5 Types Of Sausage For Any Occasion

Learn about various types of sausage from around the world and how to prepare them.

Sausage is among the oldest European meat dishes, and its varieties range widely –

from mild British bangers and spicy Italian sausages to Poland’s smoked kielbasa and Germany’s bratwurst.

Happily, here in the United States, we eat a variety of cuisines that incorporate all kinds of sausages.

Here are some of the types of sausage you’re likely to encounter and five ideas for how best to prepare them.

1. Kielbasa

“Kiełbasa” is the Polish word for sausage, and in Poland it can mean any kind of sausage. In the U.S., kielbasa (also known simply as “Polish sausage”) refers to a horseshoe-shaped, pork country sausage that is most often smoked, but is sometimes partially smoked or unsmoked.

Whatever kind you’re using, you’ll want to heat it because it tastes best that way. Partly smoked or unsmoked kielbasa will have to be cooked through.

How to prepare Kielbasa: This type of sausage is great on the grill or sautéed and served over your favorite Central European sides, including boiled potatoes, braised cabbage or sauerkraut. Kielbasa also works well on a bun with mustard, or sliced and served in soup.

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2. Andouille

Andouille is a spicy smoked sausage originally from France, but known mainly for its role in Cajun cuisine, where it is a key ingredient in jambalaya and gumbo. You can also use it in any recipe that calls for smoked sausage if you want to add a little heat.

How to prepare Andouille: Because it's smoked, Andouille is precooked and can be sliced and served cold as a snack or appetizer. When you’re cooking with it, simply slice and add to your dish; for added flavor, give the Andouille a quick toss in a hot pan to brown the edges.

Tip: If you’re lucky enough to find unsmoked Andouille sausage (pictured), cook it in its casing and slice it before serving, or remove it from its casing and cook it as you would ground beef.

3. Bratwurst

Bratwurst comes to us from Germany, where there are more than a dozen varieties. In the U.S., however, it’s typically made of pork and veal, and seasoned with salt, ginger, nutmeg and caraway.

How to prepare bratwurst: Here, as in Germany, bratwurst (or brats) are usually grilled or sautéed.

• For grilling: Pile coals on one side of the grill so that you have one hot side and one cooler side. The trick is to get the brats hot enough to cook through but also keep them from being charred by grease flares or heat bursts. Start them off on the side without coals while some of the grease cooks out, and then move them toward the middle to allow them to cook through

• For sautéing: Set brats and a small drizzle of oil in the pan before you turn the burner on, and let them come up to temperature with the pan. At first, nudge brats often so they don’t stick to the pan. Ease the heat up to medium-high, until the bratwursts are sizzling

Keep a close eye on the heat so it doesn't get so high that the casings split. Cover the pan if your brats aren’t cooking all the way through. Pull when temperature reaches 150 F, and then let sit for 3 minutes.

4. Italian sausage

Italian sausage comes in two varieties: hot and sweet. Hot sausage is typically made from pork and seasoned with salt, garlic, anise seed and red pepper flakes. Sweet sausage omits the pepper flakes but is otherwise the same. These types of sausage are interchangeable; it just depends on your spice preference.

How to prepare Italian sausage: Italian sausage can be used in a variety of ways. Grill or sauté the Italian sausage as you would a bratwurst and serve on a roll with onions and peppers, or served sliced, sautéed sausage on top of a pizza. Italian sausage can also be added to tomato sauce — either sliced and sautéed or removed from its casing altogether — and served over pasta.

5. Chorizo

In the U.S., chorizo usually refers to the Mexican variety, which is uncured and flavored with chilies, garlic and spices, although the exact ingredients can vary.

How to prepare chorizo: Most often sold in casings, chorizo is generally removed from them and cooked prior to use. Simply sauté it as you would ground beef and use it in enchiladas, tacos, burritos, soups or stews.

Brian Campbell, along with his wife Elizabeth Stark, writes the blog Brooklyn Supper — the story of a family eating with the seasons in Virginia and Brooklyn. They believe strongly that good, local food and wholesome meals should be for everyone.