What to Do With Smoked Sausage?

It is possible to make smoked sausage into several different things.

It is popular because of its unique flavor, extended shelf life, and an overabundance of recipes to use.

Use it in any type of recipe that calls for sausage. Add it to breakfast burritos, sandwiches, pasta dishes, chili, etc. It works especially well with cheese and bacon combinations.

In the US, smoked sausages are used in Creole and Cajun cuisines, but other smoked sausages can be an excellent alternative.

The most basic recipes include the traditional gumbo and jambalaya, but they are only the beginning.

Sausages are similar to most fresh meats and can be used to make a lot of dishes. It’s the best part about smoked sausage that you can eat it without any previous preparation.

Follow these tips mentioned here if you don’t know what to do with smoked sausages.

Types of Smoked Sausage

There is a blend of meats, spices, and curing methods that distinguish one type of smoked sausage from another.

If you made the same dish with different types of smoked sausage, the resulting tastes would be different.

The baseline taste of pork, veal, beef, lamb, poultry, or even mixed meat sausage is dependent on the type of meat used.

The andouille sausage, a Cajun cuisine staple, and the traditional Polish smoked kielbasa are the most common smoked sausages in the United States.

Cajun and Creole cuisines are known for their aroma and use of garlic, pepper, wine, and onions to bring the necessary flavor to Andouille sausage.

It can be made from a wide variety of meats, but usually has a milder flavor.

The preparation methods for these sausages won’t stray too far from the norm if you’re familiar with essential sausage recipes.

It is possible to use any type of smoked sausage as a substitute for another one, but that will change the flavor slightly.

If you don’t know what to do with smoked sausage, the easiest thing to do is to cut them up and eat them with any side dish you like.

The smoking process removes harmful bacteria from the meat and prevents further growth, making it safe for consumption without additional preparation.

Basic Smoked Sausage Dishes

There is a blend of meats, spices, and curing methods that distinguish one type of smoked sausage from another.

If you made the same dish with different types of smoked sausage, the resulting tastes would be different.

The baseline taste of pork, veal, beef, lamb, poultry, or even mixed meat sausage is dependent on the type of meat used.

The andouille sausage, a Cajun cuisine staple, and the traditional Polish smoked kielbasa are the most common smoked sausages in the United States.

Cajun and Creole cuisines are known for their aroma and use of garlic, pepper, wine, and onions to bring the necessary flavor to Andouille sausage.

It can be made from a wide variety of meats, but usually has a milder flavor.

The preparation methods for these sausages won’t stray too far from the norm if you’re familiar with essential sausage recipes.

It is possible to use any type of smoked sausage as a substitute for another one, but that will change the flavor slightly.

If you don’t know what to do with smoked sausage, the easiest thing to do is to cut them up and eat them with any side dish you like.

The smoking process removes harmful bacteria from the meat and prevents further growth, making it safe for consumption without additional preparation.

Cajun Dishes With Smoked Sausage

Cajun cuisine is probably the most popular way to prepare smoked sausage. It’s a perfect match for the rustic andouille sausage.

Since the sausage is already packed with flavor, other ingredients add texture and nutrition that it doesn’t have.

Some of the most well-known Cajun dishes with smoked sausage are gumbo and jambalaya. Both dishes can be used in many different ways, and the recipes are not set in stone.

This will allow you to mix and match the flavors you like and combine them into relatively quick and straightforward meals to prepare.

Smoking sausage is an incredibly versatile ingredient because Cajun recipes are often relatively simple.

Even if you don’t know how to cook, you can still make an excellent meal if you have some vegetables and ingredients at home.

The best aspect of Cajun cooking is that you can mix and match whatever is left in the pantry to make a filling and delicious meal.

Sausage that has been prepared and pre-seasoned is an excellent addition to this cuisine.

It has a long shelf life, which means you can buy in bulk and cook meals when you need them.

Gumbo

When preparing a classic gumbo with smoked sausage, you don’t need to change a thing. The andouille sausage and diced onion, bell pepper, and celery work well with each other.

There are other smoked sausage types you can replace andouille with. If the sausage you choose is not spicy, you can always add more spices to the gumbo.

Don’t go out of your way since you might overcomplicate the sausage. You can use any mix of vegetables with bell peppers, onions, and celery.

