5 Facts About Red Sausage: Your Guide to Pricing & Types

Red hot sausage, a spicy and flavorful choice, is made from pork, spices, and more, with red peppers for heat, perfect for various meals and easy to cook.

Red Hot Sausage

If you enjoy eating sausage, then you aren’t alone. Sausage is a very versatile food, as it can be prepared in many different ways as well as consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sausage comes in many different forms, from patties to links to hot dogs, and much more. Among the many different types of sausage available, red hot sausage is a popular choice, but you might wonder what a red hot sausage is.

Here is an overview of what a red hot sausage is as well as much more helpful information about this type of sausage.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

What is red hot sausage made of?

Big John's Pickled Red Hots - 1/2 Gallon

Fortunately for many red hot sausage lovers, this type of sausage is no longer made strictly from pig brains, as it was in the past.

The thought of eating a pig’s brain is enough to make most people refrain from eating red hot sausage, but it is no longer made with only pig’s brains.

The current ingredients for red hot sausage include: nearly 60% pork, water, pork fat, potato starch, emulsifiers such as tetrasodium and disodium diphospate, along with pepper, spices and dried sage, but the specific ingredients of each brand varies.

Red hot sausage also typically contains preservatives such as sodium nitrate and/or potassium. 

What is red sausage?

Red Sausage

Red sausage is called “red hot sausage” because these sausages are actually red in color. There are many types of red sausages to choose from, and some popular kinds can be found in the area where hotdogs are found at your local grocery stores.

Other countries have even more variations of red sausage, and there are pickled red sausages in various countries, and in Denmark, hotdogs as well as red sausages are very popular.

You will find hotdog stands just about everywhere, and many people in Denmark view red sausages as being the national food of this country.

What kind of meat is in a red sausage?

Meat is taken from all parts of the pig and ground before being seasoned and molded into sausage.

The red-colored casings help the sausage hold its shape, and even though red sausage isn’t made specifically from a pig’s brain, these sausages do contain a combination of meat from all over the pig, including its head, guts, organs, blood and more.

While this may seem pretty disgusting, these sausages are seasoned so well and are formed into delicious links that many people look forward to eating. 

Are red hot sausages spicy?

Yes, red hot sausages are spicy, which is why they’re named red hot, due to the red peppers that are used in them (different than Andouille or alternatives). Red hot sausages also usually come in red casings, which is another reason why they’re named red hot sausages.

You will also be able to visibly detect specks of red peppers and other spices in these sausages, which is why many people agree that the name is fitting.

How do you cook red hot sausage?

Most red hot sausage is already pre-cooked, so the only thing you’re doing is re-heating it. Many people prepare their red hot sausage in a pot of boiling water like you do hotdogs, but there are many other ways of cooking it.

You might opt to toss your red hot sausage into the microwave oven if you’re really hungry, or you might even choose to cook it on the grill to enjoy that chargrilled taste.

If you purchase uncooked red hot sausages then you must ensure that you cook them thoroughly rather than simply reheat it. You can boiling, broiling, and stir frying are among the many ways to cook red hot sausage.

What does red hot sausage taste like?

As you would expect, red hot sausage tastes very spicy, salty and flavorful. If you’re used to eating spicy foods, red hot sausages may not seem extremely hot and spicy to you, but they definitely have a kick to them (even more than spicy Italian or Hungarian sausage).

However, if you’re new to eating spicy foods, then these sausages may seem quite hot, as if your mouth is on fire, so take it slow in the beginning, and make sure you have a cup of milk on hand to offset the heat.

Where do you buy red hot sausages?

Red hot sausages can be purchased at any store that sells food, and while you may not be able to find the exact type of sausage that you’re looking for, you should be able to find some variation of red sausage.

If you’re specifically looking for the red hot sausages that can be eaten on hotdog buns, then you should check your local grocery stores, as dollar stores will likely only offer the pickled kinds in jars.

However, don’t fail to ask the staff at dollar stores if they sell the kinds you’re looking for, as more and more dollar stores are starting to offer greater varieties of new foods. 

What kind of meals can you make out of red hot sausages?

Red hot sausages can be prepared in many different ways, as not only can you simply eat them on a bun with condiments atop them, but you can also slice them up and make casseroles using them.

Many people who make their own pizzas use slices of red hot sausages as one of the toppings, which really gives the pizzas a distinctive, spicy flavor that enhances the overall taste.

It isn’t uncommon for people to eat red hot sausages for breakfast, along with a bowl of buttered and cheesy grits or even some scrambled eggs. Furthermore, red hot sausages are great cooked and enjoyed atop buttered toast or bagels. 

FAQ about Red Hots

Here are the answers to some questions that people commonly have about red hot sausage.

Can I include red hot sausage in my healthy eating plan?

Red hot sausage is a heavily processed food that is full of preservatives and sodium. Therefore, this type of sausage isn’t considered to be healthy and should not be included in a healthy eating plan. If you’re going to treat yourself to one of these sausages a few times a year because you really love them, then that should be fine, but eating them regularly isn’t healthy.

I don’t like eating casings and I hate the casings that are on red hot sausages. Can I remove the casings before eating them?

Many people are bothered by the texture of casings on their hotdogs and sausages, so if you desire to, you can certainly remove the casing before eating your sausage. However, don’t be surprised if the casing doesn’t slide off as easily as you expect, and it might also peel off chunks of your sausage in the process.

Can I find red hot sausages with the casings already removed?

It is very doubtful that you will have the ability to find red hot sausages with the casings already removed. Again, the casing is what holds the sausage together, so if it were removed, your sausage would fall apart. You must simply remove the casing yourself, which is similar to removing the skin from fresh salmon for those who prefer it skinless.

What are red hot casings made from?

There are four primary ingredients that are used in making hotdog and sausage casings, which are as follows: 

-Natural casings are derived from clean sheep, pig or cattle intestines, which is the most popular choice
-Collagen from cows
-Fiber casings made from cover filament paper
-Cellulose sleeves, which is an inedible polymer fiber made from the Earth

Can red hot sausages be eaten in lieu of hotdogs?

Red hot sausages can be eaten instead of any food that you desire. You can even opt to replace the pepperoni on pizza with red sausage, cut them up in your Ramen noodles, and more.

Similar Posts