Sausage

Internationally known as Carniolan or Krainer sausage, Kranjska klobasa originates from the historical region of Kranjska, once the Duchy of Carniola, a crown land of the Austrian Empire. It has the perfect meat-to-bacon ratio: at least 80% coarsely ground good-quality pork cuts (leg, shoulder, neck) and 20% bacon (back fat), seasoned with salt from the Sečovlje saltern, black pepper, and garlic. Funneling the meat mixture into natural casings forms 12-16 centimeter long sausages that are twisted into links, tied, and held together by a wooden skewer. The links are then pasteurized and hot-smoked until they reach a moderate reddish-brown color. To achieve what is known as the signature flavor of Kranjska klobasa, it's recommended not to boil it, as this would mean overcooking it, but to simply warm it up in hot water. Traditionally, this famous Slovenian product with a mild, smoky aroma is best enjoyed accompanied by sauerkraut and mustard.

Kranjska klobasa

Kupati is a spicy Georgian sausage made with pork or beef, onions, and flavorings such as black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, salt, and coriander. It is especially popular in the Caucasus region. The sausage is most commonly grilled or fried before serving, when it is traditionally accompanied by sauerkraut or sliced onions, and garnished with freshly chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds.

Kupati

Lap cheong is a type of dried, cured Chinese sausage commonly used in various Chinese cuisines, especially Cantonese. It's made primarily from pork meat and fat, seasoned with a mixture of sugar, salt, soy sauce, and often rice wine or rose water, among other seasonings. The sausage is then left to air-dry in a cool environment for a period of time. Lap cheong has a sweet and savory flavor profile, and its texture is relatively firm compared to many fresh sausages. It is usually used in stir-fries and rice dishes or steamed and baked.

Lap cheong

Leberwurst is a spicy German sausage consisting of a combination of ground pork liver, onions, and spices. The sausage is traditionally consumed with sauerkraut, although it can also be used in sandwiches, where leberwurst is sliced and paired with cheese, mustard, pickles, and bread. It might be cooked, but most leberwurst varieties are spreadable and can be consumed uncooked. Apart from Germany and Austria, this sausage is popular in many other countries such as Slovenia, Serbia, and Romania, and today there are many varieties of leberwurst, with additions such as mushrooms and cowberries.

Leberwurst

A staple at summer barbecues, festivals, and various other celebratory occasions in the country, l&euml;tzebuerger grillwurscht is a take on the well-known German bratwurst. Consisting of pork, veal, or beef along with spices and seasonings, this white sausage closely resembles a th&uuml;ringer sausage, and it was commonly referred to as such across the country not so long ago. As of 2003, the th&uuml;ringer sausage has been enlisted as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) product by the EU, making the Luxembourgers abandon the practice of calling their sausage a th&uuml;ringer. A number of alternative names have since been given to the Luxembourgish version of the sausage, including grillinger and luxringer. This savory sausage is typically grilled and consumed tucked inside a bread roll slathered with mustard or with a side of mashed potatoes. In both cases, it's best to pair it with a cold beer.

Lëtzebuerger Grillwurscht

Lincolnshire sausage is a traditional sausage originating from Lincolnshire. The sausage is made with a combination of coarsely ground pork, sage, breadcrumbs or rusks, salt, and black pepper. The mixture is stuffed into natural pork casings (or sometimes sheep casings). Some people add parsley or thyme to the mixture, but in that case it's not a traditional Lincolnshire sausage. These sausages are characterized by their open and chunky texture and the addition of sage, unlike the more peppery flavor of other English regional sausages such as Cumberland sausage. Before serving, Lincolnshire sausages are fried, grilled, or baked. They're often served as a part of a full English breakfast or used in a dish called toad in the hole. The earliest recipe referring to Lincolnshire sausages dates back to 1886, but a local Grimsby butcher claims that his family's recipe dates back to 1810. Every October, there is a competition in Lincoln and its goal is to find the best Lincolnshire sausage.

