fat. After parboiling them I never saw much fat in the pan, practically none, whereas (for example), their Louisiana Brand Hot-Link Sausage would always bleed out loads of fat. I figured that even the knackwurst was not the healthiest of fare -- in recent times I have allowed myself one-a-week, with home fries on a weekend day.

I still like Saag's Louisiana Brand Hot-Link Sausage, still keep some in my freezer, but seldom eat a whole one. I carve off some into some of my recipes for some serious seasoning. They used to make "mild" and "hot" versions, and I'd opt for the mild, but nowadays they seem to only make the hot ones. OK, I don't eat a whole one anymore, well almost never. They are pretty hot.

OK, so now I can't get my favorite sausage of all time.

What sausages do you really really love?

Yesterday I asked the butcher about the fat content of the Saag's in the display and he said he might have something but suggested going to their website. I did last night and didn't see fat or fat calorie info for one or two. Also saw no mention of my beloved knackwurst, although there's a lot of stuff I have never seen at The Berkeley Bowl. A ton! I did notice that they're putting sodium erythrobate and sodium nitrite in their sausages, so I am thinking now I should maybe avoid Saag's entirely from now on!

Are there fantastically delicious sausages out there that don't contain sodium erythrobate and sodium nitrite?

 

[Herr Kutz]

Andouille

 

[Muse]

Andouille

That's the company? Any particular varietal?

 

[Kaido]

Boar's Head charcuterie is pretty good. I've been hooked on their chorizo lately (not spicy at all, just a nice flavor, great in breakfast burritos or just for a snack!). I also visit Nodine's a lot (famous for their bacon), since I live nearby. Looks like they ship:

https://nodines-smokehouse.myshopify.com/collections/sausages

At some point, I'd like to get into DIY, because I have a pellet smoker already. I have a buddy who dry-ages pastramis & they are amaaaaaaazing!

 

[Kaido]

 

[Muse]

I've made some sausages, recipes are out there. I haven't bothered with casings, just formed sausage shaped pieces and placed on a plate and put the plate in the freezer. Once firm, I remove from plate and put in plastic bag. I have sliced off portions for seasoning. It's really pretty easy.

 

[Muse]

That's pretty nice.

So, what do you do with the result? Put on a barbeque???

That guy's accent is pretty thick, but you could see real well what he was doing.

Have you made his contraption?

You could leave out the stick and just freeze on the plate and put in plastic bags when solid for "regular" sausage, without casing... for slicing into whatever for flavor.

 

[KMFJD]

https://imgur.com/nrqN33F

 

[DigDog]

Sausage = salami ?

Then i vote Secondigliano

Good luck finding it, short of a flight to secondigliano itself.

Good Nduja is good, but again it's a local product; it should be mostly lard and chili, while the commercial one is pork.

The serbs make a dried beef tenderloin similar to Pastirma that is amazing and near impossible to find.

Cotechino is pretty swag for a cooking sausage. Or zampone.

 

[Herr Kutz]

That's the company? Any particular varietal?

No, Andouille is a type of sausage. I actually like the stuff Wal-Mart sells but it’s pretty much all good.

 

[stargazr]

Johnsonville Sweet Italian sausage and Brats. Also been enjoying Kiolbassa brand Polish or Beef sausage.

 

[sactoking]

There's a local guy near me that makes lamb loukoniko, it's soooooo good. He only takes bulk orders tho. Bulk for him is 20# or more, which I'm assuming is larger than an alternator.

 

[Zanovar]

The last few packs of sausages i bought frome tesco,the casings were like chewing on durex.Not sure what that was about,these were decent sausages too.I will look elsewhere in future.I had some pork and apple a few weeks ago in my sisters,they were delicious

 

[ponyo]

14 count, 3.5 lbs total. $8.99 Tough to beat the price.

 

[MrSquished]

There's a local guy near me that makes lamb loukoniko, it's soooooo good. He only takes bulk orders tho. Bulk for him is 20# or more, which I'm assuming is larger than an alternator.

That's greek or cypriot stuff. Great sausages

 

[Homerboy]

Johnsonville Sweet Italian sausage and Brats. Also been enjoying Kiolbassa brand Polish or Beef sausage.

I read you post in Bob Uecker's voice.

 

[BadTrip]

No, Andouille is a type of sausage. I actually like the stuff Wal-Mart sells but it’s pretty much all good.

The best.

https://shop.savoiesfoods.com//

 

[Muse]

No, Andouille is a type of sausage. I actually like the stuff Wal-Mart sells but it’s pretty much all good.

Doesn't Walmart sell more than one brand? Which do you like there?

 

[Muse]

Sausage = salami ?

That's not what I was thinking. Salami, in my experience, is super fat. I try to stay away from stuff like that if it's over 50% fat and it's usually more like 65% fat.

I have a buddy who dry-ages pastramis & they are amaaaaaaazing!

A high school friend's father used to hang giant kosher salamis in his kitchen. They'd slowly dry out and get puckered up like raisins.

I've made sausage, I like the videos posted here, fantastic ideas for DIY sausage. You can make really lean sausage if you like. The pork roasts I buy at Costco are pretty lean looking (I have a few in my freezer). Now that I can't get Saag's garlic sausage (knackwurst), I think I'll try making my own. I figure to make an extrusion contraption like those shown in the videos in this thread.

 

[MrSquished]

From major supermarkets around here, Premio makes some fine sausages for a larger brand.

 

[ponyo]

Sausages need to be in natural hog casings so you get that bite. If not, then it's nothing more than ground meat kebab.

 

[Iron Woode]

not sure if I have a favourite. I guess it would depend on the recipe or mood in question.

I like the organic sausages from a local butcher - Field Gate Organics. Their farmers sausage is amazing.

I like Pillers Pepperoni - http://www.pillers.com/products/sausage-snacks/pillers-pepperoni-500g

I like hot Italian sausages.

Then there is the question of sausage cold cuts.

I am getting the urge to make a Frittata.

 

[WelshBloke]

Andouille

Just as a general PSA do not, ever, buy the French andouille! I'm hoping that the American version is a safer type!

 

[BurnItDwn]

I love any real Andouille, dont really have any particular brands. My brother makes some really good ones at home using a mixer with grinder addon. The Grocery stores sometimes sell Aida's or Johnsonville which are both decent brands. The best Andoiulle is usually made with disgusting parts of the pig's digestive system. Its spicy and has a strong smell. Its more or less awesome in N'awlns style foods.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Boar's Head charcuterie is pretty good. I've been hooked on their chorizo lately (not spicy at all, just a nice flavor, great in breakfast burritos or just for a snack!). I also visit Nodine's a lot (famous for their bacon), since I live nearby. Looks like they ship:

https://nodines-smokehouse.myshopify.com/collections/sausages

At some point, I'd like to get into DIY, because I have a pellet smoker already. I have a buddy who dry-ages pastramis & they are amaaaaaaazing!

I find boars head to be expensive for lower quality. I enjoy making my own sausage. The best part aside from taste of course is significantly longer shelf life versus commercial brands.