Variety of Sausages: Discover Our Selection of Smoked Sausage Styles at Markwell Beef

Nothing beats enjoying a hearty meal of sausage, eggs, and toast in the morning.

Alternatively, perhaps you’re getting ready for a backyard barbecue and want to wow your guests with mouthwatering knackwurst or bratwurst.

What Kinds of Sausages Are There? Our Top 15 Sausage Selections

Without further ado, let’s explore the variety of sausage options available. We’ll go over each of our favorite sausage varieties’ history, distinctive qualities, and serving recommendations so you can comprehend and savor them.

Kielbasa

Of all the Polish sausages, kielbasa is arguably the most well-known because to its strong taste and adaptability. The word means “sausage” in Polish. There are several variations, but the most well-known is a smoked sausage with a lot of garlic that is produced from either pork or a mix of pig and beef.

Typically, garlic, marjoram, and occasionally mustard seeds are used to flavor Kielbasa. It tastes rich and smokey with a texture that is coarsely ground. In particular, our spicy kielbasa variant is quite well-liked.

It is so flexible that it may be roasted, grilled, or boiled. It’s great in stews, casseroles, or even sliced cold on a charcuterie board. Traditionally, it’s eaten with potatoes or sauerkraut. It goes nicely with rye bread, horseradish, or mustard.

Thuranger

Thuringer is a classic German sausage with a 600-year history, sometimes referred to as Thüringer Rostbratwurst. Since this is one of our most popular varieties of summer sausage, you best grab a pound or two as soon as you see it in stock!

These sausages are seasoned with a mixture of caraway, marjoram, garlic, and mustard seeds and are usually produced from pork, beef, or veal. They are frequently grilled, which gives them a slightly scorched outside and a juicy, tasty within. They have a delicate texture.

Enjoying this the traditional manner, on a bun with mustard, is sure to please. We do, however, also enjoy it simply prepared or paired with potato salad and sauerkraut. It goes well with a cool beer and is a festival mainstay in Germany.

Bratwurst

Knackwurst is a short, plump sausage that originated in northern Germany. It is occasionally written “knockwurst.” The sound that the sausage casing produces as it is chewed into is what gives it its name, “knack.”

Made with finely ground veal and pig, it has a lot of garlic seasoning. Usually smoked, the sausage has a crisp bite and a deep, savory taste.

Serve it with pretzels, mustard, and sauerkraut, or other typical German sides. Additionally, it may be diced and used into stews or soups.

Milan

Bologna, sometimes referred to as “mortadella” in Italy, is a big, smooth sausage that is produced in the Bologna city. The American version is less delicious and finer grained than the Italian version, which makes a big difference. Our clients claim that our ring bologna is identical to the actual thing, which explains why it is so well-liked!

Pork is finely pulverized and then commonly combined with fat, olives, pistachios, or peppercorns to make mortadella. It has a thick, creamy texture and a subtle, somewhat sweet flavor.

It is enjoyed by the Italians in sandwiches or as part of an antipasto dish when sliced thinly. In addition to being fried or added to casseroles, bologna is frequently used in sandwiches in the United States.

Sausage for breakfast

A mainstay of American cooking is breakfast sausage. Typically, it is cooked with pork and spiced with a mixture of thyme, black pepper, and sage. It’s often pan-fried or grilled and can be found in links, patties, or ground sausage forms.

Enjoying breakfast sausage as part of a bigger spread that includes eggs, toast, biscuits, pancakes, and maybe even some of our smoked bacon online is the best way to savor it!

Andouille

Originally from France, andouille is a smoked sausage that is now a mainstay in Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole cuisines.

It is composed of pork that has been smoked after being seasoned with wine, garlic, onions, and other seasonings. Compared to the French counterpart, the American version is often rougher and spicier.

A staple in recipes like red beans and rice, gumbo, and jambalaya is andouille. It can also be eaten on its own or in a sandwich after being grilled or sautéed.

Chorizo

There are many varieties of the highly seasoned sausage known as “chorizo” in Mexico and Spain. Mexican chorizo is fresh and has to be cooked before consumption, whereas Spanish chorizo is often smoked and cured.

Spanish chorizo gets its distinctive rich red color and smokey taste from the addition of smoked paprika. Conversely, Mexican chorizo has a higher level of spice and is seasoned with vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers. Still, both are excellent!

