Sausages are a staple all over the world, and people love them for their rich flavor and versatility which makes them popular ingredients or accompaniments for a wide range of dishes.
Have you ever wondered, however, what the smallest sausage in the world is? Or what it is even called?
In this article, you’ll learn exactly what small sausages are, how they’re made, where they’re from and what makes them so special in the culinary realm.
What is a small sausage?
Small sausages are sausages that deviate from the norm in terms of length and width. They are typically shorter than 10 cm in length and can be as thin as a pencil.
Because of their small nature, small sausages are typically used as part of a main dish and not as the dish themselves.
They are commonly used as appetizers or snacks when grilled (with char marks) and stuffed with toothpicks and served on platters or wrapped inside a pastry or croissant dough to form what is popularly known as pigs in a blanket in North America, particularly the United States.
And they are extremely versatile in that they can be used as ingredients in other dishes such soups and casseroles or paired alongside breakfast foods like burritos and omelets.
What is the smallest sausage In The World?
So far, there isn’t a sausage that officially holds the record for the smallest sausage in the world, although a lot of really small sausages have made a strong debut in forums and blogs online.
Generally speaking, however, special categories of sausages like the cocktail, small frankfurters, longganiza and chipolata are often classified as small sausages due to how miniature their sizes are compared to the normal sausage — around a quarter of the size of saveloy in the case of cocktail sausage.
Cocktail sausages
These have an unclear history with regards to their origins: with some asserting they originated from the United States in the mid-20th century while others opine that their history is closely tied to European Cuisines.
Regardless of where they came from, cocktail sausages are small, around 1-2 inches in length and somewhere around half-inch in diameter and are commonly eaten as snacks due to their small size. Cocktail sausages are typically not expected to be consumed in more than two bites, given their sizes.
Cocktail sausages are made with meats such as beef or lamb and seasoned with various types of seasonings that pair well with sausages.
Small frankfurters
Small frankfurters are the mini versions of the frankfurters that originated in germany.
They’re basically hot dogs made with meats like beef and seasoned well using spices and seasonings such as garlic and onion powder, salt and paprika.
Small frankfurters range in size between 4 to 5 inches in length and about a half inch in diameter or across.
Compared to a normal sized hot dog, small frankfurters are an inch to 4 inches shorter in length and only about half their width.
Longganisa
These aren’t among the most popular types of sausages and are mostly consumed in the Bagui city of philippines. Some longganisa sausages made can be so small that their sizes can be compared to a mature cherry fruit. Their colloquial name among locals is “Shortganzia” making allusion to how very little they’re made.
Chipolata
And, lastly, on the list of small sausages is chipolata, which is mostly associated with European cuisine and particularly expected to have originated from France.
Chipolatas are signature for their very thin and small nature and are mostly purposed for applications such as breakfast food alongside eggs, black pudding and baked beans to name a few. Chipolatas can also be used as an additional ingredient in soups and casseroles.
What is a small sausage called?
What a small sausage is called is greatly influenced by geographical region as well as the type of sausage in question.
In places like the United Kingdom, small sausages can be referred to as chipolatas whereas in other European countries Like Spain or Germany, they may bear names such as wienerli, knackwurst, boudin blanc, chorizo and Longaniza.
Cocktail sausages are also known with the following names
- Baby sav
- Little boy
- Footy frank
- Cheerio
How are small sausages made?
Small sausages share the same preparation technique as normal sausages. Where the distinction becomes apparent is in how the stuffed sausages are tied off in the casing.
In normal sausages, they are tied off at longer intervals to produce longer individual sausages, whereas in shorter sausages, they are tied off at short lengths to produce shorter individual sausages.
Afterwards, the sausages are smoked or cooked depending on the recipe followed.
What Is The Lowest Sodium Sausage?
Typically, store-bought sausages are usually the highest in sodium compared to fresh sausages that are made without added preservatives.
You can still find some store-bought sausages that can have as little as 140 mg of sodium per serving, which equates roughly to about 6% of the daily recommended value intake for sodium.
Some popular brands that offer low sodium varieties of sausage include Applegate Naturals, Meadow Creek and Organic Valley.
On the other hand, also, you can have a homemade recipe for sausage that includes a high amount of sodium. So at the end of the day, it all depends on the brand you’re purchasing from as well as the recipe you’re following if making it yourself at home.
You can discover how much sodium is in your store bought sausage by going through the nutritional label printed on the packaging of your sausage or you can contact the manufacturer for the information.
What is the Lowest Calorie Sausage?
Sausages with the lowest amount of calories are those made from poultry meat like chicken and turkey because they have a lesser amount of fat in comparison to sausages made using beef or other types of meat.
Homemade sausages too can have lower or higher calorie depending on whether they are grilled, baked or fried, with the former draining away fats and reducing the overall calorie content while the latter adding to the total amount of calories supplied.
Additionally, many store bought sausage brands can come with the option of low fat varieties for those trying to watch their weight or are mindful of the amount of calories they consume in a day, since a serving size of 2 to 3 ounces of sausage can supply between 100 to 200 calories depending on the specific brand in question.
What Is The Lowest Fat Sausage?
As mentioned earlier, sausage made from poultry meat would typically contain lower fat than their beef counterpart, and these are normally marketed as low-fat options or reduced fat options. Popular brands that offer these include Thin ‘n Trim, Al Fresco All Natural and Applegate Farms.
Also, sausages made with lean cuts of beef too would have a lower amount of fat overall.
If you’re really concerned about the fat content of your sausage, you should always make yours at home using a full proof “low fat sausage” recipe that contains lots of healthy ingredients too.
