The guide you didn't know you needed: sausage and mustard pairings
By Susan Kelly on 7/4/2022
'Tis the season: The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council has unveiled a selection of chef-inspired sausage and mustard pairings, in time for the heart of grilling season and your summer gatherings.
Partnering with the National Mustard Museum of Middleton, Wisc., the council assembled a team of eight chefs, who sampled 16 mustards and 18 varieties of sausages from Usinger's of Milwaukee. What the chefs found:
By Susan Kelly on 7/4/2022
'Tis the season: The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council has unveiled a selection of chef-inspired sausage and mustard pairings, in time for the heart of grilling season and your summer gatherings.
Partnering with the National Mustard Museum of Middleton, Wisc., the council assembled a team of eight chefs, who sampled 16 mustards and 18 varieties of sausages from Usinger's of Milwaukee. What the chefs found:
- Beef Frankfurters and Yellow. A sausage with a natural casing and garlic and smoke flavors paired well with yellow, deli brown and whole grain mustards, but yellow pulled ahead for the lead.
- Beef Salami with Garlic and Sweet Hot. The panel was surprised at how well the flavors of a semi-dried smoked summer sausage were enhanced by a sweet hot mustard.
- Beef Summer Sausage and Herb/Dill or Garlic or Fruit. The chefs were looking for a mustard mild enough for the kids and complex enough for the adults and found three: herb (dill), garlic and fruit.
- Bockwurst and Horseradish. A steamed, natural-cased veal and pork sausage speckled with fresh herbs matched with horseradish mustard.
- Bratwurst and Sweet Mild. A sausage with bright flavors including lemon zest went best with a sweet mild mustard that did not overpower.
- Cajun Brats and Sweet Maple. The tasters found that all spicier sausages benefited from a little sweetness.
- Italian and Medium Hot Pepper. A medium hot pepper mustard was the right fit with the pork and fennel in the easy-to-find variety.
- Kielbasa and Herb (Dill). Coarse ground meat and smoky flavors from Poland gained a light touch from a veggie herb mustard, though classic deli brown also worked well.
- Knackwurst and Dijon. Dijon was a "show stopper" when paired with the German hog casings stuffed with veal, pork and garlic and a powerful punch of seasonings.
- Linguica and Sweet Mild. A Calabrian pepper smoked sausage can hold its own on a charcuterie board with a mustard that is of the mildly sweet category.
- Milwaukee Braunschweiger Liver and Hot Pepper. Smoked pork liver sausage can go hot or cold with mayo and butter or even ketchup, but the winning topper was a classic hot pepper mustard.
- Ring Bologna and Honey. A Pennsylvania Dutch treat deserved a sophisticated smear of honey mustard.
- Smoked Bratwurst and Maple Bacon. Taking the brat experience to new levels.
- Smoked Chorizo and Yellow. The bold smokey flavor profile went best with a drizzle of yellow mustard.
- Smoked Polish Sausage and Garlic. Coarse ground, juicy garlic flavored sausage paired with a garlic mustard.
- Wieners and Yellow. With its vinegar zing, yellow mustard shined when paired with classic steamed wieners, which are less garlicky than beef frankfurters.
- Weisswurst and Herb or Fruit. The panel found the primarily pork back bacon and veal was best served up with an herb or fruit mustard.
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