10.1: Sausages

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Marshall Welsh & William R. Thibodeaux
Finch Henry Job Corps Center & Nicholls State University

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Our word “sausage” comes from the Latin word “Salsus” meaning salted. Early Greeks and Romans were among the first to make sausages.

Six basic components of sausage

Main ingredient
Fat
Seasonings and cure mixtures
Spices
Herbs
Aromatics

Sometimes animal or synthetic casings are used to hold sausages in a link or tube shape, but casing are not considered as a basic component due to the fact that many sausages today are made into patties or packaged in a bulk form.

Main ingredient

Usually a tough cut of meat from the leg or shoulder

An example of meat after the grinding process - Wikimedia Commons

Fat

Two common forms of fat in the sausage process are pork fat and heavy cream. Fat is an essential ingredient which has three distinct purposes in the making of good sausage. Fat provides moisture, satiety, and flavor.

Pork Fat. Photo: Max Pixel

Seasonings and cure mixes

As discussed earlier in Topic Three, sugars (in many forms), salts (likewise), and various curing agents are necessary in the charcuterie process. These help to prevent food borne illness, add flavor, and lastly where hot smoking is concerned, sugar helps to act as a browning agent in the cooking process. The curing agents are especially useful when seasoning with herbs and garlic due to the opportunity for microbe contamination found in the soil. Often chefs cook the garlic and herbs or otherwise sterilize them prior to adding them to the raw meats. This is especially a good idea if the curing process will be done without cooking.

Prague powder I, known as TCM or Pink Salt - Wikimedia Commons

Spices and Herbs

Spices may be toasted or untoasted and can vary form product type and style. They may be whole, ground, or from a prepared mix. Herbs may be fresh or dried. Italian sausage can be sweet or hot but usually has whole fennel seed in the recipe. Merguez is a Mediterranean sausage from North Africa which utilizes ground spices from the pantry of Tunisia. The French are noted for a mixture of spices called Quatre Espices and can be found in anything from pate to confit of duck. One popular recipe for Quatre Espices is one part ground cinnamon, one part ground cloves, one and one-half part ground nutmeg, and two parts ground black pepper.

Spices commonly used in Quatre Espices - Commons Wikimedia.org

Aromatics

Aromatics include wine, liquors, and zests, prepared sauces such as Worcestershire and Tabasco, and vegetables which as stated before as often cooked first. In Cajun country we are very familiar with Boudin, a sausage of rice and pork (primarily liver). Our beloved trinity of celery, onions, and bell pepper place a big role in the making of all our dishes especially Boudin. During crawfish season you can find Crawfish Boudin and I’ve seen red bell pepper used here over the normal green pepper found in the pork versio

Examples of aromatics used in sausage making - Wikimedia.org and Picryl