Sausage help?

Does any one know which British sausage tastes most like american sausage? There seems to be a ton of different kinds. I'm so confused.

Does any one know which British sausage tastes most like american sausage? There seems to be a ton of different kinds. I'm so confused.

I've lived here 17yrs and I am still looking for one. If you are expecting to find something like Jimmy Dean sausage - best try making it yourself with pork mince and seasonings.

Does any one know which British sausage tastes most like american sausage? There seems to be a ton of different kinds. I'm so confused.

What kind of American sausage? The little breakfast links? Smashed patty/Jimmy Dean kind?

I just mean seasoned like jimmy dean. I keep seeing all these odd combos of seasoned sausage.

Then MeShell is probably right....you may end up making your own.

I see "sausage meat" all the time. It is just unseasoned ground up sausage meat.

Maybe someone will pop in with some secret info.

Yeah, if I need bulk sausage (whether breakfast sausage, or Italian sausage), I end up making it myself.  Which is why my husband doesn't get biscuits & gravy every weekend!

Look for pork mince, and if you have a choice, go for one that has more fat (i.e. the cheaper one).  If you have a good butcher, you could try ordering some that's ~20% fat.  If you're stuck with some that's very lean, add a little water, and mix it up by hand, and it should form ok patties, but it'll still be a bit drier/crumblier than you might want.

Then, just start adding spices.  You can find copy-cat recipes for Jimmy Dean, or just season according to taste-- sage is key for breakfast sausage, and fennel for Italian. 
Personally, I found that, even with a recipe, I had to pretty much double all the seasoning quantities (incl. salt) in order to get a good, full flavour.

Beyond that, if you're just looking for link sausage, my only advice is to read labels carefully.  'Premium' or 'Butcher's' don't mean anything; I don't buy anything that isn't at least 85% meat, and preferably over 90%.  The Black Farmer sausages are pretty decent, and I can usually find bratwurst at Aldi, or in some Polish sections.

I also make my own, but bulk for patties, not for links. My butcher will grind pork shoulder for me, so I know that it's fresh plus I can get as much or as little as I wish. I'm particularly fond of sage, so I use quite a bit more than my recipe calls for.

I also buy the sausages made by my butcher. He grinds, mixes and stuffs, and again I know the quality is good, plus he usually has at least one 'flavor' aside from the standard Cumberland sausages.

I've never tried this recipe, so can't comment, but it looks ok.

http://www.anexpatcooks.com/recipe/copycat-jimmy-dean-pork-sausage

I also buy the sausages made by my butcher. He grinds, mixes and stuffs, and again I know the quality is good, plus he usually has at least one 'flavor' aside from the standard Cumberland sausages.

I asked our local butcher about getting link sausages made, and if they could do them without rusk/breadcrumb.  He looked at me like I had three heads, and insisted it just isn't possible, because they'd...I don't know...disintegrate, or explode, or become sentient.  Something horrible, anyhow. 

How do you even reason with that?

This is from the same shop (which is also a bakery) that told me it was impossible to put buttercream icing on a sponge cake.  Not 'we don't do buttercream.'  It's literally not possible.

Which I guess means that every piece of cake I ate for 31 years, was a lie.

I asked our local butcher about getting link sausages made, and if they could do them without rusk/breadcrumb.  He looked at me like I had three heads, and insisted it just isn't possible, because they'd...I don't know...disintegrate, or explode, or become sentient.  Something horrible, anyhow. 

How do you even reason with that?

This is from the same shop (which is also a bakery) that told me it was impossible to put buttercream icing on a sponge cake.  Not 'we don't do buttercream.'  It's literally not possible.

Which I guess means that every piece of cake I ate for 31 years, was a lie.

The next time you do it, take him a piece of the "impossible" cake.  lol

Thanks ,I guess I will try making my own. When I saw 85 percent meat ,I was like WTH, is the other part? lol

I have yet to see a fresh cake around here. I make my own, and the frosting

Thanks ,I guess I will try making my own. When I saw 85 percent meat ,I was like WTH, is the other part? lol

I have yet to see a fresh cake around here. I make my own, and the frosting

For truly fresh not-out-of-a-box cake you'll likely have to go to a local bakery. However, I wouldn't totally discount the boxed ones, especially the ones at marks and spencer. They are shockingly good.

For truly fresh not-out-of-a-box cake you'll likely have to go to a local bakery. However, I wouldn't totally discount the boxed ones, especially the ones at marks and spencer. They are shockingly good.

I got an M&S double chocolate for my wife's birthday and we had a couple of small pieces during the day....and then later that night I snuck down and devoured basically the whole cake by the light of the refrigerator door...

They are pretty darned good.

I got an M&S double chocolate for my wife's birthday and we had a couple of small pieces during the day....and then later that night I snuck down and devoured basically the whole cake by the light of the refrigerator door...

They are pretty darned good.

My mother In law always gets them for birthdays and such. I've only had the gluten free ones myself, but even those are good. Considering most gluten free cakes are mediocre at best, that's an enormous compliment.

Thanks ,I guess I will try making my own. When I saw 85 percent meat ,I was like WTH, is the other part? lol

It's always going to be less than 100%, because some proportion will be salt, other seasonings, bits of onion, preservatives, etc.  85% is just about edible--there's much worse out there, anyway.