My father’s stocking stands out from the rest every Christmas morning, giving the impression that it is filled with something heavy—which it is. He seems truly surprised and excited each time there’s a big juicy summer sausage hidden at the bottom. Many homes in the South adhere to this tradition. You can tell the holidays are coming when aisles of your local grocery store, gift, and butcher stores start to stock summer sausage. Despite being accessible year-round, it’s a seasonal pleasure. But why?

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Southerners have long been enthusiasts of the whole category of dried and smoked meats, as seen by our thriving barbecue culture. We also enjoy giving Christmas food presents to our coworkers, friends, family, neighbors, and others on our long list. That would help to explain our deep affection for summer sausage, which we both consume before holiday feasts and give to guests along with homemade pickles and cheese straws.

When in doubt, a summer sausage will always make a Southern audience happy, one link at a time, whether it’s slipped into a stocking or included in a hearty gift basket from Hickory Farms or a local meat supplier.

What precisely is summer sausage?

While pig or venison can also be used to make summer sausage, beef is often used in its preparation along with a few additional shelf-stable ingredients including pepper, mustard seed, and curing salt. Its centuries-old origins, at a time before refrigeration, account for why it is cured, dried, and often smoked, negating the necessity for refrigeration.

One of the dishes that came from the Texas-German community in Texas Hill Country was summer sausage, which was introduced to the country over 150 years ago by German immigrants.

How did “summer sausage” become a term?

Since summer sausage was created as a way to preserve meat without refrigeration, it was one of the meats that could be eaten even during the sweltering summer months since it was very shelf-stable and slowly deteriorated. Because it was a midsummer staple at a period when less dependable methods of preparing meat were not preferred, this is where the word originates.

Can raw summer sausage be consumed?

It is indeed possible to enjoy summer sausage without refrigerating or heating it. Usually served with cheese or another condiment, or thinly sliced on its own. Some Southerners like to cut up summer sausage and add it to casseroles, or they use it in their sandwiches after the holidays. Thankfully, there’s really no incorrect way to consume it because it’s ready to eat at room temperature!

What is Summer Sausage and How Do I Use It?

What Is Summer Sausage?

Europeans produced summer sausage, a kind of cured pork, before refrigeration technology was developed. Using a variety of preservation methods at once, people were able to produce a sausage that would not go bad “in the summer months” without refrigeration.

Consequently, “summer sausage.”

These days, summer sausages are available in many forms (such as Spanish chorizo, pepperoni, and salami); nonetheless, traditional German summer sausage is somewhat softer and less dry than these prepared meats. This is a result of Germany’s climate and the fact that the meat required less water to be extracted in order to keep its freshness during the summer.

What Is The Best Use for Summer Sausage?

Summer sausage is great for snacking, picnics, and charcuterie boards. It is often served thinly sliced and pairs well with cheese and wine.

It tastes great on sandwiches too.

Summer sausage’s real appeal lies in its ease of preparation, readiness for consumption, and optimal flavor when served room temperature. It can also be added to a casserole or fried.

Is It Necessary to Refrigerate Summer Sausage?

Even though summer sausage was originally intended to be eaten without refrigeration, the widespread availability of refrigeration has enhanced our understanding of food safety today. While you may store many summer sausages outside of your cooler without risk, others will need to be refrigerated in order to stay fresh.

If you’re not sure whether your sausage has to be refrigerated, ask the producer. If the packaging says, “Refrigerate after opening,” you may also inspect it and keep it in the pantry until you need it. If it states, “Needs refrigeration,” put it in your refrigerator. Examining the aisle in your grocery store where the item was purchased is an additional choice. If you found a snack in the refrigerated case, it definitely has to be kept cold; but, if you picked it up at the checkout counter, it probably has a shelf life.