Sausage

Caltaboș is a Romanian liver-based pork sausage that is traditionally prepared and eaten during the winter holiday season. Due to the fact that caltaboș is primarily a homemade specialty, there is no single recipe for it. In addition to liver, caltaboș can include other types of offal, such as spleen, heart, lungs, and kidneys. All the ingredients are boiled with garlic and bay leaves before they are minced and combined with meat, caramelized onions, spices, and (optionally) rice. Unlike other types of Romanian sausages, caltaboși are boiled instead of fried. They are traditionally served cold with bread and raw onions or pickles on the side.

Caltaboș

Romania

C&acirc;rnaţi de Pleşcoi are popular Romanian sausages made with mutton, chili peppers, and garlic. They are one of the first Romanian products that will be part of the EU&rsquo;s list of certified traditional products. C&acirc;rnaţi de Pleşcoi are produced in the homes of Pleşcoi village and the Berca commune, using the traditional recipe. Most of the producers don&rsquo;t have an official production license, so the sausages are available for purchase only in small quantities, directly from the producers. Some of the licensed producers founded the Plescoi Sausage Producer Association with a goal of promoting and distributing c&acirc;rnaţi de Pleşcoi at the European level.

Cârnaţi de Pleşcoi

France

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Cervelas de Lyon is a traditional sausage hailing from Lyon, renowned for its rich flavor and distinctive preparation. This specialty sausage is typically made from ground pork, combined with generous amounts of pork fat to enhance its flavor and texture. Seasoned with garlic, nutmeg, and various spices, cervelas de Lyon offers a unique and robust taste. Occasionally, luxurious ingredients such as pistachios or truffles are added to elevate the flavor profile. The sausage mixture is finely chopped or ground and stuffed into natural casings before being gently poached or simmered in water or broth. Alternatively, it can be grilled or roasted, depending on the recipe and preference. Cervelas de Lyon has a characteristic pink color due to the curing process and the addition of seasonings, and it is often plump and firm with a smooth texture. Cervelas de Lyon can be served in various ways. As a main course, it is often accompanied by lentils, potatoes, or other vegetables. It is also a popular addition to charcuterie boards, where it can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. Sliced cervelas de Lyon can be added to salads, providing a robust, savory component.
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Cervelas de Lyon

Cervelat is the most popular Swiss sausage, made with pork or a combination of pork and beef. In Switzerland, it is typically mildly seasoned with mustard, garlic, and selected herbs and spices, while the German variety of cervelat is prepared with a combination of pork, beef, and bacon. The sausage is cured, dried, and smoked, and is then served either uncooked or boiled, although it can also be grilled over an open fire, when its ends are cut and expanded.

Cervelat

Croatia

Če&scaron;njovka is a traditional sausage made from pork. It is slightly spicy due to a large amount of garlic added into it as a flavoring, hence the name that can be translated as garlic sausage. In the city of Samobor, where če&scaron;njovka is a popular local specialty, the sausage is typically paired with the city's own mustard, Samoborska mu&scaron;tarda, which is often sold across the city in little ceramic pots. Če&scaron;njovka is also popular throughout central and northern Croatia during the festive winter period, when it is sold at numerous food stands and paired with sauerkraut or mulled wine.

Češnjovka

British chipolatas are pork sausages that are typically thin, about an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, short, and mildly spiced. However, some longer and more heavily spiced ones are also produced in the UK. They are the number one choice when making pigs in blankets, but they can be prepared in various ways. For example, they can be added to hearty stews, prepared with beans, or consumed as a breakfast sausage. However, grilling them is not recommended as they'll likely fall through the grates because of their small size. Although British chipolatas have French and Italian origins, they do differ somewhat from their Italian and French cousins, cipollata and chipolata, respectively, mainly in size, spices, and the fact that they sometimes can include rice, breadcrumbs, and rusks.

Chipolatas (UK)

Spain

Chistorra is a fast-cured sausage made from pork, either from the belly or the jowl. Minced pork is sometimes combined with minced beef, and the sausage is traditionally flavored with garlic, salt, and paprika, which gives the sausage its characteristical red color. This versatile sausage can be fried, grilled, or baked, and it is often used for tapas or as an accompaniment to other dishes. It can be found in the Basque Country, Aragon, and Navarre.

