Pickled Sausage
intro
Tangy, briny smoked sausage pickled with garlic and warm spices, a no-can cold snack ideal for casual summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Blanch and slice sausage
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 450g whole smoked pork sausage, boil for 3 minutes to remove excess surface oil and soften casings slightly. Use tongs to remove the sausage, let it cool for 5 minutes at room temperature, then slice into uniform 2.5cm (1-inch) thick rounds.
Prep pickling aromatics
While the sausage cools, peel 4 whole garlic cloves and lightly crush them with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Thinly slice 120g yellow onion into even half-moons. Measure 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, and 2 whole bay leaves into a small glass prep bowl.
Cook the pickling brine
Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Combine 360ml white distilled vinegar, 240ml water, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in the pan. Stir continuously until salt and sugar fully dissolve, then bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil (approximately 4 minutes). Add the prepped garlic, onion, and spices, then turn off the heat and let the brine cool for 10 minutes.
Pack sausage into jars
Divide the sliced sausage rounds evenly between two clean, dry 1-liter (1-quart) glass mason jars. Pour the cooled brine, along with all included garlic, onion, and spices, over the sausage, making sure every sausage round is fully submerged under the liquid surface.
Seal and chill jars
Wipe the jar rims clean with a dry paper towel to ensure a tight seal, then fasten the metal jar lids securely. Place the sealed jars on a middle shelf in the refrigerator, and let them pickle for a minimum of 24 hours before eating to allow the spiced, tangy flavor to penetrate the sausage.
Serve and store safely
After the 24-hour pickling period, serve the sausage cold directly from the jar, paired with crackers, cheddar cheese, or classic BBQ side dishes. Keep sealed jars refrigerated for up to 3 weeks, always ensuring remaining sausage stays fully submerged in brine to prevent spoilage.
Tips
2.Keep all sausage fully submerged in brine during storage; use a small glass weight or crumpled food-safe plastic wrap to hold floating slices down to prevent mold.
3.Adjust spice levels to taste: add an extra ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for extra heat, or omit pepper flakes entirely for a mild, kid-friendly batch.
OMG this is such a game changer! I threw these together last minute for our neighborhood potluck and people were hovering over the plate asking for the recipe before we even finished serving. The tang is perfect, not too vinegary, and the smoky sausage pairs so well with the brine. My kids even stole a few straight from the jar before we left! 10/10 will be making these for every tailgate this fall.
SO good, I’ve been making a batch every Sunday for quick work lunches all week. I toss a few of these on top of my salad, eat them as a quick snack, even slice them up to add to charcuterie boards when friends drop by. Super easy too, I was shocked how little active time this takes — most of it is just waiting for them to pickle! Only note: I added a few extra garlic cloves because I’m a garlic fiend, and it turned out chef’s kiss.
Made these last weekend and they were SO tasty! Quick question though — do these stay good in the fridge for longer than a week? I have a small household so I still have half a jar left and don’t want it to go to waste! Also, next time I make them, can I use turkey smoked sausage instead of pork? Trying to cut down on red meat a little.
Made these for our family dinner cookout the other night and wow, I can’t believe how quick the prep was! I was worried 24 hours of pickling wouldn’t be enough to get that tangy flavor, but it was spot on. Even my super picky father-in-law went back for seconds, which is basically the highest possible praise in my book.