Spanish chorizo is frequently added to paellas and stews or eaten sliced as part of a tapas buffet. Mexican chorizo, on the other hand, is usually crumbled and used to tacos, burritos, and scrambled eggs.

Brats

German sausages, known as bratwurst, are usually produced from pig and cattle. With a lengthy history that dates back to the 14th century, this sausage kind is among the most well-liked in Germany.

Many spices, including as nutmeg, coriander, caraway, and ginger, are used to season it. The dish is often pan-fried or grilled and has a gritty texture.

It is sometimes mistaken with knockwurst, and the phrases are occasionally used synonymously, although they are not the same. That’s a bratwurst, because of its somewhat pinker tint.

We recommend it grilled just the way it is or, for a heartier dinner, served with mustard on a bun. It goes well with sauerkraut and other German dishes as well.

Sausage

A French dry-cured sausage known as saucisson sec is often made of pig, although it can also be produced with duck or wild boar. Garlic, black pepper, and occasionally wine or brandy are used to season it. It gets a solid texture and intense taste from being air-dried for several weeks.

A mainstay of French charcuterie, it goes well with pickles, cheeses, and bread. To make a tasty appetizer for a heartier dinner, just add wine.

Landjäger

Because of its mobility and lengthy shelf life, landjäger is a semi-dry sausage that is well-liked as a snack item, particularly by hikers and campers.

Beef, pork, fat, sugar, red wine, and spices are used in its preparation. It is frequently pressed into a rectangle form before being dried and smoked, giving it a chewy feel. It may be sliced and added to soups and stews, or eaten cold on its own with bread and cheese.

Boerewors

A classic sausage from South Africa, boerewors is distinguished by its unique spiral form. The Afrikaans terms for “farmer” (boer) and “sausage” (wors) are the source of the term “boerewors.”

Though lamb is occasionally used, beef and pig are the materials most frequently used to make it. Coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and vinegar are common spices. Usually, it is grilled after being spirally coiled.

In South Africa, boerewors is usually cooked over an open flame (called a “braai”) and eaten with pap, a kind of porridge made of cornmeal, or on a bun with mustard and ketchup.

Salami

Although salami is typically thought of as deli meat, it is actually an Italian variety of cured sausage. But this is just another kind of sausage that has spread over the world and outlived its roots.

It is created using meat that has been fermented and air-dried, typically pig, and is then highly seasoned with wine, salt, pepper, and garlic. Because of the fermentation process, it has a sour flavor. Depending on how long it is matured, it might be soft or hard.

Thinly sliced salami is frequently used as a topping for pizza, on charcuterie boards, and in sandwiches. It goes great with crusty bread, olives, and cheeses.

A Longganisa

Filipino sausages with Spanish ancestry are called longganisa. It has been modified to suit regional preferences and ingredients, just like many other sausage varieties. Numerous regional varieties exist, each with a distinct flavor character.

Still, it will be a pig sausage, sweet and garlicky as it came from. Chicken or beef are two more meats that are used to make longganisa. The sausage can be either fresh or cured, and annatto seed is frequently used to color it.

Longganisa is a favorite morning food. In Spain, it’s customary to serve it with “longsilog,” or garlic rice and fried eggs. It can also be served as a main course after being pan-fried or grilled.

Sai Oua

Northern Thai sausage, or sai oua, is renowned for its strong, fragrant tastes. It is a mainstay of Northern Thailand’s traditional Lanna cuisine.

Ground pork is combined with red curry paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and other herbs and spices to make this kind of sausage. Its texture is gritty and its flavor is spicy and aromatic.

Usually served on a dish with sticky rice and crisp veggies, sau oua is grilled. It can also be cut into slices and offered as a snack or appetizer.

Butifarra

Butifarra, a long-standing traditional sausage from Catalonia, comes in last on our list of the most popular sausage varieties. It is seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and occasionally cinnamon and is made with pork.

There are several types of butifarra available, such as raw (which needs to be cooked before consumption) and cured. Its texture is gritty and its taste is modest. It goes well pan-fried or grilled, and a traditional Catalan meal would include it with white beans. Alternately, chop it and add it to a casserole, stew, or soup.