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A sausage is a type of Food , usually consisting of ground Meat , animal fat, salt, and Spices , and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs, sometimes packed in a casing. Sausage Making is a very old Food Preservation technique. Historically the casing has been the intestines of the animal, though it is now generally synthetic. Sausage may be fresh or preserved by Curing or Smoking . There is no consensus on whether similar products that are not packed in casings - such as Pâté , Meatloaf , Scrapple , and Head Cheese - should be considered sausages. Besides being eaten on its own, sausage is also used as an ingredient in other foods. HISTORY Sausage is a logical outcome of efficient Butcher y. Sausage-makers put to use meat and animal parts that are edible and nutritious, but not particularly appealing, such as scraps, organ meats, blood, and fat, and allow the preservation of meat that can not be consumed immediately. Hence, sausages are among the oldest of prepared foods. It is often assumed that sausages were invented by Sumerians in what is Iraq today, around 3000 BC . Chinese Sausage ''làcháng'' (臘腸/腊肠), which consisted of goat and lamb meat, was first mentioned in 589 BC . Homer , the Poet of Ancient Greece , mentioned a kind of blood sausage in the Odyssey (book 20, verse 25), and Epicharmus (ca. 550 BC – ca. 460 BC ) wrote a comedy titled ''The Sausage.'' Evidence suggests that sausages were already popular both among the ancient Greeks and Romans. During the reign of the Roman emperor Nero , sausages were associated with the Lupercalia festival. The early Catholic Church outlawed the Lupercalia Festival and made eating sausage a sin. For this reason, the Roman emperor Constantine banned the eating of sausages. Early in the 10th Century in the Byzantine Empire , Leo VI The Wise outlawed the production of blood sausages following cases of food poisoning. Traditionally, sausage casings were made of the intestines of animals. Today, however, natural casings are often replaced by Collagen , Cellulose or even Plastic casings, especially in the case of industrially manufactured sausages. Additionally, luncheon meat (such as Spam ) and sausage meat are now available without casings in tins and jars. The most basic sausage consists of meat cut into pieces or ground and filled into a casing such as an animal intestine. The meat may be from any animal, but traditionally is pork, beef or veal. The meat/fat ratio is dependent upon the style and producer, but in the United States, fat content is legally limited to a maximum of 30%, 35% or 50%, by weight, depending on the style. The USDA defines the content for various sausages and generally prohibits fillers and extenders. USDA Standards of Identity; see Subparts E, F & G Most traditional styles of sausage from Europe and Asia use no bread-based filler and are 100% meat and fat (excluding salt and other flavorings, such as herbs).''Joy of Cooking,'' Rombauer & Becker; ''The Fine Art of Italian Cooking,'' Bugialli In the UK and other countries with English cooking traditions, bread and starch-based fillers account for up to 25% of ingredients. The filler used in many sausages helps them to keep their shape as they are cooked. As the meat contracts in the heat so the filler expands. The word ''sausage'' is derived from Old French ''saussiche,'' from the Latin word ''salsus,'' meaning ''salted.'' CLASSIFICATION OF SAUSAGES ]] Sausages may be classified in any number of ways, for instance by the type of meat and other ingredients they contain, or by their consistency. The most popular classification is probably by type of preparation, but even this is subject to regional differences of opinion. In the English-speaking world, the following distinction between fresh sausages, cooked sausages and dry sausages seems to be more or less accepted:
Other countries, however, use different systems of classification. Germany , for instance, which boasts more than 1200 types of sausage, distinguishes raw, cooked and pre-cooked sausages.
In Italy, the basic distinction is:
The US has a particular type called pickled sausages, commonly found in gas stations and small roadside delicatessens. These are usually smoked and/or boiled sausages of a highly processed Frankfurter ( Hot Dog ) or Kielbasa style plunged into a boiling brine of vinegar, salt, spices (red pepper, paprika...) and often a pink coloring, then jarred. They are available in single blister packs, e.g., Slim Jim meat snacks, or in jars atop the deli cooler. They are shelf stable, and are a frequently offered alternative to beef Jerky , beef stick, and kippered beef snacks. Certain countries classify sausage types according to the region in which the sausage was traditionally produced:
NATIONAL VARIETIES ]] Many nations and regions have their own characteristic sausages, using meats and other ingredients native to the region and employed in traditional dishes. Italy Italian sausages are often a mix of pork and veal. In the USA, these are defined as having a minimum of 85% meat, and must contain salt, pepper, and either Fennel or Anise . Germany , cover a wide range of cooked, uncooked and unfilled styles (no casing), such as frankfurters, Bratwurst , rindswurst, blargenwurst, knackwurst, and bockwurst. British Isles '', where it was to be renamed by European Union directive on all labels as the "Low Density, High Fat, Emulsified Offal Tube." Trading standards did ''actually'' try to alter the name of a Welsh sausage in 2006.BBC News, "Name Warning For Dragon Sausages" November 17, 2006 In some areas "sausage meat" for frying is sold as slices cut from an oblong block of pressed meat without any casing: in Scotland this is known as ''Lorne Sausage'' or often ''slice'' or ''square'' while the usual form is sometimes called ''link sausage.'' There are currently organisations in a number of UK counties such as Lincolnshire who are seeking