Move Over Jimmy Dean, There’s a New Sausage in Town……

[Panhead John]

Well, new to me anyway. I saw this sausage at HEB the other day and got a chuckle from its name.



I almost didn’t get it because I thought…..”I’m not anywhere NEAR being old so maybe this ain’t for me”…...🙄 Bought it anyway. I’ve always been a big Jimmy Dean fan and I have tried several others over the years as well, but I’ve always gone back to Jimmy Dean Hot breakfast sausage. When I ran across this the other day I said, what the hell, I’ll give it a shot. Glad I did! I don’t eat breakfast that often but lately I’ve been having sausage and bacon together, instead of one or the other. For the last few years I just haven’t been that impressed with JD and actually started wondering if they’ve changed their recipe. I still liked it but thought there’s got to be something better out there.

Well….I think this sausage is better! It has a better texture and mouth feel than JD, and it has the best flavor of any sausage I can remember trying. It’s not life changing or anything but this is my new go to sausage from here on out. It really does taste like “Country Sausage”. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot. I’m sure it’s been around for a while but this was the first time I remember seeing it.

[realdocBBQ]

Man I'll keep an eye out for it - but we may not be able to get it. I'll give it a try if'n I see it.

[Oak Smoke]

I tried it a couple of years ago. What I ran into was inconsistency. I bought the premade patties. The first box was great but the second had almost no seasoning at all. I tried it again just to make sure I hadn’t just got the product of a bad day. I never knew what I’d get. I went back to Jimmy. At least it’s consistent.

[Panhead John]

Never bought any of their products except for this. As long as the chubs are consistent I’m a fan!

[dpearce]

We've gotten that here, I think about all our local grocery stores carry it. JD (or Bob Evans) is usually our go-to, just because we'll see it on sale but I'm pretty sure Purnell's was just as good or maybe a little better, if I remember right.

[texastweeter]

I dont often buy commercial sausage but when I do its Jimmy Dean hot, or Swaggertys

[Panhead John]

If you see this sometime give it a shot, I’d bet you’ll like it.

[texastweeter]

I see it, just never grabbed it. Try it soon.

[TomfromtheSoo]

It’s available locally at Meijer. I’ll get some and try it. They also have boil in the bag sausage gravy which might be difficult to pass up!

[Panhead John]

Thanks Tom! Gonna give that gravy a try….over their sausage on a biscuit…..😍

[Purc]

Living in TN, I've had this sausage for years. I have never done a one on one taste test with JD. They all are pretty good to me.

[Panhead John]

It’s made in nearby Kentucky.

[Troutman]

You burned the toast….

[Hulagn1971]

I'm glad you said it and I didn't lol.

[Panhead John]

It ain’t burnt, it’s “blackened”…….🤓

[Steve R.]

Growing up in Kentucky, maybe an hour from where this is made in Simpsonville, this was a staple. And the ads were pure gold:

[TomfromtheSoo]

‘cause it’s gooood…

[texastweeter]

Damn...now I gotta try it... thems my people!!!

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Who copied who, the end feels like all the JD commercials. Regardless, I've never seen the brand before but obviously they've been around for quite a while.

[Hulagn1971]

I'll look for it and give it a shot. Neese's has always been my favorite, https://neesesausage.com/
They shut down for a bit due to sanitary issues and were recently acquired by another company. Supposedly they still use the same recipe. I've still yet to try it since the take over.

Neese's Country Sausage is returning to store shelves under new ownership following a temporary production pause. [1, 2]

Recent Ownership and Production Updates

• Acquisition: Founded in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1917, Neese's Country Sausage was acquired and is now operated as a subsidiary of the White family's Jesse Jones brand (White Packing Company / NCS Enterprises, Inc.). [1, 2]

• Production Status: The brand halted operations in late 2025 and early 2026 following USDA citations for Listeria monocytogenes at the original plant. Production has since shifted and resumed. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Store Availability: Neese's sausage has returned to select regional grocery stores, including roughly 500 Food Lion locations across North Carolina and Virginia, with other traditional pork products rolling out gradually. [1]

• Recipes: The core family recipes and lack of preservatives remain unchanged. [1, 2]

[Donw]

Neese’s was what I grew up eating. Hopefully it gets back on its feet and I can enjoy it again, but I’ll let the good people of NC and VA give it a try first.

[Dan Deter]

Unfortunately I haven't seen it back at HT yet, haven't looked at other stores.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

We got Neese's back, got some the other day and it seems the same.

[jfmorris]

I've not seen this yet, but will be looking for it now, as I make my round of the stores...

[RonB]

The best breakfast sausage I've ever had was made by one of my long departed aunts.

she was happy to give me the recipe - it was just a premixed seasoning that she bought, but it's no longer made. The closest substitute I could find is the one linked below, but even though it's close, it's not quite the same. It comes in both mild and hot versions. The hot is too hot for breakfast, so I mixed it with the mild and that was better.

I drink coffee to wake up, and don't need somethin' that hot to wake me up.

https://www.amazon.com/Legg-10-Pork-Sausage-Seasoning/dp/B0063SYLM6?pd_rd_w=VlYen&content-id=amzn1.sym.f3626488-c5a2-4cac-9b1d-06aacb66c381&pf_rd_p=f3626488-c5a2-4cac-9b1d-06aacb66c381&pf_rd_r=G5HXJ0JVTB28N8FBW725&pd_rd_wg =2g5AV&pd_rd_r=8e7d6fa7-eef9-4286-bbf3-ed5290942679&pd_rd_i=B0063SYLM6&psc=1

The mild and hot mixed together is enough to make 40 + pounds of sausage - a lifetime supply for me.

[klflowers]

I have had old folks, it has been around for awhile. My go to is TN Pride though. I buy sausage made at a local butcher (Rusty's Meat Market in Rossville, GA. Highly recommend) and mix a lb of it with a chub of TN pride and it is perfect.

[texastweeter]

Seen it, never tried it though

[Panhead John]

I tried Tennessee Pride once before but it’s been a while. I remember it was good but still went back to Jimmy Dean. 🤷♂️

[FarmCook54]

My favorite for years except at my age the mild version. Tastes like what my grandmother served.

[Panhead John]

One other thing I noticed about this sausage was that it browned up nicely on the stove. I bought some HEB breakfast sausage earlier this year and also a chub of Jimmy Dean a few months ago. Even on a medium low heat and turning the pattie’s frequently, they turned a blackish color on the crust, almost as if I’d burned them. They didn’t taste bad but I’d never noticed this happening before. That didn’t happen today with the Purnel’s.

[jayjordan]

Burning your toast made up for it!

[Panhead John]

I just knew someone was gonna make that comment! 😂

[FireMan]

Yup, he "browns" it like his toast probdubaly.
Actually that almost a nice bark on his toast.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Jimmy Dean sausage, the Coors light of the sausage world.

I buy my breakfast sausage in ten pound boxes from Sonnenberg’s Market in Spokane. And being I get to Spokane only a few times a year, I generally pick up two or three boxes at a time.

[Ace]

"Jimmy Dean sausage, the Coors light of the sausage world." 🤣 🤣 🤣

+1 Sonnenberg’s