Chistorra

Chorizo is a Spanish sausage consisting of chopped pork meat and fat that is seasoned with paprika, and sometimes garlic. The combination of these ingredients is then stuffed into a natural casing. Chorizo is characterized by its red color, due to the usage of special paprika known as pimenton, which is the key ingredient that differentiates the Spanish chorizo from other similar sausages. It has a unique, hearty, and spicy flavor. Different version of chorizo also exist in countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Panama, Argentino, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Uruguay. Some claim that chorizo has origins in the Catalan xori&ccedil;o, while others say that it has roots in morcilla, or blood sausage. Chorizo is a truly versatile sausage, as it can be sliced in a sandwich, fried, grilled, simmered in liquids, or used as a pizza topping.

Chorizo

A true Argentinian asado is only complete with chorizo, a fresh pork (or beef or pork and beef) sausage seasoned with paprika, pepper, oregano, and garlic. It is briefly soaked in water and then grilled until the outside is charred, but the insides remain juicy. Still, chorizo sausage is nearly impossible to overcook thanks to its high-fat percentage. Chorizo is typically served as an appetizer and as a sandwich, inside a bread roll, smothered in chimichurri sauce.

Chorizo a la parrilla

Portugal

This sweet, smoked chorizo sausage is a specialty of the Vinhais region in northeastern Portugal, and it is made from lean meat and fat taken from the B&iacute;saro breed of pig or its cross-breeds. The chopped meat is mixed with pig's blood, local wheat bread, honey, walnuts, almonds, and olive oil. After it has been seasoned and flavored, the mixture is stuffed into thin sausage casings and slowly smoked until it develops a dark color and an intense, smoky flavor. The sausage must be fried to be fit for consumption, and it is usually served with fresh bread, local cheese, and a glass of full-bodied red wine on the side.

Chouriça doce de Vinhais

Italy

Cotechino is a traditional pork sausage and a specialty of Emilia-Romagna, although there are variations in Lombardy, Molise, Trentino, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The sausage is usually made from lean and fat (pork rinds) pork, cloves, cinnamon, and white wine. It's available fresh and part-cured (pre-cooked in this case) &ndash; the fresh variety should be simmered over low heat for a few hours, while the part-cured variety is usually made for export and it's cooked in about half an hour. Cotechino is typically served with lentils, beans, mostarda di frutta (preserved fruits in mustard syrup), or mashed potatoes on the side. While the sausage is slowly cooking, the fat becomes jellied and oozes out once the sausage is cut, and that's the reason why it's often served with lentils, beans, or potatoes &ndash; they will soak up the fat.

Cotechino

Cotechino Modena is a large Italian pork sausage originating from Emilia-Romagna. It's made with a mixture of pork, pork fat, pork rinds, salt, and pieces of pepper or whole pepper. Wine, sugar, spices and herbs are often added to the mixture for extra flavor. The mixture is stuffed into natural or artificial casings and smoke flavorings are not permitted. If fresh, the sausage is sold whole (loose or packaged), and if cooked, it's usually sold vacuum-packed. Cotechino Modena must be easy to slice, and the firm, evenly grained slices should retain their shape. This sausage is typically available around Christmas time and New Year's, and it's served in fairly thick slices with lentils, beans, mashed potatoes, or as part of a bollito misto (mixed boiled meats). According to legend, cotechino sausages first appeared in the winter of 1511 in Mirandola, when the city was under siege by the troops of Pope Julius II. To save the little they had from the wartime pillage and plunder, the people of Mirandola hastily decided to slaughter their pigs, finely grind the meat, season it with salt and pepper, and stuff it back into the pork casing. The sausage turned out to become a great success and in the 1700s the traditional recipe had spread to neighbouring butcheries and salumeria shops. Today, the cotechino Modena sausages are produced within the entire Emilia-Romagna region. It's recommended to pair the sausage with hearty red wines.

Cotechino Modena

United States

Crawfish boudin is a specialty of Cajun cuisine, a sausage that is traditionally prepared with freshly chopped crawfish meat and saut&eacute;ed finely cut vegetables such as onions, celery, green onion tops, bell peppers, garlic, and parsley. The crawfish mixture is then combined with cooked white rice before being stuffed into natural casings. If no casings are available, the sausage mixture can alternatively be shaped into balls which are then dredged in breadcrumbs and fried. Typical seasonings include red pepper or cayenne pepper, salt, and white pepper or black pepper. Crawfish boudin can be steamed, smoked, or fried, eaten on top of saltine crackers, or drizzled with hot sauce or mustard. This sausage makes an excellent savory snack or a side.

