A cured sausage can have many types and variations; most people I come across don’t even know what a cured sausage is!

Defining a cured sausage specifically needs to be done to categorize it. I’ve found wide interpretations both online and offline.

I’ve been curing and making sausage (I wrote about why they are so good here), even uncured sausages, for more than a few decades. I’ve encountered variations from Europe, Asia, and America’s new-age creations!

I will give a quick definition of each type of cured sausage.

Then, try to highlight some tables with these different types, briefly describing each. Many of these regionally based styles have lasted the test of time.

Some have been protected by law due to their cultural significance. I like classics, though I do like to create my own styles and see what new-age cured sausages and salami are being made.

Different Types of Cured Sausage and Salami

These are examples of the four main categories of cured sausages; there are thousands of variations and recipes for the cured types.

There are also many thousands more variations of fresh sausage recipes! Fresh sausage is seasoned raw meat that you cook on a grill, bake, or by other means.

All the below-cured sausages/salami are ready to eat.

Here is a breakdown of the four types of cured sausage/salami.

Pin
Top Left Clockwise, Dry Cured Genoa Salami, Hungarian Cold Smoked Salami, Mortadella, Hot Smoked Salami, Meetwurst Raw, Njuda Dried
TypeExampleTime to Make
Cured, Fermented, DriedDry Cured Salami4 to 26 weeks
Cured, Cold Smoked, DriedHungarian Kolbász Salami4 to 26 weeks
Cured, Fermented, RawSpreadable Cold Smoked Mettwurst1 to 2 days
Cured, Cooked/Hot SmokedKabanosy, Cabanossi, or Kabana1 day

Now, let’s get into examples, descriptions, and more detail about cured sausage types.

Cured, Fermented, Dried

OriginNameMeatDescription
ItalyGenoa SalamiPorkPork, A classic, coarse-ground salami
ItalyMilano SalamiPorkFinely ground, mildly seasoned salami
ItalySoppressataPorkSpicy, coarsely ground salami
Italy, ParmaFelino SalamiPorkMedium-grind, seasoned salami
Italy, TuscanyFinocchionaPorkFlavored with fennel seeds
SpainDry Cured ChorizoPorkSmoked paprika/pimenton, tangy
FranceSaucisson SecPorkAir-dried, flavored with garlic
FranceSaucisse SèchePorkAir-dried, flavored with garlic
French, LyonRosette de LyonPorkCoarsely ground, garlicky salami
French, LyonJésus de LyonPorkSmall, dried, and seasoned salami
North AmericaPepperoniPork or BeefSpicy, peppercorn, cured sausage
North AmericaHard SalamiPork or BeefGeneric Name, Firm salami
SpainLonganizaPorkGarlic, Peppercorns, Cumin
CroatiaKulenPorkGarlic, Pepper
SerbiaSudžukBeef or LambDry, spicy sausage
ChineseLap CheongPorkSweet, dried salami for cooking
Switzerland or
Germany
LandjägerPorkAir-dried, seasoned snack sausage

Cured, Cold Smoked, Dried Sausage

There is probably some natural fermentation happening with some of these traditional cured recipes.

OriginNameDescription
HungaryKolbászPaprika, Garlic, Pepper Classic Salami
SpainSalchichónMild, large-diameter sausage
GermanThuringiaEichsfelder Feldgieker garlic, coriander, slightly acidic
GreekPafosLoukaniko, Red Greek Wine, Lentisk Seeds, Cumin, Coriander
South AfricaDroëworsDried (not smoked), Coriander Seed
SerbiaSremska kobasicaBeef/pork, light smoke

Cured, Fermented, Raw

Some of these are cooked or poached, while you can also get spreadable salami like Njuda from Southern Italy. Many of the below—which are Germany of Origin—are not dried and are just eaten raw.

Spreadable SausagesDescriptionMain Ingredients
TeewurstSmoked and spreadable sausage with a smooth texturePork, beef, bacon
MettwurstRaw and spreadable sausage with a minced pork and beef basePork, beef
LeberwurstLiver sausage with a creamy texture and rich flavorPork liver, pork meat, fat
BlutwurstBlood sausage with a spreadable texture and robust tastePork blood, pork fat, fillers (e.g., barley, breadcrumbs, rice)
SchwartenmagenHead cheese with a gelatinous texture and tangy flavorPig’s head, skin, meat
ZungenwurstTongue sausage with a spreadable consistency and savory tastePork tongue, bacon, other pork cuts
HackepeterSeasoned raw minced pork, often enjoyed spread on breadMinced pork, onions, salt pepper
NjudaDry Cured, Hot Spicy Calabrian specialityPork Pepperocinio

Cured, Cooked/Hot Smoked

These styles of cooked/hot smoked sausage, last slightly longer than fresh meat. With the addition of a reasonable amount of salt. However, it is like a few days maybe up to 5 days.

More salt than you would get when seasoning the food you were cooking. but not as much as you would use for preserved curd/fermented meat like the above first type.

OriginNameDescription
PolandKrakowskaAllspice, Coriander, Garlic
PortugalLinguiçaRich spice blend
PolandKabanosyNutmeg, Caraway spices
SwitzerlandCervelatKnown as Thuringer or USA Summer Sausage
PolandWiejskaHearty Polish Smokey
PolandKielbasaClassic Polish, Garlic, Pepper
UkraineTourist sausageCaraway, Garlic
UkrainePodhalanskaPepper, All Spice, Garlic
GermanyJagdwurstMustard, Mace, Coriander, Ginger

Brazil, Linguiça Calabresa, Smoked, Paprika, Fennel, Chili

 Similar sausages are found in other countries as well, notably the Czech Republic (spelled “klobása”, or regionally “klobás”), Slovakia (spelled “klobása”), and Slovenia (spelled “klobása”). In Croatia, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, this sausage is called “kobasica” or “kobasa”, while in Bulgaria and North Macedonia it is called “kolbas”.) In Austria it is called “Klobassa” (similar to the neighbouring Slavic-speaking countries). In South Africa, this type of sausage is known as the “Russian” sausage, and is often deep-fried and served with chips as fast food.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kielbasa#Explanatory_notes

The basis of this list is research I did online, as well as the book Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages by Miranski and Mirianski. Experts in Home and Commercial Cured Sausages and Salami

I could also go into many subvariations of these main variations of cured sausage!

A pensive chef in a striped apron holding up a grilled rib, seeming to contemplate the quality of his barbecue masterpiece.

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