I ranked every sausage I could find at Trader Joe’s, and I think the best could be used in almost any recipe

I went to Trader Joe’s and bought every kind of sausage I could find.

Ted Berg

I tried every Trader Joe’s precooked sausage I could find to see which was the tastiest.
The sweet-apple and maple chicken options were my least favorite sausages I tried.
The spicy jalapeño chicken sausage had a great garlic flavor and, in my opinion, was the best.

If you’re looking to explore grilling options beyond burgers and hot dogs, it might be time to visit the precooked sausage section at your local Trader Joe’s.

Of course, the store’s sausage section can be overwhelming because there are so many different kinds and they all look pretty good. And if the store’s crowded, you can feel the impatience of shoppers behind you, waiting for you to move so they can swipe the sausage they already know they want.

I’m here to help. I sampled nine different precooked Trader Joe’s sausages. I started by trying all of them straight off my skillet, with no dressing or bun, so I could judge each sausage fairly without condiments impacting my preferences. Then, I tried to come up with a favorite preparation for each.

Here’s my final ranking, from worst to best.

Trader Joe’s sweet-apple chicken sausage was a little too sweet for me.

Trader Joe’s sweet-apple chicken sausage tasted better with some jalapeños and pickles.

Ted Berg

I tried to balance out the sweetness with pickles, fresh jalapeños, and barbecue sauce.

The spice and vinegar successfully cut the sweetness and made for a good sandwich, if not an especially good sausage.

Trader Joe’s roasted-garlic chicken sausage had a bold flavor.

I topped the Trader Joe’s roasted-garlic-chicken sausage with basil.

Ted Berg

To distract from the garlicky flavor, I had the sausage with sriracha and fresh basil. I thought the freshness of the basil balanced things a bit more.

Trader Joe’s maple chicken breakfast sausage was OK.

I had Trader Joe’s maple chicken breakfast sausage alongside eggs and toast.

Ted Berg

My favorite way to eat the maple chicken sausage was as part of a balanced breakfast.

I guess you could use these like cocktail franks, but I think the texture would become overbearing in a pig-in-blanket scenario.

Trader Joe’s uncured Bavarian bratwurst was exactly what I expected.

Trader Joe’s uncured Bavarian bratwurst was good with sauerkraut.

Ted Berg

I liked the Bavarian bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard, which seemed like the obvious way. Both toppings went well with the richer, meatier pork flavor.

Trader Joe’s smoked, apple-chardonnay chicken sausage had a distinct flavor.

I topped Trader Joe’s smoked, apple-chardonnay chicken sausage with relish and peri-peri sauce.

Ted Berg

My favorite way to enjoy the smoked, apple-chardonnay sausage was with relish and peri-peri sauce, which looked and sounded strange but was very good.

The acid and spice from the peri-peri sauce nicely complemented the sweet flavor of the sausage. I suspect it would also pair really well with a spicy slaw.

Trader Joe’s sweet Italian-style chicken sausage wasn’t too different from what I usually make.

I ate the pizza with Trader Joe’s sweet Italian-style chicken sausage on it before I took a picture so I also used it in a sandwich.

Ted Berg

My favorite way to enjoy the sweet Italian-style sausage was on a homemade pizza, which I forgot to photograph. The Italian flavor profile was delicious.

However, I also tried to craft a sandwich out of it (I was short on ideas) and though I feel topping a sausage with cut corn, mozzarella, and hot sauce was inspired, I don’t think this right sausage for it.

Trader Joe’s spicy Italian chicken sausage had a little heat.

Trader Joe’s spicy Italian chicken sausage was great with pizza sauce and Parmesan.

Ted Berg

I had the spicy Italian sausage with pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, and crunchy jalapeños, which made for an excellent sandwich.

The pizza sauce and Parmesan complemented the sausage’s own flavor profile and the jalapeños added an interesting touch.

Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar chicken sausage was actually different from what I expected.

Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar chicken sausage was a satisfying dinner.

Ted Berg

Though it might sound unconventional, I thought the cheesiness of the sausage went best with crumbled Carolina Gold barbecue potato chips and some ketchup.

Trader Joe’s spicy jalapeño chicken sausage was my winner.

I really enjoyed the flavors in Trader Joe’s spicy jalapeño chicken sausage.

Ted Berg

My favorite way to have Trader Joe’s spicy jalapeño sausage was with my beloved elote corn-chip dippers, guajillo salsa, and sour cream.

It was phenomenal and I’ll be making this sandwich more often.

This story was originally published on August 21, 2023, and most recently updated on August 13, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider

source:https://www.businessinsider.com/which-trader-joes-sausages-to-buy-ranking-review-photos