Italian sausage
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork
sausage
noted for being seasoned with fennel
and/or anise
as the primary seasoning. In Italy, however, there are a wide a variety of sausages, many of which are quite different from the product commonly known as 'Italian sausage' in the United States.
The two most common varieties marketed in US grocery stores as "Italian Sausage" are hot, and sweet (or, depending on what region of the US, mild). The main difference between hot and sweet (mild) is the addition of hot red pepper flakes in the spice mix of the former.
In Australia
, a variety of mild salsiccia fresca are sold as 'Italian sausages'. They are very popular in magazine recipes, used in place of regular sausages.
See the Italian Sausages category for more information.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
noted for being seasoned with fennel
Fennel
Fennel is a plant species in the genus Foeniculum . It is a member of the family Apiaceae . It is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves...
and/or anise
Anise
Anise , Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor resembles that of liquorice, fennel, and tarragon.- Biology :...
as the primary seasoning. In Italy, however, there are a wide a variety of sausages, many of which are quite different from the product commonly known as 'Italian sausage' in the United States.
The two most common varieties marketed in US grocery stores as "Italian Sausage" are hot, and sweet (or, depending on what region of the US, mild). The main difference between hot and sweet (mild) is the addition of hot red pepper flakes in the spice mix of the former.
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, a variety of mild salsiccia fresca are sold as 'Italian sausages'. They are very popular in magazine recipes, used in place of regular sausages.
See the Italian Sausages category for more information.