Discover how to soften overly dry sausage with three simple tips, along with ideas for cooking hardened sausage. This will help you salvage your artisanal dry sausage (because yes, you don't just throw it away like a common industrial sausage!) without losing its flavor. A simple solution: just add moisture to tenderize the meat.
How to soften overly dry sausage with a simple tip?
The most common method is to moisten the sausage with a cloth:
- Wet a clean cloth without soaking it completely;
- Wrap the sausage in it, then place it all in a cupboard for a day;
- Check the texture after 24 hours and repeat the operation if necessary.
Caution: do not leave the sausage wrapped for more than 24 hours to prevent mold formation.
If the sausage is slightly dry, you can also wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer. Check the meat's condition after a day, then switch to the cloth method if needed.
How to soften overly dry sausage while preserving all its flavor?
Adding water to a dish will necessarily reduce its organoleptic qualities, and sausage is no exception to this rule. To avoid making the meat too bland, you can moisten it with a mixture of vinegar and wine. To do this:
- Take absorbent paper and moisten it slightly with a mixture of vinegar and wine;
- Wrap your dry sausage inside and then put it in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer.
This method is preferable if you plan to serve the sausage in thin slices.
A quick tip to soften overly dry sausage?
If you're in a hurry, hang the sausage above a pot of hot water so it can absorb the steam. A few minutes will be enough to soften it.
How to eat overly hard sausage?
If the texture doesn't bother you, simply slice the sausage with a slicer or a guillotine, making sure to make the slices as thin as possible. You can then savor and chew at your leisure…
Otherwise, soften it using the techniques mentioned above before serving. You can incorporate it into a salad or a dish of your choice.
You can also:
- Remove the skin before use for more tenderness.
- Cook the sausage in a dish where it will slowly tenderize.
How to cook overly dry sausage?
Think of lightly simmered recipes that will give you the opportunity to add water and allow the sausage to slowly soften. For example, you can prepare a very simple tomato sauce where you add slices or cubes of (very) dry sausage. It is also possible to vary the pleasures by simmering sausages with other ingredients:
- Deviled: with onions and apples and seasoned with paprika, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, a true flavor festival.
- Sausage on a bed of dried beans and potatoes: ideal for lovers of hearty dishes.
- One-pot pasta with vegetables and sausage: slow cooking that softens the meat while infusing the dish with aromas.
- In a soup: add slices or cubes at the end of cooking for a unique taste.
How to store dry sausage and prevent it from hardening?
Dry sausage is subject to desiccation, so it naturally dries out once exposed to open air and sunlight. If you plan to store your sausage for some time before consuming it, consider ordering a supple sausage. You can then hang it in your cellar or put it in your cupboard for a few days: even if it dries out, the texture will remain correct after a few days.
If you receive a perfectly cured dry sausage upon delivery, place it in a cool, dry place, well away from light. To preserve it properly, place it in a clean cloth.
Once opened, the sausage can be stored in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer, wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in an airtight container. A trick is to wedge a lemon slice on the cut end, to prevent the proliferation of bacteria.