Crawfish Boudin

Čurke are traditional sausages originating from the Croatian region of Međimurje. It is believed that every village and every family has its own recipes for this specialty. There are two types of čurke &ndash; black and white, and the black variety is especially popular in the region. It typically consists of pig's blood, boiled pig's lung and head, garlic, buckwheat, onions, and salt. The white variety is the same, but without the blood. It is recommended to serve these sausages with potatoes, dumplings, or sauerkraut on the side.

Čurke

Hungary

Debreceni kolb&aacute;sz is a Hungarian sausage made with pork and spices such as garlic, paprika, pepper, and marjoram, which account for the reddish-orange color of the sausage. It is named after the Hungarian town of Debrecen. These sausages are typically unsmoked or lightly smoked, and the flavor is strong and slightly pungent. They can be broiled, baked, or fried. Some use them as an ingredient in various aromatic stews or bake the sausages with beans. Nowadays, Debreceni kolb&aacute;sz is popular throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Debreceni kolbász

Diot is a traditional sausage hailing from the French region of Savoie. Although there are several varieties of these sausages, they're usually prepared with a combination of fatty ground pork that's seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. There are small and large diots, fresh and smoked, and they can be boiled, grilled, or braised. The most popular way of preparing the sausages is in a dish called diots au vin blanc &ndash; the diots are boiled in white wine with garlic and onions. When served, the sausages are usually accompanied by Dijon mustard, polenta, lentils, or boiled potatoes.

Diot

Dro&euml;wors is a South African dried jerky sausage based on the popular boerewors sausage. It's made from beef or mutton with sheep tail fat, coriander, vinegar, and various spices. It's sometimes enriched with garlic or chili peppers. These thin sausages are dried quickly to mimic the conditions of hot South African weather. Some people use pork and veal instead of beef, but it's not recommended as that meat goes rancid more quickly when dried. The traditional dro&euml;wors has a long shelf life and it can be frozen for months. It's usually consumed as a quick and nutritious snack.

Droëwors

This smoked Portuguese sausage borrows its name from flour (farina), which is its main component alongside meat and various seasonings such as wine, garlic, bay leaf, and paprika. Though it is nowadays mostly prepared with pork meat and pork trimmings, it is believed that the original farinheira did not contain any pork, since it has been widely accepted that it was created by Portuguese Jews. Farinheira is typically employed in many traditional dishes such as the hearty cozido stew, but it can also be boiled, grilled and fried, or combined with scrambled eggs.

Farinheira

Figatells are a traditional Valencian dish, particularly popular in the regions of Valencia and Alicante in Spain. They are a type of pork sausage made with a mixture of ground pork, liver, and various spices. The main ingredients include minced pork and pork liver, which give the sausage its distinctive flavor and richness. Common spices used in figatells include cinnamon, nutmeg, and sometimes allspice, along with salt, black pepper, and garlic. Fresh herbs like parsley are often added for additional flavor. The mixture is traditionally wrapped in pork caul fat, a thin, lace-like membrane that surrounds the internal organs of pigs. This wrapping helps keep the sausage moist and adds flavor. To prepare figatells, the minced pork and liver are mixed with spices, herbs, and seasonings until well combined. The mixture is then shaped into small, flat patties or sausages. Each patty or sausage is wrapped in a piece of caul fat. Figatells are typically grilled, pan-fried, or baked until they are thoroughly cooked and slightly crispy on the outside. Figatells are often served hot, either as a tapa or as part of a main course. They can be accompanied by a variety of side dishes, such as roasted vegetables, potatoes, or a fresh salad. They are also commonly served with a slice of lemon and some bread.

Figatells

Fl&auml;skkorv is one of Sweden&rsquo;s traditional raw sausages along with julkorv, grynkorv, and v&auml;rmlandskorv. As its name suggests, this type of sausage is mainly composed of pork meat and fat which is seasoned and placed in a natural or artificial encasing. Swedish pork sausages are often found on the traditional julbord (Christmas buffet) and are a typical accompaniment to brunk&aring;l (brown cabbage). They go nicely with a side of mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut, pickled beets, mixed steamed vegetables, or rotmos (root mash). Fl&auml;skkorv is available both raw and premade in Swedish supermarkets.