Morteau Sausage

[le singe qui rit]

I just ate some morteau sausage for lunch - it was lightly-smoked and I got if from the cooked meat counter of selfridges, but it seemed pretty raw... are you supposed to cook it? If so I might be in trouble.. would someone please clarify (quickly! i might not have long left...)

Edited February 12, 2009 by le singe qui rit (log)

[Abra]

You are supposed to cook it. Normally one simmers it for 30 minutes, whole. But I doubt that you'll die, in any case. Cook the rest before you eat it, that's my advice.

Actually, now I remember that there's à cuire that needs to be cooked, which I think is the real thing, but I've also seen one that was supposed to be ready to eat. I didn't try that, but I'm guessing that if it seemed raw, it was the à cuire type.

[LornaC]

Umm... I got some morteau sausage from selfridges for lunch and have just eaten a whole load of it in a sandwich.

It is smoked, but slightly more raw than I'd probably expect... are you supposed to cook it? if you are I might be in trouble... Quick guys, what's the answer?

←

morteau sausage is uncooked but I suspect you will be OK. I am assuming it tasted OK raw as you say you ate loads of it!

[Batard]

I once accidentally ate cotechino raw. I was concerned, but I had no ill effects.

I've since discovered that it tastes a lot better cooked and served with lentils.

[Dave Hatfield]

Although I'm not 100% sure I don't think you need to cook Morteau.

It comes from the Comte and is pure pork. It is hot smoked for at least 48 hours in a fairly strong steam of air. This 'cooks' it.

Our friend Jacques is coming by tomorrow and since he comes from that area of France and makes a lot of his own sausage I'll ask him for an expert answer.

[Batard]

Though authentic Morteau is cold smoked for about 48 hours, you still need to cook it. It's irresponsible of the seller to put it in a case with cooked sausages.

[le singe qui rit]

UPDATE

I'm still alive, so it's all good, however with the well-documented dangers of eating uncooked pork it's not an experience I'd want to repeat. Thanks Abra - to clarify I had another look at the pack and it does say (in very small text) 'a cuire', but if you either didn't speak french or didn't spot it...

I've got the name of the selfridges F&B director so I'm going to email him and let him know regardless.

And I refused to be beaten so I took the rest home last night and grilled it, and it was spectacular - I'm fantasising about using it to stuff chicken maybe? spread it under the skin on the breast? mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

[Ptipois]

Morteau is a smoked raw sausage, it has to be cooked. You won't die and probably won't be sick from eating it raw since smoking gets rid of some of the possible bugs, but it requires 30 minutes of cooking in simmering water.

Same instructions appy to jésu de Morteau (a larger version of the same sausage, 1 hour in simmering water), Montbéliard sausage (a thinner version of Morteau), cervelas de Lyon and diots fumés de Savoie, not to mention saucisse au chou from canton de Vaud, Switzerland (a large sausage that contains shredded cabbage).

A properly simmered morteau (saucisse or jésu) should be eaten warm and sliced with plenty of cancoillotte poured over it, a few boiled potatoes and a well-seasoned green salad with lots of shallots.

[le singe qui rit]

Just had a call from a charming F&B manager....

She apologised profusely, has had the product tested by a microbiology lab to check for all known bugs as reassurance (wasn't too worried... but that's very thorough), and has also had the product pulled until staff can be retrained and labelling corrected. She's also putting some vouchers in the post for me as recompense.

Well, can't say fairer than that, can you? an exemplary response.