Frank Muraca, executive chef at Penn Brewery Restaurant, on the North Side, is well versed on the differences among Bayrischer Leberkase, Bierwurst and Landjager, three of the more unfamiliar types of sausage he serves.
Muraca's "Brotzeitteller" appetizer plate is a European sausage adventure.
Some offerings on the brewery's menu might leave you wondering. Cut and looking like familiar luncheon meat, Beyrischer Leberkase (Bavarian loaf) and mortadella are types of sausage, as well as Braunschweiger (liverwurst).
All commercial sausages -- whether French or Cajun andouille, Mexican or Spanish chorizo -- have a familiar thread, Muraca says.
"When it comes to the ingredients label, it might say pork or beef or a combination of meats, but usually the seasoning is just referred to as 'spices,'" he says. "The recipes are closely guarded trade secrets."
Most of the sausages served at Penn Brewery are produced by Usinger's, a family-owned Chicago company operating since 1880. It uses the original recipes brought over from Germany by founder Fred Usinger. Muraca also serves John Morrell's Braunschweiger and Silver Star's Dutch loaf.
"They are the best," he says.
Across the Allegheny River, on the South Side, British bangers are the stars at Piper's Pub. The restaurant serves the mildly seasoned meats -- made from pork -- five different ways, says chef/general manager Alex Peightal.
Its Irish Breakfast has three scrambled eggs, two bangers, smoked ham steak and half-mashed potatoes served with tomatoes and multigrain rolls. Bangers and Mash pairs four sausages with half-mashed potatoes, covered with rib-sticking, rich Jameson onion gravy. Toad-in-the-Hole has four bangers with Yorkshire pudding, also covered in the gravy, made from beef stock, roux, onions and whiskey, he says.
Dublin Coddle, described as "classic small village pub fare," is a plate of sauteed bangers, bacon (rashers), onions and potatoes. For Pittsburghers who want a hearty sandwich, Piper's Pub mounts a hoagie roll with bangers and onion gravy, accompanied by horseradish mayonnaise.
"The bangers are made of pork and cracker meal," says Alex Peightal, the chef and general manager. "They are not as coarse as Italian sausage. And English bangers are slightly different from the Irish." All of the plates, he adds, go great with Guinness stout.
If you are looking for a bite of andouille, check out Harris Grill, A Cafe, in Shadyside, which offers Andouille Marinara. "The subtle, sweet smoky Cajun sausage grilled and shingled over sauce with some Asiago," reads its menu.
Sausages can be divided into four categories: fresh, cooked and smoked, cooked, and dry/semi-dry. Other classifications exist, depending on country of origin, state laws and U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations.
Landjager, also called hunter's sausage and served at Penn Brewery, is an example of a dry/semi-dry meat. It needs no refrigeration, so it's an easy, safe treat for the trail. Pepperoni, salami and summer sausage are in the dry/semi-dry category. Meat manufacturers often suggest refrigeration of these meats after purchase, even though they might be shelf stable, to extend freshness and quality.
Pittsburghers can take advantage of locally manufactured specialty sausages. Family-owned Parma Meats, in the Strip District, offers homemade Cajun-style spicy cooked andouille, Spanish-style cooked chorizo and Italian-seasoned mortadella (a member of the bologna family, it's a regular on area hoagies). Parma Meats has just introduced a new product called gigi sticks -- pocket-sized ready-to-eat sausages for people on the go.
Fresh chorizo -- Mexican-style -- is produced by Uncle Charley's Sausage Co., in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County. Charles "Uncle Charley" Armitage, founder and CEO, says it's been on the market for about two years.
"If you go to the south and into Texas, most of this type of sausage has been cooked and contains byproducts," he says. "Our product is pork, with no preservatives. It used to have quite a bit of heat, but we changed that. Now it's a little bit of heat and a lot of flavor."
Armitage likes to cook and eat chorizo as he does most fresh sausages: bring to a safe temperature, then enjoy straight from a bun, perhaps with grilled peppers and onions. He also likes it crowned with his signature gourmet red sauce, which features peppers and onions with tomato sauce. Bottled for retail sales, it is available in sweet and hot flavors.
Many meat markets, delis and butchers in Western Pennsylvania also make specialty sausages, often using generations-old family recipes. Consumers can look for them at gourmet food markets, in the deli, meat case, or frozen foods section.
Lttle Chinese sausages, called "lop cheong," about 4-6 inches long, are available refrigerated and frozen at Asian markets and in some specialty stores. Little bits of these meats go a long way -- their bright, sweet-salty, smoky flavor, sometimes laced with garlic, is a great substitute for the typical ham familiar to Americans as an ingredient in fried rice or in egg rolls. Some Chinese sausages are similar to pepperoni; others are closer to cooked sausages, such as kielbasa.
