SAUSAGES
There are four main categories of sausages: fresh, cooked and smoked, cooked, and semi-dry and dry. The sausages listed here are basically ground meat, seasoned and flavored, with added fat, stuffed into casings. Bulk sausage is flavored ground meat, usually pork, that is cooked like ground beef, or formed into patties. No matter which sausage you use, be sure to read the label for handling and cooking instructions. A sausage which is smoked or dried, for instance, isn't necessarily fully cooked and ready to eat without further cooking.
Many people are concerned about nitrates and nitrites, preservatives used in the making of smoked meat and sausages. These curing agents stop bacterial contamination and give the product a pink color and distinctive flavor. If you shop carefully, you can find products labeled nitrate and nitrite-free.
In the chart below, the ingredients listed for each sausage are generic. Specific brands of sausages may have slightly different ingredients; however, these ingredients are considered typical.
Oh, and Polish Sausage and Kielbasa are basically the same and are interchangeable; kielbasa is a polish word that means 'sausage'. One of the differences is that Kielbasa is sold in rings rather than separate links. Just use the brand you like!
| SAUSAGE | TYPE | INGREDIENTS | COOKING METHOD |
| Polish Sausage | Fresh | Pork, beef, garlic, thyme or marjoram, pork fat, pepper | Steam, Fry, Grill, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Kielbasa | Fresh, Smoked | Beef, pork, garlic, pork or beef fat, mustard | Steam, Fry, Grill, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Bratwurst | Fresh, sometimes smoked and cooked | Pork or beef, veal, dry milk, onion, garlic, coriander, caraway, nutmeg | Steam, Fry, Grill, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Salami | Dry, Cured | Highly seasoned: garlic, salt, pepper, sugar | Ready to eat |
| Sweet or Hot Italian | Fresh | Sweet: garlic, sugar, anise, and fennel Hot: paprika, chile peppers, onion, garlic, fennel, parsley |
Steam, Fry, Grill, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Cervelat or Summer Sausage | Cured, Smoked, Semi-Dry | Pork, beef, garlic, mustard, mild spices | Ready to eat |
| Andouille | Smoked | Pork, salt, very spicy, sugar, paprika, red pepper, garlic, sage | Ready to eat |
| Boudin Blanc | Fresh, delicate | Pork, fat, eggs, cream, bread crumbs, seasonings | Gently saute |
| Boudin Noir | Precooked | Pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs | Ready to eat; better sauteed |
| Knackwurst | Precooked, Smoked | Beef, pork, lots of garlic, cumin | Ready to eat |
| Linguica | Cured, Smoked | Pork butt, lots of garlic, cumin, cinnamon, vinegar | Usually ready to eat |
| Pepperoni | Air-dried | Pork, beef, lots of black and red pepper | Usually ready to eat |
| Chorizo | Dry, Smoked | Pork, cilantro, paprika, garlic, chili powder, very spicy | Usually ready to eat |
| Mortadella | Semi-Dry, Smoked | Cubes of pork fat, pork, beef, peppercorns, garlic, anise | Steam, Fry, Grill, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Hot Dogs | Cooked, Smoked, Cured | Cured beef and pork, garlic, salt, sugar, mustard, pepper | Ready to eat |
| Bockwurst | Fresh | Veal, pork, milk, chives, eggs | Steam, Saute, Bake to 155 degrees F |
| Bologna | Cooked, Smoked | Cured beef and pork, garlic, salt | Ready to eat |
