The Weekly's Assistant Food Editor Xanthe Roberts rediscovers the humble sausage and gives her tips for the perfect snag.
What's in a sausage?
The most important thing to know when choosing sausages is whether they are ready to eat (cured or smoked) or need cooking (fresh). Typically, they contain a mixture of ground meat, salt, herbs and spices, in a casing usually made from intestine, but sometimes synthetic material. Some, such as salami, are cooked during processing and the casing may be removed before eating.
Salami
Are sometimes called by a specific name such as Danish, Hungarian or Italian and these indicate a certain style, for instance mild and fairly fine for Danish, coarser and flavoured with paprika for Hungarian, and Italian salami is made of pork with a small amount of beef. It is chopped coarsely, highly seasoned with spices and flavoured with garlic. Salami are "cooked" by either hot or cold smoking, curing or air drying.
Chorizo
Chorizo is a coarse textured sausage made primarily from pork. It is usually purchased smoked and dry cured, but can be purchased as fresh chorizo, which needs to be cooked.
Coppa
Coppa is a hard, dry sausage of Italian origin that is prepared by combining meat from the most marbled part of the pork neck and shoulder. It is served sliced thinly.
Fresh sausages
They can be made of any meat; pork, beef or lamb are the most common,
but chicken and game sausages are becoming more readily available.
When frying, the pan should be barely greased, as the sausages will soon provide their own fat. Sausage makers implore us not to prick sausages and let the flavoursome juices escape. Par cooking sausages by gently poaching before grilling or barbecuing ensures they get cooked before becoming over-browned.
Storing
Fresh sausages should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and used within 2 days. Salami should be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days, if sliced, and up to a week if whole.
Purchasing
It's best to buy sausages of any kind from a busy shop with a fast turnover. Avoid those with sticky skins and try to buy from shops where the meat can be cut to order.
How to cook the perfect sausage
- Cut the links before cooking.
- Don't pierce them. If you prick good quality sausages, you'll let all the moisture and flavour out.
- Cook sausages over moderate heat. If you cook them at too high a temperature, their skins will burst.
- Turn the sausages regularly to ensure that they cook evenly and don't burn.
Your say: Do you have any tips for cooking sausages?
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