VIA MERCHANT
VIA MERCHANT
Looking for a delicious Italian that’ll please everyone at the party? That’s Rastelli’s Mild Italian Pork Sausage.
This sausage doesn’t have as much heat as other links, but it still packs plenty of flavor. Our testers loved the savory flavor of the pork here which comes from the shoulder cut (the same cut used to make pulled pork). These links were also seasoned to perfection with a hint of salt, paprika and Italian herbs. The result is a sausage that’s flavorful but not overly spicy. If you want to add a bit of heat, try some hot giardiniera spooned over the top.
Rastelli’s sausage also got high marks for texture. “The casing has a really nice snap, and the interior is really tender and juicy,” says Ellie Crowley in the Test Kitchen.
VIA MERCHANT
VIA MERCHANT
These sausages have a slightly smoky flavor and plenty of Italian flavors encased inside. Our team picked up notes of red pepper, fennel, onion and rosemary. All these flavors are welcome on a bun piled high with sauteed peppers and onion. You could even slice up these sausages and use them in a skillet dinner.
Now, our Test Kitchen wants to make it clear: Chicken sausages of any kind aren’t quite comparable to traditional pork sausages in terms of flavor and texture. However, you can still enjoy a good chicken sausage at your cookout—it just won’t be quite the same as the other links you’re grilling.
How We Tested Italian Sausage Links
Our Test Kitchen team gathered up eight different Italian sausage brands—including a handful of chicken sausages—for this taste test. Our grilling expert Catherine Ward tossed them on the barbie for a delicious lunch. Each sausage was judged according to these categories, and the brands were kept secret until the test was over to avoid any biases.
- Appearance: Simply put, a good sausage should look like something you can’t wait to grab off the grill. They shouldn’t be misshapen or gray.
- Texture: The casing on sausage should be thin, and it should help create a satisfying snap when bitten into. Inside, the grind should be relatively coarse—this is standard for Italian sausage.
- Flavor: Italian sausages—be they made with pork or chicken—should be seasoned well with salt and Italian spices like fennel, red pepper flakes, oregano and garlic.
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests: