Many recipes that use Cumberland sausage as an ingredient—or as it is called in England and Ireland, Cumberland’s specialty. This type of sausage can be very hard to find in U.S. supermarkets.
If you’re looking for the perfect substitute for Cumberland sausage, you can use Caroline sausage, country sausage, Lincolnshire sausage, chipolata, and even black pudding.
What Is Cumberland Sausage?
Cumberland sausage is known for its peppery taste. It contains lots of herbs and spices. Made mostly of pork meat and spices, the sausages are normally coiled up because, at around 20 inches long, they are too long to cook as they are. Cumberland sausages are often cooked for breakfast and have a very rich flavor, not to mention lots of protein. They are usually bound with rusk and have minced meat on the inside.
If you buy Cumberland sausage in bulk, it’s easy to freeze them until you need them. Ideally, they should be baked for 20 minutes at 230-265 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’re looking for the perfect Cumberland sausage alternatives, here are a few to consider:
Substitutes for Cumberland Sausage
Caroline Sausage
Caroline sausages are made of beef instead of pork, which makes them unique among other types of sausage. For people who don’t wish to consume pork but who love sausages, Caroline sausage is a great alternative. They have a strong flavor and are easy to find at most supermarkets. Even better, Caroline sausages come pre-cooked, so all you have to do is heat them for just a few minutes and they are ready to eat. They usually have a strong meaty flavor, making them a very popular type of sausage for meat lovers.
Country Sausage
This sausage is also called breakfast sausage and is easily found in the U.S. These sausages are smaller than Cumberland sausages and have a milder taste. All you do to cook them is boil them for 10-15 minutes, and they’re done. They have a great texture as well as a delicious taste. When you are trying to find an alternative to Cumberland sausage, country sausage won’t disappoint.
Lincolnshire Sausage
These sausages are made in Lincolnshire, England, and instead of minced pork, they are made of ground pork. Both their texture and their taste are superb. They are not overly spicy or peppery. Lincolnshire sausages make for a great addition to any recipe that calls for Cumberland sausage.
Chipolata Sausage
The pork meat used in this product is ground coarsely instead of minced, so the texture is a bit different than what some people are used to. It is normally made with thyme, sage, and a few other spices, and it’s much more common in the UK than it is in the U.S. Chipolata was originally made in France, and even though the flavor isn’t as strong as Cumberland sausage, you can still use it as an alternative sausage in most typical sausage dishes.
Black pudding
Also called blood pudding, this tasty treat is a combination of pork blood, pork meat, and sometimes beef. It is usually made with oatmeal and various spices as well, and it makes for a great filling. It doesn’t taste as close to Cumberland sausage as some other types of meat, but it still works well in most recipes. In fact, it is a great option for those who want a taste similar to that of Cumberland sausage but which has its own unique flavor.
Planning to make your own sausages? Make sure you know how long to soak your sausage casings.