European protected status on their sausages so that, rather like Champagne , they can only be made in the appropriate county. So in the future it may be illegal to call a Lincolnshire sausage a Lincolnshire sausage if it is not made in Lincolnshire. http://www.lincs-sausage-association.co.uk/protect%20our%20saus%20page.html In England, Saveloy is a type of sausage snack, bigger than general hot-dog sausages. Scandinavia , very sparsely spiced with Pepper , Nutmeg , Allspice or similar sweet spices (ground Mustard Seed , onion and sugar may also be added). Water, lard, rind, potato flour and soy or milk protein are often added for binding and filling. Virtually all sausages will be industrially precooked and either fried or warmed in hot water by the consumer or at the hot dog stand. Since Hot Dog stands are ubiquitous in Denmark some people regard '' Pølser '' one of the National Dish es. The most noticeable aspect of Danish cooked sausages (never the fried ones) is that the cover often contains a traditional bright-red dye. They are also called ''wienerpølser'' and legend has it they originate from Vienna where it was once ordered that day-old sausages be dyed as a means of warning. The Swedish '' Falukorv '' is a similarly red-dyed sausage, but about 5 cm thick, usually cut in slices and fried. Unlike ordinary sausages it is a typical home dish, not sold at hot dog stands. In Sweden sausages are often accompanied by Potato mash rather than bread. In Iceland , Lamb may be added to sausages, giving them a distinct taste. One local Finnish variety is Mustamakkara , a "black sausage" prepared with blood, which is a speciality of Tampere . Makkara is typically similar in appearance to Polish sausages or Bratwurst s, but have a very different Taste and Texture . Most makkara is very light on Spices and is therefore frequently eaten with Mustard , Ketchup , or other table condiments without a bun. Makkara is usually Grilled , roasted over coals, or cooked on Sauna heating stones until the outer skin begins to darken and crack. A special kind of makkara is Mustamakkara , a "Black sausage", which is a speciality of Tampere and its surroundings. It is very close to the Scottish Black Pudding . When makkara is eaten inside a sliced, fried bun with cucumber salad, it becomes a ''porilainen'' after the town of Pori . Pickled makkara intended to consumed as slices is called ''kestomakkara''. This class includes various Mettwurst , Salami and Balkanesque styles. The most popular ''kestomakkara'' in Finland is ''meetvursti'', which contains finely ground full meat, ground fat and various spices. It is not unlike salami, but usually thicker and less salty. North America North America n Breakfast Sausage consists of uncooked ground pork, mixed with Sage , Pepper , or other ingredients. It is not generally not stuffed into casings, though a variant sold in links which may have a protein casing are common, and is generally sold in plastic wrapping. It is pan-fried in small patties, or cooked and crumbled into Scrambled Eggs or Gravy . Balkan In Turkey sausage is known as Sosis which is made of beef. Sucuk (pronounced tsudjuck with accent on the last syllable) is a type of sausage made in Turkey and neighboring Balkan countries suggesting that sucuk may actually be a close relative of the original sausages of the ancient Rome and Greece. Modern Turkey is "on" Asia Minor, the heartland of ancient Greek and Byzantine cultures. There are many types of foods that are known to have been made in the Roman Empire, that survive in modern Turkish cuisine only. Considering what the original word for sausage means, the rather salty Turkish sausage, sucuk, could very well be one the sausages of the ancient times. There are many types of sucuk, but it is generally made from beef, water buffalo meat and sheep fat. It is fermented, spiced (with garlic and pepper) and filled in sheep intestines. Slightly smoked sucuk is considered superior. The taste is spicy, salty and a little raw, similar to pepperoni. Some varieties are extremely hot and/or greasy. Some are "adulterated" with turkey or chicken. There are many dishes made with sucuk, but grilled sucuk remains the most popular. Smoke dried varieties are consumed "raw" in sandwiches. An intestinal loop is one sucuk. Smoked sucuk is usually straight. Malta Maltese sausage Zalzett Tal-Malti is typically made of pork, sea salt, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic and parsley. Hong Kong In Hong Kong the Cervelat Sausage is a snack on its own. It is evenly machine-roasted, and is bigger than general hot-dog sausages Other variations Sausages may be served as Hors D'oeuvre , in a Sandwich , in a bread roll as a Hot Dog , wrapped in a Tortilla , or as an ingredient in dishes such as Stew s and Casserole s. Sausage without casing is called sausage meat and can be fried or used as stuffing for poultry, or for wrapping foods like Scotch Egg s. Similarly, sausage meat encased in Puff Pastry is called a Sausage Roll . Sausages can also be modified to use indigenous ingredients. Mexican styles add oregano and the "guajillo" red pepper to the Spanish Chorizo to give it an even hotter spicy touch, and the good old cabeza de pija style. Certain sausages also contain ingredients such as cheese and apple; or types of vegetable. Vegetarian sausage Vegetarian and Vegan Sausage s are also available in some countries, or can be made from scratch. These may be made from Tofu , Seitan , Nut s, Pulse s, Soya protein, Vegetable s or any combination of similar ingredients that will hold together during cooking. These sausages, like most meat-replacement products, generally fall into two camps: some are shaped, colored, flavored, etc. to replicate the taste and texture of meat as accurately as possible; others rely on spices and vegetables to lend their natural flavor to the product and no attempt is made to imitate meat. QUOTES
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