To use Chinese sausages, wash them well and either simmer or steam them for about 15 minutes, until translucent; often they are steamed right along with white rice. In Malaysia, lop cheong are steamed and thinly sliced to flavor fried rice noodles with pork, squid, prawns and oyster sauce. In "Martin Yan's Asian Favorites," (Ten Speed Press, $21.95 paperback), the noted Chinese cook uses Chinese sausages instead of ham on what he calls Yin-Yang Pizza.
Sausage varieties
Here are some sausages worth trying, either bought from a meat market or on a restaurant menu.
Andouille: Cajun-style andouille is a cooked spicy sausage; the French version is much milder. These can be served cold as an appetizer or as an ingredient in a cooked dish.
Bierwurst, or beerwurst: Despite its name, this sausage does not contain beer. It's a cooked German sausage heavily spiked with garlic and served as a luncheon meat.
Boudin Blanc: Meaning "white pudding" in French, this sausage, popular around the holidays, includes chicken, pork, milk and Cognac.
Chorizo: This highly seasoned and coarsely ground pork sausage brims with garlic, chile powder and other spices. The Mexican style -- which is fresh -- is made with pork; the Spanish version uses smoked pork.
Linguica : A mild Portuguese sausage, somewhat similar to kielbasa, flavored with onion, garlic and paprika.
Loukanika: A Greek sausage seasoned with orange rind and made with fresh lamb and pork. It must be fully cooked before serving.
Merguez: From North Africa/Morocco, these small, spicy sausages are made with lamb or beef and a spicy sauce called harissa, a hot chile paste.
Weisswurst: Meaning "white sausage" in German, this sausage is a delicacy, made from veal, cream and eggs, traditionally served during Oktoberfest.
Within the casing
Does a sausage need to be fully cooked or merely warmed up⢠Can it be frozen⢠Or is it shelf-stable and proper for putting into a hiking knapsackâ¢
Here are general categories for consumers, as defined by food scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Look on sausage packages for more information about handling, cooking and storage.
- Fresh sausages must be cooked to safe doneness, 155 degrees internal temperature. They do not contain the "curing" ingredient called nitrite, which acts as a preservative and adds characteristic flavor and color.
- Cooked sausages are ready to eat, having been fully cooked during manufacture. They also might be smoked. These sausages can be eaten without heating, but many people prefer to heat them or serve them as a part of a cooked dish.
- Semi-dry/dry sausages also are called "fermented." They have a characteristic tangy flavor because of an accumulation of lactic acid produced from a microbial fermentation of added sugars. They are dried to varying extents during processing. Summer sausage and snack sticks are examples of semi-dry sausages; dry fermented sausages include pepperoni and hard salami.
Source: www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/meatscience/sausage.html
Chorizo and Olive Paella "Santa Clara"
This recipe is from "Paella" (Henry Holt and Company, $27.50), by Penelope Casas. Dry-cured Spanish chorizo -- seasoned with garlic and paprika -- is a star in this dish, based on one from the Clarisa nuns of the Santa Clara convent in Briviesca in the heart of Castile, Spain.
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted Spanish green olives
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted cured black olives (do not use California-style olives)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken broth, canned or homemade, or a mixture of chicken and beef broths
- 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound Spanish chorizo, preferably sweet, skinned and cut in 1/2-inch slices
- 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium-size red bell pepper
- 1/4 pound Spanish serrano ham or prosciutto, cut in 1/4-inch slices, then diced
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 3 cups imported Spanish or arborio short-grain rice
- Kosher or sea salt
- 24 sugar snap peas or snow peas
Place the green and black olives in a small saucepan with the wine and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Combine the broth and saffron in a pot and keep hot over the lowest heat.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees for a gas oven, 450 degrees for electric.
Heat the oil in a paella pan measuring 17-18 inches as its widest point -- or in a shallow casserole of a similar size -- over 2 burners if necessary. Saute the chorizo for 1 minute, then add the onion, garlic, pepper, ham and parsley, and saute until the pepper is slightly softened.
Stir in the reserved olives and the rice, and coat the rice well with the pan mixture. Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally. Taste for salt and continue to boil until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas.
Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, for 10-12 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20 in electric. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Pineapple Thai Fried Rice
Chinese sausages have a sweet flavor. Look for them at Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated meat case and in the freezer section. This recipe is from "Martin Yan's Asian Favorites, From Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand" (Ten Speed Press, $21.95 paperback).
- 1/3 cup dried shrimp
- Warm water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Chinese sausages, 2 ounces each, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 cups cooked long-grain rice, chilled
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1/2 fresh pineapple, hollowed out, for serving
- 1 tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices, for garnish
- 1 small cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch slices, for garnish
- 1 to 2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh Thai chile pepper, for garnish
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
Soak the dried shrimp in enough warm water to cover them until softened, for about 20 minutes. Drain.
Place a wide nonstick frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, for about 10 seconds. Add the shrimp, sausage and onion. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the eggs and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Decrease the heat to medium and stir in the rice, separating the grains with the fork. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce and pineapple. Cook, stirring, until heated through.
To serve, spoon the fried rice into the pineapple shell and garnish with tomato, cucumber, chile pepper and green onion. Or, place the tomato and cucumber slices around the edge of a serving platter, spoon the fried rice into the middle of the platter and sprinkle with chile and green onion.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Sausage & Pepper Sauce with Olives and Basil <PThis recipe, from the newly published "50 Great Pasta Sauces" (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, $14.95), by Pamela Sheldon Johns, uses sweet Italian sausage, but you can substitute andouille or Mexican-style chorizo for some kick.
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and julienned
- 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled and julienned
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 1 cup oil-cured black Italian olives, pitted
- Boiling water, to cook pasta
- Salt, to taste, for pasta water
- 1 pound dried pasta
In a blender, combine 1/4 cup olive oil and the basil. Process to a smooth puree. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the julienned peppers and set aside.
In a medium saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage pieces for 2 minutes on each side. Add the pepper mixture and the olives and heat through. Set aside and keep warm.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, turn into a warmed serving bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
Dublin Coddle
You can sample a version of this traditional Irish dish at Piper's Pub, 1828 E. Carson St., on the South Side. Chef/general manager Alex Peightal sautes the dish to order instead of baking it -- that way the sausages (bangers) and potatoes are hot and crisp.
This recipe -- adapted from one serviced at Oliver St. John Gogarty's in Dublin, Ireland -- is from "The Irish Pub Cookbook" (Chronicle Books,$24.95), by Margaret M. Johnson. Coddle is a hearty pork, potato and sausage stew featured on many pub menus, especially in the Dublin area, she says. Popular since the 18th century, it traditionally was served for Saturday night supper.
- 12 ounces Irish pork sausages (bangers)
- 4 ounces lean pork, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces Irish boiling bacon (shoulder or collar), cut into 2-inch pieces
- Cold water
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3 medium-size potatoes
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Using a fork, prick the sausages in several places. Put the sausages, pork and bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the bacon is slightly tender. Skim off any foam that rises. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange half the meat in the bottom of a Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole. In layers, add half of the onions, then half of the potatoes. Sprinkle with some parsley, thyme and ground pepper. Repeat the layers, beginning with the remaining meat and ending with the remaining herbs and a sprinkling of pepper.
Pour the reserved cooking liquid over all. Top with a sheet of wax paper, then cover with the pot lid. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Mussels and Clams with Andouille Sausage in Tangerine Broth
This recipe is from "Big Small Plates" (Ten Speed Press, $35), by Cindy Pawlcyn with Pablo Jacinto and Erasto Jacinto. Pawlcyn is owner of Mustards Grill restaurant, in Napa Valley, Calif. This dish is one of the establishment's more popular "small bowls," she writes, adding, "We often make this in the winter, when tangerines are at their best." Any premium smoked sausage, linguica or garlic sausage can substitute for the andouille.
- 4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 24 mussels, cleaned and rinsed
- 24 clams, cleaned and rinsed
- 3/4 cup diced andouille sausage (1/4-inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley leaves
For the toast:
- 6 slices rustic country bread (1/2-inch thick)
- Olive oil or butter, for coating
For the broth:
- 2 2/3 cups freshly squeezed tangerine juice or orange juice
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Prepare a grill, or heat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the toast: Lightly brush the bread slices on each side with olive oil or butter. Toast them on the grill or in the oven until crispy and golden on the outside but still a little soft in the center. Turn off the grill or oven.
To make the broth: In a bowl, combine the tangerine juice, white wine and lime juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the seafood and sausage: Heat 2 large saute pans or 1 large roasting pan set over 2 burners, using high heat. You want a lot of surface area. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil and allow it to heat. Toss in the shellfish and sausage and cook, shaking and stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add about 2 cups of the tangerine juice mixture and cook, stirring, until the shellfish have opened and the sauce has reduced by about half. Remove and discard any shellfish that have not opened. If the pan seems to be getting too dry, add more tangerine broth.
Reduce the temperature and add 2-3 tablespoons butter, the salt, black pepper, basil and parsley. Stir and toss until everything is well coated.
Place into 6 deep soup bowls, pouring the pan juices equally over each bowl. Tuck a slab of grilled bread in at the side of the bowls to soak up the juice.
Makes 6 servings.
