This enticing lamb sausage comes from North Africa where it was the sausage of choice among the Bedouin and the larger population of that region. Because of the Islamic prohibition on eating pork, there is not much sausage in the culinary history of the Middle East. But if lamb merguez was their only sausage contribution to international cuisine, it would be enough.
Making Lamb Merguez
To make merguez, lamb shoulder is ground, spiced, mixed with a little fat, and stuffed into sheep casings. This forms a small sausage, usually about 4 inches long and less than an inch in diameter. Lamb merguez is commonly available as a fresh sausage, though there are sun–dried versions in North Africa. While there are several types of merguez in Tunisia and Morocco, the common denominator flavoring agent is harissa.
Harissa is a Tunisian chili sauce, made differently from family to family, but always containing a co*cktail of potent hot peppers. Harissa can be made of Serrano peppers, bird’s eye chili peppers, garlic paste, coriander, caraway, red peppers, lemon juice, cumin, sumac, fennel, and can sometimes have a smoky flavor. Harissa is a standard ingredient in North African cooking, and prepared harissa is readily available in specialty or Middle Eastern stores in the United States. All this harissa gives lamb merguez its characteristic red color as well as a dose of heat. Merguez is sometimes made with beef or veal, but the most prevalent type is made from lamb, which makes sense when you consider that the sheep population is many times the cattle population in North Africa.
Cooking with Lamb Merguez
Merguez sausage may be small in size, but its influence is felt worldwide. When the French colonized North Africa, they took to this spicy sausage and incorporated it into French cuisine. Merguez is also popular in Israel, throughout the Middle East, and northern Europe. Usually eaten grilled, as an accompaniment to couscous, or in tagines, the merguez sausage has become street food in France, served much like hotdogs are in the United States. The French did put a signature twist on the merguez sandwich. They serve grilled merguez on a fresh baguette that has been smeared with a healthy dose of Dijon mustard or mayonnaise, and then right on top, a serving of French fries. The combination of spicy sausage and salty fries makes for an exciting sandwich, and is so popular that the French consider this sausage their own.
If you make it at home, merguez can be a loose sausage without a casing. Loose merguez can be served as a burger, or as a Middle Eastern meatball, a kefta. The sausage meat can also be removed from its casing and incorporated into ground beef to make spicy burgers with a hint of lamb flavor. Stews and bean dishes can also benefit from the spicy kick of merguez sausage.
FAQs
They serve grilled merguez on a fresh baguette that has been smeared with a healthy dose of Dijon mustard or mayonnaise, and then right on top, a serving of French fries. The combination of spicy sausage and salty fries makes for an exciting sandwich, and is so popular that the French consider this sausage their own.
What's the difference between chorizo and merguez sausage? ›
Merguez- a spicy sausage flavoured with harissa, paprika or sumac. Boerewors- a South African sausage made with mixed meat (pork, game, beef) and seasoned with coriander. Chorizo- a spicy sausage with plenty of paprika. Bratwurst-a German sausage made with pork or veal often spiced with ginger, nutmeg and caraway.
What does lamb merguez sausage taste like? ›
What Does Merguez Taste Like? Merguez has a spicy flavor, though it's balanced by the slight sweetness of the spice mix along with the citrusy flavor of the harissa. And of course, lamb has a distinctive flavor, which can vary depending on whether it's grass fed or grain-fed.
How do the french eat merguez? ›
Merguez is usually eaten grilled. While not in traditional Maghrebi couscous, it is often used in couscous royal in France. It is also eaten in sandwiches and with french fries and dijon mustard.
What goes well with sausages for dinner? ›
You can cook up some vegetables alongside sausage on the grill or use your oven for a roasted version. You can cook any veggies you like — we recommend tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and red onion. Cut up all your veggies and let them marinate in a sauce of oil, garlic, vinegar and Italian spices.
How to know if merguez is cooked? ›
Wait until the outsides of your merguez sausages are a lovely golden brown. The juices should run clear if pierced with a sharp knife – there should be no sign of pink or blood.
Can you fry merguez? ›
Preheat a heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little light olive oil and fry the sausages for 5 to 6 minutes, turning frequently on all sides until rich and caramelized and the sausages thoroughly cooked. The sausages should be minimum core temperature of 75C before resting.
Are merguez sausages precooked? ›
Since slow-smoked sausages are pre-cooked, they do not need to be cooked for a long time and only need to be heated. You can prepare them in the oven, in the pan or on the barbecue. Just a few minutes of cooking will awaken their taste.
What country did merguez sausage come from? ›
Merguez is spicy lamb sausage that originated in the North African countries of Morocco, Algeria, Libya , and Tunisia and became popular throughout the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Western Europe.
What is a good substitute for merguez? ›
A more labour intensive alternative would be to use some ground or minced lamb and season it with salt, pepper plus cumin, fennel and paprika to your own taste. If you have some harissa then you could mix some of this in too, starting cautiously as it can be quite spicy.
Merguez's notable red shade is imparted by a key ingredient—harissa, a Moroccan seasoning paste made of hot chili peppers, cumin, caraway, and coriander.
What temperature do you cook merguez to? ›
Grill over medium-high direct heat until sausage registers 155°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted in middle of link. Remove from grill, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
What is a merguez in slang? ›
(slang) a car that has been modified—as by filing away its engine number, or including components from different cars—to make it harder to identify or to conceal damage from an accident.
Can you freeze merguez? ›
Keep refrigerated below 5°C at the bottom of the fridge. Suitable for home freezing. For best result freeze on day of delivery or before the use by date shown on the front of the pack. Use within three months of freezing.
What do you eat with liver sausage? ›
For those who love liverwurst, nothing beats a classic liverwurst sandwich. Spread German liverwurst pork sausage on your choice of bread with lettuce and mayonnaise. Don't forget the onions! Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019.
What do you eat with saucisson sec? ›
Salads, sandwiches, and hard cheeses are all wonderful with it. Saucisse sec d'Auvergne is a thick, dry-cured sausage from Auvergne, a central French region known for its agricultural, farming, and meat curing traditions.
What to serve with kiszka? ›
Adding apples and onions to the grilled kiszka revives the taste of the dish! As another option, you can also omit the apple in this recipe and simply grill the sausage with the onion only. Enjoy with classic Polish mustard or grated horseradish and a side of Polish whole meal bread!
What do you serve with kielbasa? ›
Here are the top side dishes and sauces that go well with kielbasa: Bigos, Meat Stuffed Cabbage, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Noodle Soup, Vegetable Soup, Mushroom Barley Soup, Ukrainian Meat Borscht Soup, Matzoh Ball Soup, Mushroom Gravy, and Mustard and Horseradish Sauce.
