pickled sausages

[inanimate]

In a conversation with my hair stylist, pickled sausages came up and I became intrigued.

Where does one get good pickled sausages?

I thought I saw some at columbus market on renfrew but it turns out those are packed in oil.

suggestions?

[Mooshmouse]

Well, apparently pickled sausages are a Czech thing; they're called utopenec. Perhaps try a Czech or Polish deli?

[Paul B]

When I was a young wastrel back in Toronto, my friends and I had a scale for judging the authenticty of a tavern (beer parlors in those days). Real taverns had salt shakers on the tables. Very real taverns had salt on the tables and a big jar of pickled eggs on the bar. The best, most authentic taverns, had salt, pickled eggs, AND a huge jar of pickled sausages. After a couple of rounds you would order an egg and a sausage -- both served on a paper plate -- and you had a balanced meal.

I have never seen this in Vancouver and, for all I know, it no longer holds true in Toronto.

As for it being a Czech thing, I don't know. My background is Lithuanian and I distinctly remember my father trying to make pickled sausages himself by packing weiners into jars of pickle juice. I also remember the smell when they exploded in the basement. Anyway, perhaps it's an eastern European thing, but that doesn't explain why they were found in bars back east . . .

As for buying them here, it might be worth while calling Jolly Foods in North Van.

[mtigges]

It's worth visiting Jolly regardless, but they're generally Danish, so I'm not sure about pickled sausages. Lot's of pickled fish though. Does JN&Z have pickled sausages? I don't remember seeing them, but they're a good Polish Deli. Another place to try would be the place on Gilmore just north of Lougheed. Can't remember the name, sorry.

[Daddy-A]

Another place to try would be the place on Gilmore just north of Lougheed.  Can't remember the name, sorry.

←

International Sausage House is the place I believe you mean. Not sure about the pickled sausages ... but still worth a visit.

How difficult can pickled sausages be to make?

A.

[Chef Fowke]

Being a prairie boy I have come across pickled sausage. They are very easy to make and really take the chill out of those 50 below winter nights (or is it the rye?).

Really simple to make:

Take Kielbasa and cut it into 2 inch pieces and put it in a jar.

boil 3 cups vinegar with 1 cup water and 3/4 cup brown sugar ~ 10 minutes then pour over the sausage. let sit in the fridge for a week.

Add hot peppers, cumin, etc to taste.

I am off to the butcher to get some sausage, it has been a long time!

[inanimate]

thanks all for the feedback.

before I attempt to make any myself, I figure it's a good idea to taste someone else's pickled sausage (yeah, I said it) to know what I'm getting into first.

[capers]

thanks all for the feedback.

before I attempt to make any myself, I figure it's a good idea to taste someone else's pickled sausage (yeah, I said it) to know what I'm getting into first.

←

You could also try Polonus Old Country Sausage at 4286 Fraser St. They are a polish deli and while I haven't noticed any pickled sausage, I can't say I've looked either. You could call 604-872-1521. At any rate their sausages are very good. :

Edited January 14, 2007 by capers (log)

[jchaput]

I see big jars of sausages in liquid whenever i'm at Freybe on East Hastings near Nanaimo. I suspect they are pickled, but I don't know for sure. Freybe is an awesome store. So inexpensive, it's stupid. Only open four days a week, so call ahead for hours/times.

I get flank steak, and prime ribs there sometimes too (when available).

[inanimate]

My friend managed to track down a 2kg jar of pickled ukrainian sausages at the freybe store.

I'll check back in when I've put them inside me.

[Paul B]

I was in the Extra Foods in Park Royal yesterday and they had the big jars of Feybre pickled sausages. Couldn't find a price on them, so maybe they were only for display . . .

[canucklehead]

Okay - can I just say that I think that my food curiousity is very high - but I am having problems getting my head around the idea of pickled sausages.

Good luck to you - and let us know how they taste.

[jsolomon]

Being a prairie boy I have come across pickled sausage. They are very easy to make and really take the chill out of those 50 below winter nights (or is it the rye?).

Really simple to make:

Take Kielbasa and cut it into 2 inch pieces and put it in a jar.

boil 3 cups vinegar with 1 cup water and 3/4 cup brown sugar ~ 10 minutes then pour over the sausage. let sit in the fridge for a week.

Add hot peppers, cumin, etc to taste.

I am off to the butcher to get some sausage, it has been a long time!

←

I would expect it to be a riff on sauerbraten. Sounds like it would work on a lot of mild sausages.

Awesome idea!