Preparing summer sausages right from your kitchen can leave you with an excitingly satisfying experience. But, you have to be careful because the meat type and seasonings play a vital role in enhancing the taste. Therefore, adding cheese to summer sausage can be the best way to make it taste better.
If you are wondering whether this action is possible, I want to tell you that cheese and sausages pair well in a given meal. Don’t hesitate to mix them for a one-in-a-million flavor. This article is here for you even if you have never done this before.
By the time you are through reading this article, you will be able to understand everything about adding cheese to summer sausages. Besides, we will equip you with tips on betterment as well as suitable cheese to add to your summer sausage. Let’s get into action!
Types of cheese to pair with summer sausages
There are two types of cheeses that can pair well with summer sausages i.e., regular (low-temp) and High-temp cheese. These two types have their own differences like;
1. Regular cheese
Regular means that these cheeses are not only readily available but also affordable. This is totally different when it comes to high-temp options, which are scarce as well as expensive. The manufacturers tend to sell regular sausage in reliable packages, meaning that making sausage is faster; though you might not get the desired taste.
Preparing the normal cheese right in your kitchen doesn’t have an excellent melting point. You are also not sure whether to add it to your summer sausage or not. These are what we refer to as low-temp cheeses. With their high moisture, low-temp cheeses aren’t the excellent option to add to summer sausages, but we have a number of individuals who have used them successfully.
Some of the cheeses that fall under this category are Swiss cheese, mozzarella, and Cheshire cheese. Try to avoid cheeses such as brie because their softness is excess for summer sausages.
2. High-temp cheese
Finding the best cheese to pair with summer sausages is always the best idea. Well, I know you are holding doubts whether it is possible to add hot-temp cheeses to your summer sausage or not. You have to understand that this type of cheese is meant to pair well with meat products.
Mixing them with summer sausage is therefore possible and they’re always labeled ‘High-temp’. You will find them in the form of chunks on the shelves. This type of cheese is special because it can maintain its consistency in places with high heat and won’t melt nor change the shape.
Some people may refer to it as ‘grilling cheese’ because they don’t lose their shape even when they come in contact with the grill directly. Below are some of the cheeses that falls under this category;
Sharp Provolone: let’s start with this Italian cheese which is semi-hard and features various sizes and shapes. With Sharp Provolone, the most exciting part of it is high-quality, harder pieces.
You will enjoy a lot from the salty undertones, smooth flavor, and clues of nuts. With such features, I don’t see any need to worry about pairing it with summer sausages.
Sharp cheddar: This type of high-temp cheese is associated with unique flavor and colors that pairs with summer sausages. However, this type is among the few cheeses that are found in sharp, extra-sharp, and mild varieties.
As much as longevity is concerned, sharp cheddar can last upto six months. Its flavor is likely to change with time.
Halloumi: If you are unsatisfied with the above two options, give a trial to Halloumi semi-hard cheese. Cyprus is the homeland and is the product of sheep and goat milk. The high-melting point is what makes this cheese special and exciting grilling cheese.
It’s therefore suitable for summer sausages. However, this option is known to be expensive, but you can afford it, mostly when you are preparing a reasonable summer sausage dish.
Pepper jack cheese: Here is a spicy cheese coming from America. It is quite soft and comes with a stunning flavor to enrich your summer sausages. Therefore, if you plan to feast on spicy summer sausages, then Pepper Jack cheese should help you achieve your dreams.
Being a high-temp option, it boasts sufficient habanero chilies, rosemary, sweet peppers, and garlic. The flavor and buttery taste will excite you. Give it a trial and spread the good news.
Adding cheese to summer sausage (process)
After having a variety of options of cheeses to pair with summer sausage, let’s now figure out how to do so.
Step 1: Grinding summer sausage
The first thing you should do is to ground your sausages. Additionally, on occasions where your cheese is not sliced/ground, then you will have no other choice but to make small cubes.
Step 2: Refrigerating the Cheese
This process might be seen as optional, but it can do wonders on your sliced cheese. Freezing or refrigerating the cubes will the entire process be a breeze? Do so before adding the cheeses to your ground summer sausage.
This step is also important as it will help the cheese to maintain their shapes for an extended period as well as allowing them to mix with your summer sausage smoothly.
Step 3: Mixing cheese chunks with summer sausages
Now, if you have purchased high-temp cheese, the deal is simple because you only have to mix the summer sausages with cheese chunks. While mixing the ingredients, using your hands is highly recommended so as to obtain even distribution.
The amount of cheese to add on summer sausage
Sometimes you may have all the required cheese to pair with summer sausage, but don’t know the exact portion to use. Don’t worry about such questions because the amount of required cheese doesn’t to be that accurate like curing salt. Just try to experiment or estimate the amount of cheese.
Usually, adding excess cheese to your sausage will make the flavor richer while using too little will not affect the flavor. For instance, something like 1 lb. cheese can be suitable for every 11 lbs. of meat. Approximately the amount of cheese should be below the weight of the summer sausage.
Tips when preparing summer sausage
- You can cook your summer sausage and make it savory by adding some kick of cheese and mac recipe.
- Grilling is also allowed on the summer sausage; don’t hesitate to try this one out. While grilling, you can include some Havarti to make a bit of caramelized sizzle. How about adding beer to the mixture; you will have an exciting summer party.
- Try wurstsalat by combining it with some sorts of bologna or mortadella. In Switzerland, you can add some matchstick-cut or shredded Swiss cheese.
FAQs:
- Can I refrigerate summer sausage?
Yes and you should do so before mixing it with your cheeses. Doing so will stabilize the sausages to maintain their shapes.
- Is there any difference between salami and summer sausage?
Summer sausage is always a semi-dry type of sausage containing 15% moisture while salami is also a summer sausage that contains 25% moisture.
Final words
There is no problem adding cheese to summer sausage, but how to select the best type of cheese can be a hassle. You may fail to choose from regular and high-temp cheeses. Hopefully, this article has cleared the airwaves.