List of sausages facts for kids

A tasty Chorizo sausage

A French Saucisson sausage

Skilandis is a traditional Lithuanian sausage

Sausages being smoked to preserve them

Sausages are a popular food enjoyed all over the world! They are usually made from ground meat, like pork or beef, mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. This mixture is then put inside a special "skin" called a casing.

Long ago, people used casings made from animal intestines. Today, many sausages use casings made from plants or other materials. Sausages can be cooked in many ways, like grilling, frying, or boiling. Some sausages are even cooked during the making process. Making sausages is a very old way to keep food fresh for a long time.

Types of Sausages

A British breakfast with black pudding (far left)

Sai ua is a grilled pork sausage from Northern Thailand

Winter salami is a special Hungarian sausage

There are many different kinds of sausages, each with its own unique taste and texture. Here are some popular types:

• Blood sausage: A dark sausage made with blood, often mixed with grains or meat.
• Boerewors: A fresh sausage from South Africa, usually coiled up.
• Fermented sausage: This sausage is made by salting meat to remove water. Good bacteria then help break down sugars, which gives the sausage a special flavor.
• Garlic sausage: A sausage made with pork or beef, and lots of fresh or dried garlic.
• Hot dog: A very famous sausage, often served in a bun!
• Kielbasa: A type of sausage from Poland, often smoked.
• Merguez: A spicy sausage from North Africa, made with lamb or beef.
• Sai ua: A grilled pork sausage from Northern Thailand and nearby countries.
• Summer sausage: A sausage that doesn't need to be refrigerated until it's opened.
• Vegetarian sausage: These sausages are made without meat. They can use ingredients like tofu, seitan, nuts, or vegetables.
• Volkswagen currywurst: Believe it or not, the car company Volkswagen makes its own brand of sausage!
• White pudding: Similar to blood sausage, but without blood, often made with pork and oatmeal.
• Winter salami: A type of salami from Hungary, made using old traditions.

Sausages Around the World

Sausages are made differently in almost every country, using local ingredients and traditions. A sausage with the same name might even taste different depending on where it's made!

Argentina

• Chorizo: A flavorful sausage, often grilled.
• Morcilla: A type of blood sausage.

Australia

• Democracy sausage: A sausage served in a bread roll, often sold at election polling places.
• Kanga Bangas: Sausages made from kangaroo meat.

Austria

Smoked Extrawurst from Austria

• Extrawurst: A popular Austrian sausage, often sliced and eaten cold.
• Käsekrainer: A sausage with small pieces of cheese inside.
• Vienna sausage: A thin, long sausage, often called a "frankfurter" in other places.

Brazil

• Linguiça: A common type of sausage in Brazil, similar to chorizo.

Bulgaria

Lukanka is a popular dry sausage in Bulgaria

• Lukanka: A spicy, dry-cured sausage, pressed flat.
• Sujuk: A dry, spicy sausage, popular in many countries.

Colombia

Butifarras Soledeñas from Soledad, Atlántico, Colombia

• Butifarra Soledeñas: A special sausage from the town of Soledad.
• Chorizo: A very common sausage, often grilled.

Denmark

Pieces of fried medisterpølse

• Medisterpølse: A thick, spiced pork sausage.
• Rød pølse: A bright red sausage, often served from hot dog stands.

France

Different types of boudin sausage

• Boudin: A general term for different types of French sausages, including blood sausage (boudin noir) and white sausage (boudin blanc).
• Saucisson: A dry-cured sausage, often sliced thinly.

Germany

A grilled Thuringian sausage

Many kinds of bratwurst at a market in Nuremberg, Germany

Germany is famous for its many sausages!

• Bratwurst: A very popular grilled sausage, often made from pork, beef, or veal.
• Blutwurst: A type of blood sausage.
• Frankfurter Würstchen: A thin, boiled sausage, similar to a hot dog.
• Weisswurst: A white sausage from Bavaria, usually eaten with sweet mustard.

Hungary

Debrecener sausage at a Hungarian festival

• Debrecener: A spicy, reddish sausage, often smoked.
• Winter salami: A famous Hungarian salami, known for its long aging process.

Italy

'Nduja is a very spicy, spreadable sausage from Calabria

A type of soppressata sausage

Italy has many delicious sausages, especially different kinds of salami!

• Cotechino: A large, boiled sausage, often eaten with lentils.
• 'Nduja: A very spicy, soft, spreadable pork sausage from Southern Italy.
• Salami: A general term for many types of dry-cured sausages, often sliced thin.
• Mortadella: A large, cooked sausage with a smooth texture, often with white fat cubes.

Korea

Sundae is a type of blood sausage in Korean food.

• Sundae: A type of blood sausage in Korean food, often filled with noodles or rice.

Lithuania

• Skilandis: A traditional Lithuanian sausage, often pear-shaped and smoked.

Mexico

• Chorizo: A popular spicy sausage, often used in cooking.
• Moronga: A type of blood sausage.

Netherlands

A frikandel with fries

• Frikandel: A deep-fried, skinless sausage, very popular as a snack.
• Rookworst: A smoked sausage, often served with traditional Dutch meals.

Philippines

Calumpit longganisa at a market in the Philippines

Many types of Philippine longganisa in Quiapo, Manila

• Longganisa: This is a general name for many types of Filipino sausages. They can be sweet, garlicky, or spicy, and each region has its own special kind!

Poland

Grilled Polish kielbasa

• Kielbasa: A very famous Polish sausage, often smoked or fresh. There are many varieties!
• Kabanos: A long, thin, air-dried sausage, great for snacking.

Portugal

Embutido is a general term for cured meats, including sausages

• Chouriço: A type of smoked sausage, similar to Spanish chorizo.
• Linguiça: A thin, smoked sausage, often spicy.

Spain

Botifarra cooking on a grill

Longaniza sausage

• Chorizo: A very famous Spanish sausage, known for its smoky, paprika flavor.
• Fuet: A thin, dry-cured sausage.
• Morcilla: A type of blood sausage, often with rice.
• Sobrasada: A soft, spreadable sausage from Mallorca.

Switzerland

A St. Galler bratwurst, schüblig and cervelat

• Cervelat: Considered the national sausage of Switzerland, often grilled or boiled.
• St. Galler Bratwurst: A white sausage from St. Gallen, often eaten without mustard.

Thailand

Sai ua sausage

• Naem: A fermented pork sausage, often sour.
• Sai ua: A grilled pork sausage with herbs and spices.

United Kingdom

A Stornoway black pudding, a famous Scottish sausage

• Black pudding: A type of blood sausage, often part of a traditional British breakfast.
• Cumberland sausage: A long, coiled pork sausage from England, known for its peppery flavor.
• Haggis: A traditional Scottish dish, often described as a savory pudding made with sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, spices, and stock.

United States

Cajun andouille sausage

Packaged pepperoni slices

• Andouille: A smoked sausage, especially popular in Cajun cooking.
• Hot dog: A very common sausage, often served in a bun with toppings.
• Italian sausage: A fresh sausage, often flavored with fennel or anise.
• Pepperoni: A spicy salami, very popular as a pizza topping.

Vietnam

Sliced chả lụa served over bánh cuốn

• Chả lụa: A Vietnamese pork sausage, often steamed and sliced.