The Seasonal Gourmet

Sausages are great to use in recipes.  Of course they’re delicious grilled on their own but they’re also versatile for use in sauces, meatballs, meatloaf, pastas, casseroles and more.  All you have to do is remove the meat from the casing and use it in your favourite recipes.

For some reason, when I used to remove the meat from sausage casings, I would squeeze it out the end, as though it was a tube of toothpaste.  However, this isn’t the easiest way to do it.  The following method is very simple (and probably obvious to most people but it was a revelation to me!):  

How to Remove Sausage Meat from the Casing (Efficiently!)

1. Slice the sausage lengthwise down the middle, making sure to pierce the skin but not cutting all the way through the sausage

2. Peel back the casing as though you are removing the jacket of a small child for them

Et voila!  Discard the casing and you have sausage meat, ready to use.

For a great recipe using Italian sausage meat, check out my latest entry for Suite 101.com.  It features rapini, which is also known as broccoli raab or rabe:

Orecchiette with Rapini, Sausage and Crisp Garlic Crumbs

Bon Appétit and Enjoy!