Adding more color and a delicate sweetness to the dish is accomplished by using carrots. The process of cooking is relatively easy.

When you get a blended roux, cook the vegetables in an oiled skillet until they are tender, then add flour. If you want to cook smoked sausage, stir it and leave it to cook.

The gumbo needs to be cooked for a few hours until it is done, so be careful not to put it on too high of a heat and check it frequently.

Jambalaya

There are no limits when it comes to the cuisine of jambalaya. Rice and an assortment of vegetables you might have nearby are the only specific ingredients in addition to sausage.

If you want to use whatever you want, you don’t have to be strict with your meat and shellfish requirements.

The best time to cook smoked sausage is at the beginning of the dish with the other vegetables.

The rest of the dish will have a different flavor due to the release of the aroma.

When you are pushed for time, smoked sausage jambalaya is a perfect meal because the meat doesn’t have to cook all the way through.

Simple Sausage and Potatoes

One of the less innovative Cajun-inspired meals is simple potatoes with sausage. To prepare the base, you will need a can of potato soup and a can of chicken soup.

If you want to add more seasonings, you should look for garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

After the sausage and potatoes are cleaned and cut up, all the ingredients are put into a crockpot and cooked for up to six hours, depending on the type of sausage used.

The meal could be done in less time because we are using pre-smoked sausages.

International Dishes

While andouille smoked sausage is a centerpiece of Cajun cuisine, other sausage types are prevalent around the world.

Sausages can be used in many dishes in European and Asian cultures, and you can use traditional Polish sausages to bring the taste of Europe to your plate.

German Dishes

German apple sauerkraut is one of the more unique dishes that can be used with smoked sausage.

The combination of sweet and sour makes this meal unique. You will need some sauerkraut, apples, and cut-up sausage to achieve that.

The sauerkraut needs to be drained of some of its fluid so that it doesn’t add salt to the meal.

Depending on the type of apple you use, the apples will add a bit of acidity and sweetness.

The cut-up pieces of apples, sausage, and sauerkraut need to be combined with an onion on a skillet for the meal to fully cook.

The entire meal won’t be bad if you don’t cook the cabbage thoroughly, but it will take at least a couple of hours for the cabbage to be softened completely.

Fusion Dishes

I recommend that you make a rougaille if you want to go for a taste of the Atlantic islands.

Tomatoes, spices, aromatics, and sausages are brought together in this dish, which is a fusion of French, African, and Indian cuisine.

You will need tomatoes and tomato paste to cook the dish, as the raw tomatoes will add the necessary liquid to the dish.

When it comes to aromatics, onions, garlic, and ginger are the mainstays, but you can also add smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme, and even cayenne pepper if you want a dose of heat.

The process of making rougaille is relatively easy.

If you want to cook the onion on an oiled skillet, use olive oil or butter for the best flavor, and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat.

If you serve Rougaille with a side of rice, you’ll get the necessary starch.

Can You Go Overboard?

curing meat and spices with nitrogen salts is what prepares smoked sausage.

The smoking process’s residual effect on the food’s quality is something that some people are concerned about.

The mass manufacturing process for smoked sausage is tightly controlled.

Some of the ingredients, notably PAHs, are known carcinogens, but the permitted quantity of these ingredients are too low to pose a health risk.

The added salts are something you might be concerned about when eating cooked sausages.

Since different curing processes call for different amounts of salts, you can consult the package to check your salt intake and stay on the safer side.

Smoked sausage is an excellent ingredient and is just like any other cured food, which is good in moderation.

Conclusion

If you are wondering what to do with smoked sausage you have in the fridge or pantry, the rest of your fridge and available ingredients can guide you on what to make.

Adding smoked sausage to your breakfast is a great way to start the day. It is an excellent replacement for other meats when you don’t have the time to cook them.

Since it is usually cured, you don’t need to cook them or prepare them in any way (although a good sear is never a bad option to add more flavor and enhance the existing rich aroma).

Cajun cuisine is fond of smoked sausage since it has a long shelf life and can be used year-round.

Don’t fret, if you don’t have andouille sausage, you can still have it. You only need to add a bit of cayenne to replicate the heat of other smoked sausages.