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Rhonda Anderson[_1_]

(Victor Sack) wrote in
:

>
>> I think the fact that Italian sausage is always sold
>> in casings is mostly a convenience; and historically,
>> in economically stressed times, you might not want to lose the
>> food value (calories) of the sausage fat and the casing allows
>> you to cook them without losing this.
>
> I'd say it is mostly a semantic confusion. "Bulk sausage" appears to
> be semantic nonsense native to America only. "Sausage" seems to be
> defined by its casings everywhere else. There is nothing else that
> would make minced flesh (which needn't be meat), usually but not
> necessarily spiced, "sausage" rather than any of the numerous
> products/dishes that can be made with it.
>
> Victor

I've been a little confused by some American recipes which refer to
sausage, but then are obviously using a meat product that's not in a
casing. If someone in Australia refers to sausage it's fairly certain
they mean the cased product. They're a very common menu item - and the
range of flavours has been increasing over the years. Even the average
supermarket now has chicken sausages, and various flavoured sausages
(beef and tomato, lamb and rosemary etc.) in addition to the standard
beef and pork. Some specialist butchers get a bit more exotic, coming up
with many different combinations of meats, herbs, spices, nuts etc.

The only product that would perhaps resemble the "bulk sausage" is a
product called sausage mince (as in, mince you might put in a sausage).
It's very finely minced (almost pasty) but is usually not seasoned,or
available in different flavours.It may have some additives - not sure.
Mostly it would only be used for making sausage rolls (pastry wrapped
sausage meat), or for rissoles. I recall my mum used to use it to stuff
a marrow which she would then bake and serve with a tomato and onion
sauce.

I can't imagine anyone would just cook it as they would other mince
(ground meat) or use it in something like a lasagna.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Core of my heart, my country! Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine she pays us back threefold.
My Country, Dorothea MacKellar, 1904