In ancient Russia, the word “sausage” had a different meaning from modern’s one; sausage was understood to mean food prepared from the blood of an animal, and therefore there was a ban on eating sausage. For example, the term was used in Novgorod Kormchi in 1282: “Some of the blood of an animal that is prepared as dishes called sausages”; and in Stoglava in 1551: “The rule prohibits all Orthodox Christians from consuming blood, that is, sausages.”
In Soviet times, sausage was a scarce product and a symbol of wealth, and blood was no longer used as the only ingredient of the dish. Meat, all kinds of it, started to take place as the filling of the kolbasa or Russian sausage. It is also possible that the word sausage is derived from the Turkish words kul (qol, “hand”) and bass( -basdı , “crush”), according to the method of its preparation, since the sausage was made by hand and the intestines of sheep were stuffed with minced meat. We’ll share you 2 best modern Russian sausage recipes that you can try at home to suit your preference.
Types of Russian Sausages
Sausages are classified mainly by the method of preparation.
1. Cooked sausages are made from salted minced meat. They are cooked at a temperature of about 80°C. Cooked sausages can contain a large amount of soy, and can be vegetarian with soy or wheat gluten instead of meat. Due to the content of large quantities of water, they are not stored for a long time.
2. Smoked sausages are first cooked and then smoked . They contain more spices than boiled sausages. Unlike cooked sausages (in which the meat is a homogeneous mass), smoked sausages can consist of small pieces of a certain size. As additives, milk, cream, flour, bacon and starch are used .
3. Cured sausages are made from minced pickled meat. Smoked in cold smoke for 3-4 days. The meat is fermented and dehydrated, then dried at a temperature of 15-18 degrees. An example of such a sausage is sujuk.
Some types of sausages are distinguished by the raw materials used.
4. Liver sausage is made from offal; vegetables, milk, butter and other additives can also be used. Liver sausages differ from other sausages in a pasty consistency and the gray or light gray color of both minced meat and the shell. In Russia, liver sausages are divided into 3 categories, depending on the content of muscle tissue: A (over 40%), B (from 20% to 40%) and C (less than 20%).
Russian Sausage Recipes
1. Basic Kolbasa
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds of fresh pork
- 3/4 cup water
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 2 teaspoons of pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon grated sage
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
- Pork sausage casings (6 to 7 feet)
- Hickory chips soaked in water
How to do it:
- Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Set the pork mixture aside.
- Rinse the pork shells thoroughly with warm water; strain. Tie one end of each case firmly with cotton thread. Pour the sausage mixture into the casings in accordance with the basic instructions for stuffing sausages. Twist and tie the covers into 12-inch links. Put the links aside.
- Cook a charcoal fire in a smoker and let it burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle wet hickory over gray-white charcoal. Put a pot of water in the smoker and fill it with hot water.
- Place the bottom food stand on the appropriate shelf in the smoker. Place half of the sausage ties on the rack. Place the top food shelf on the shelf and place the remaining sausage links on the shelf. Cover the smoker. Smoke sausage links from 6 to 12 hours, if necessary topping up a pot of water. Remove smoked sausage links. Cut and serve immediately or refrigerate for future use.
2. Sweet and Spicy Kolbasa
This simple recipe with the three ingredients of a slow cooker is perfect for a snack. Serve it with small toothpicks or forks so that people can nibble on sweet and chunky pieces. You can also serve this as a main course if you cut the sausage into large pieces. The spiciness of this dish will depend on the type of mustard that you use. There are so many great types of mustard on the market right now.
What you need:
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of spicy mustard
- 2 pounds of smoked fully cooked sausage (use the recipe above)
How to prepare it:
- Combine brown sugar and mustard in a crock pot, add sausage and mix until the sausage gets coated evenly.
- Cover the pot and cook the sausage mixture over low heat for 2-1 / 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until the kolbasa is fully heated to 165°F and glazed with a mixture of brown sugar. Serve the sausage immediately or rotate the slow cooker to keep warm and hold for another two to three hours.
You could add other ingredients to this recipe. Some chopped onions would be good, but since the recipe really just heats up in a slow cooker, consider frying it before adding to sausage, sugar, and mustard. You can also add potatoes and carrots for one-course dishes. In this case, serve it with pasta or brown rice and green salad.
Basically, the first recipe in this article is all you need to make a delicious Russian sausage. You can improvise with the meat and whether you want it boiled or fried. Next, you can just mix it with any other ingredients to make great main course dishes. Hope you found the 2 best Russian sausage recipes above useful and good enough to be tried at home.