Saucisson is a very popular charcuterie (beyond Ardèche) and which undergoes many transformations in different regions of the world. It is a specialty that comes in many forms and flavors, and this can sometimes make the choice difficult for consumers.
To help you, there is a simple rule that will allow you to recognize a good sausage , this is what we call the 3 F rule .
It is based on three essential quality criteria: the flower, the shape and the string .
The Flower
The flower is the thin white (or grey-green) layer that forms on the surface of the sausage and which makes it so characteristic (it is also called "bloom" for our Anglo-Saxon friends). At home, our artisanal sausages have a rather grey-green flower which indicates a gentle steaming and slow drying characteristic of a true artisanal production of the region. Natural and wild, this very particular flower comes from the same microorganisms as the rind of the delicious cheeses from the mountainous areas of the south of France.
The texture and color of the flower are due to the presence of natural molds that develop during the curing phase of the sausage. It is a process that is created naturally.
The presence and quality of this flower are important criteria for assessing the quality of a sausage. It indicates that the charcuterie has been produced in a traditional manner, and generally without chemical additives.
Abundant flower is therefore a real guarantee of quality and respect for traditional ripening. But beware of industrial sausages that use talc to feign the absence of natural flower on their sausages. If you shake the sausage and white powder snows, it is industrial talc. Avoid it.
The Form
The 2nd F refers to the shape of the sausage .
This is another important criterion that can help assess its quality.
Overall, a good sausage should have a slightly irregular shape , because it is drawn in the pork intestine with all the noble parts of the pig's skin. It is therefore unique, incomparable every time.
If it looks like a totally perfect “i”, lying in the middle of its clones, don’t let it charm you, it’s because a machine took care of it. Let yourself be seduced by some good sausages from here instead.
The String
Finally, the string is a third important criterion for evaluating the quality of a sausage .
The string used should be tight and regular, but not too tight so as not to crush the sausage. If the string is poorly tied or too loose, this may indicate poor manufacturing quality.
Generally, a good sausage is closed with strings on each side and not a metal clip which can indicate that it is made in a strictly industrial way. To verify this information, you can usually see a small tuft of plastic easily spotted in addition to the metal ring.
As quality casings are often more fragile, our sausages are maintained mainly thanks to their careful tying in order to keep them in the best possible conditions.
The color of the string can also give some clues about the quality of the sausage. Natural strings, which are generally beige in color, are preferable to synthetic strings, which may contain certain chemicals.
In summary, the rule of the 3 F (flower, shape, string) is a relatively simple criterion, but rather effective to quickly evaluate the quality of a good sausage. It is important to favor sausages that have an abundant flower, a unique shape and a string as a closing link .
These few criteria indicate that the sausage has been produced in a traditional way and that it has been made with care in accordance with craftsmanship. By following this rule, you will be able to choose quality, tasty and authentic sausages, a bit like at home. Moreover, discover the quality and the recipe (old-fashioned) of the real Ardèche sausage.
And otherwise, how can we evaluate the quality of a sausage?
Overall, the 3 F rule is a good tool for assessing the quality of a sausage.
It can be used both by consumers to choose a good quality sausage and by manufacturers to ensure that their products meet the highest standards and expectations in quality.
However, it is important to note that the 3 F rule should not be used as a sole indicator.
Other factors such as the ingredients used, the production process and the maturation period will also have an impact on the quality of the sausage and are not always measurable by eye.
Moreover, the quality of sausage can vary considerably depending on the manufacturer, the type of sausage and the region of production . It is therefore (highly) recommended to turn to artisanal producers (like us at the Boutique des Saucissons) to find superior quality products that will ensure the taste quality of local products.
Our recipe is made the old-fashioned way and ardently defends all the values of good Ardèche sausages:
- quality pork meat (shoulder, breast, etc.);
- seasoning the meat according to the traditional recipe (pepper, salt, garlic, red wine and above all lots of love...);
- embossing with natural and premium quality pork casings; seeding of the flower;
- steaming sausages;
- drying (between 5 to 7 weeks);
- bare packaging (to avoid over-packaging).
Nothing more…
As artisan producers, we use traditional production methods and top quality ingredients to produce our sausages which we (and our customers) rightly consider to be of high quality.