Lincolnshire sausage

L&oacute;kolb&aacute;sz is a Hungarian sausage made from horse meat. During the preparation process, the meat is flavored with paprika, garlic, and caraway. Occasionally, pork fat is added to enrich the flavor and improve texture. Horse sausage is typically cooked and served on a plate with various vegetables, but it can also be used as an ingredient in stews and traditional goulashes.

Lókolbász

Longaniza is a flavorful Spanish sausage made from pork, traditionally flavored with cinnamon, aniseed, garlic, nutmeg, paprika, and vinegar. It is characterized by its long, thin shape, and is often consumed sliced and paired with bread, although it can also be consumed as it is. The sausage has a few varieties that differ in spices, and those are popular throughout the world, especially in countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Longaniza

Switzerland

Longeole is a sausage originating from Geneva. It contains ground pork, ground pork rinds, and fennel seeds. The pork rinds keep the sausage from drying out and give it a fuller flavor, while the addition of fennel seeds is believed to be a Savoyard influence. Due to the addition of pork rinds, longeole takes longer to cook than other sausages. This sausage is especially popular during the colder months, and it is traditionally served with potatoes cooked in white wine for Christmas.

Longeole

Outside of Greece, loukaniko is typically described as a pork sausage that is generously seasoned with orange zest and fennel. However, in Greece and Cyprus, the term encompasses fresh, smoked, or cured sausages that are prepared with different types of meat such as pork or lamb, and a variety of regionally influenced ingredients such as leeks, red wine, coriander, and typically orange zest and fennel. Most commonly, loukaniko is grilled and enjoyed as an appetizer or a meze dish.

Loukaniko

Luganega is a special variety of Italian sausage whose origin is still a subject of debate - although today it is widely recognized as a northern sausage, some say that it originated from the south, deriving its name from the ancient town of Lucania. Mainly produced in the regions of Lombardy, Trentino, and Veneto, it is often called salsiccia a metro, meaning sausage by the meter, due to the fact that it is made as one long, coiled sausage that is not divided into smaller pieces. This generally mild sausage is made with pig&rsquo;s meat, and depending on the region, different parts of meat are used &ndash;some use pig's cheek or neck, while others use pork shoulder or rib meat as well. The maturation is between 4 days and 4 months, and although there are some cured versions that can be enjoyed sliced, luganega usually requires cooking - fattier versions are meant for stewing, while leaner ones are best when grilled.

Luganega

Italy

Luganega da riso, also known as trevigiana bianca da riso is a special variety of sausage from Treviso, prepared with finely minced lean parts of pork belly flavored with salt, pepper, and the famous dosa from Treviso - a special spice mixture made with coriander, cassia cinnamon, ceylon cinnamon, macis flower, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, and powdered porcini mushrooms. The filling is then packed into a pork bowel and tied every 8-10 cm. Luganega da riso is not cured - traditionally, it was used to prepare rice soup, and today it is usually used to flavor risottos.

Luganega da riso

Luganega is a special variety of sausage whose origin is still a subject of debate - although today it is widely recognized as a northern sausage, some say that it originated from the south, deriving its name from the ancient town of Lucania. Mainly produced in the regions of Lombardy, Trentino, and Veneto, it is often called salsiccia a metro, meaning sausage by the meter, due to the fact that it is made as one long, coiled sausage, not divided into smaller pieces. This generally mild sausage is made with pig&rsquo;s meat, and depending on the region different parts of meat are used &ndash;some use pig's cheek or neck, while others use pork shoulder or rib meat as well. The maturation is between 4 days and 4 months, and although there are some cured versions that can be enjoyed sliced, luganega usually requires cooking - fattier versions are meant for stewing, while leaner ones are best when grilled. The most famous Lombardian luganega comes from the city of Monza, where it is made with finely ground pork, spices, meat broth, red wine, and lots of grated parmesan cheese. It is usually prepared stewed, while its richness makes it perfect for flavoring polenta or risottos - it is recommended to try it in a local delicacy called risotto alla monzese, where luganega is the key ingredient.

Luganega (Lombardy)

Luganega is a special variety of a very long coiled sausage made with pig&rsquo;s meat, whose origin is still a subject of debate - although today it is a widely recognized as a northern sausage, some say that it originated from the south, deriving its name from the ancient town of Lucania. The region of Veneto is renowned for their variety - Luganega trevigana, that has been prepared around Treviso since the Middle Ages. Made exclusively with locally bred pork meat that is stuffed into bowels and tied, luganega trevigiana is not cured, so it must be cooked before eating. It comes in two varieties: the lean one suitable for barbecuing, and the fatty one that is best enjoyed stewed or boiled.

Luganega Trevigiana

Lyoner wurst is a parboiled German sausage that consists of pork, bacon, garlic, and a variety of spices, although beef is sometimes also added to the combination. After the parboiling process, the sausage is hot-smoked, and both of its ends are tied with a string to give it the shape of a horseshoe ring. The sausage gets its name from the French city of Lyon, which is believed to have been the home of this meat specialty. Lyoner wurst is often referred to as German bologna or garlicky bologna outside of Germany, whereas another common name used for this sausage variety in the country is fleischwurst. The sausage can be enjoyed both chilled and warm, and it is typically eaten with dark bread or crusty bread rolls and a generous smear of mustard over it. Strips of Lyoner wurst are often combined with raw onion rings and pickles drenched in vinaigrette to create a traditional German wurstsalat (lit. sausage salad).

Lyoner Wurst

Makanek are small Lebanese sausages made with lamb, beef, or a combination of both. The sausages are seasoned and spiced with cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine nuts, vinegar, and white wine. The combination of ground meat and spices is stuffed into sheep casings. These Lebanese sausages are either fried or grilled before serving, and they're traditionally accompanied by pomegranate molasses.

Makanek

Mazzafegato, also called salsiccia matta, meaning mad sausage, is a poor man&rsquo;s variety of a cured pork sausage produced in the region of Marche. The inferior parts of pork such as liver, tongue, tail, heart, spleen, lungs, and different leftover scraps of meat are coarsely ground and flavored with salt, pepper, pepperoncino, garlic, fennel flowers, lemon, and orange zest. A sweet variety also exists, and it is additionally enriched with raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, sugar, and red wine. Mazzafegato is usually served as secondo piatto, grilled or baked in the oven with aromatic herbs. It has a strong, decisive flavor that pairs nicely with hearty bread and robust red wines.

Mazzafegato

The spicy medisterp&oslash;lse is one of the classic Danish pork sausages. Nowadays, it is usually prepared with pork, lard, onions, and a variety of spices such as cloves, allspice, and pepper. It is typically poached for a few minutes before it is cut into smaller pieces, fried, and served doused in brown gravy alongside potatoes, mustard, and pickled vegetables.

Medisterpølse

Merguez is a spicy, flavorful sausage that originates from North Africa, particularly Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. It is traditionally made from ground lamb or beef, or a combination of both. Merguez is known for its distinctive red color, which comes from the addition of spices such as paprika, chili pepper, and harissa (a hot chili paste). Other common seasonings include cumin, garlic, coriander, fennel, and sumac. The sausages are typically stuffed into lamb casings and can be grilled, pan-fried, or used in a variety of dishes, including stews, tagines, and couscous. Merguez is popular in North African cuisine and has also become widely enjoyed in France and other parts of Europe. The spicy and aromatic profile of merguez makes it a unique and cherished ingredient in many traditional dishes.

Merguez

Mettwurst is a long and thin German sausage made with a combination of pork and beef, flavored with anything from garlic, pepper, marjoram, caraway, and mace to alcoholic beverages such as rum and cognac. The sausage is cured and cold smoked or air-dried. Mettwurst can be cooked and served with kale or cabbage, fried, or simply spread on bread and eaten as it is. There are also firmer variations of this sausage, which are often used in a variety of soups and stews.