What Is Sausage, bulk and How Can I Use It?
If sausage, bulk has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 32 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Loose casing-free sausage sold by the pound, almost always pork, for crumbling and browning.
- Same product as sausage meat; "bulk" just means the packaging, so it follows the same cooking and storage rules.
- Brown it hard in a hot pan before adding liquid, or it steams gray instead of taking color.
What is sausage, bulk?
Bulk sausage is loose, casing-free sausage sold by the pound in a tube or tub instead of formed into links. It is the same seasoned ground meat, almost always pork, just packed for crumbling and browning rather than slicing.
This is the format you want when a recipe calls for sausage cooked loose: breakfast scrambles, pizza toppings, casseroles, and party bites like Hot Sausage Balls and Hanky Panky Squares. It also crumbles straight into quiche and strata, as in Sausage-Cheddar Quiche and Sausage Cheese Strata.
"Bulk" describes the packaging, not a different product, so it behaves just like sausage meat. For fat content, the 160°F (71°C) cooking target, plus swaps and storage, see the sausage meat page.
A Few Quick Tips
Brown it hard before adding liquid. Crumbled bulk sausage drops a lot of water as it cooks, and if you crowd a cold pan it steams gray instead of taking color.
Taste the seasoning before salting the dish, since bulk sausage already carries plenty. Hot or sage varieties can also throw off a recipe balanced for mild, so check the label.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size unknown (100g)Quick facts
Food group: Sausage, bulk is a member of the Sausages and Luncheon Meats US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 香肠，散装
- British (UK) term
- Sausage, bulk
- en français
- saucisses, en vrac
- en español
- salchicha, a granel
How much does sausage, bulk weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
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Related
Sausages and Luncheon Meats
Recipes using sausage, bulk
There are 32 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Pasta & Sausage Oregano
A quick and easy one pan meal is perfect for a weekday supper when you don't have time to cook up a storm.
Peppered Meat Loaf
Pepper your meat loaf with this savory recipe that will find a place in your heart and your tummy.
Sausage Cheese Strata
Make-ahead sausage cheese strata with buttered bread cubes, bulk sausage, and cheese layered in an egg-milk-wine custard. Assemble the night before, refrigerate, and bake in the morning for an effortless brunch.
Stuffed Lamb Shoulder for the Slow Cooker
Boned lamb shoulder stuffed with herbed sausage, rolled, and slow-cooked over carrots, celery, and onions until fall-apart tender. Set it and forget it for 10 to 12 hours.
Swiss Cheese Strata
A make-ahead egg strata layered with sausage, Swiss cheese, broccoli, and stuffing, soaked overnight in a savory custard. Assemble it the night before and bake it for brunch.
Chilled Sweet & Sour Borsch Soup
Sweet and sour borscht: a hearty Eastern European beet soup with crumbled sausage, cabbage, and carrots, balanced with lemon juice and sugar. Serve hot or chilled with sour cream and dill.
Margo Knudson's Chili
Margo Knudson's Chili: a no-bean Texas-style chili with 3 lbs of cubed beef, three chili powders including Gebhardt's and New Mexico, sausage, and an oregano tea steeped into the broth.
Cheesy Sausage Balls
Cheesy sausage balls roll bulk sausage, sharp cheddar and biscuit mix into walnut-size bites baked golden. The 3-ingredient Southern appetizer for parties and brunches.
Pasta with Pumpkin & Sausage
Pasta with pumpkin and Italian sausage in a creamy sage-spiked sauce. A rich, autumn-leaning weeknight dinner that treats canned pumpkin like the flavor workhorse it is.
Nutty Wild Rice Sausage Stuffing
Savory wild rice and sausage stuffing with earthy mushrooms, toasted walnuts, and aromatic vegetables for turkey or served as a standalone side dish.
Sausage, Cheese, & Egg Casserole
Make-ahead sausage, cheese and egg breakfast casserole built on herb croutons, sharp cheddar and bulk pork sausage. Assemble at night, bake in the morning. The brunch crowd-feeder.
Sausage Tortilla Roll Ups
Sausage tortilla roll-ups stuff a warm flour tortilla with browned bulk sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, jalapeño, and two cheeses. A handheld breakfast burrito built for hungry mornings or tailgate spreads.
Breakfast Sausage Balls
Breakfast sausage balls with bulk sausage, bread soaked in orange juice and maple syrup, roasted pecans, and parsley, fried until golden. A sweet-savory breakfast or appetizer that freezes well.
Apple Sausage Breakfast Ring
Make-ahead breakfast ring with bulk sausage, grated apple, onions, and cracker crumbs molded into a circle. Chill overnight, then bake and fill the center with scrambled eggs for impressive brunch presentation.
Cornbread-Sausage Pie
Savory bulk sausage with celery, onion, and green pepper baked inside a buttermilk cornmeal crust. A rustic, satisfying sausage cornbread pie that makes a hearty one-dish meal.
Pork Stew
Pork stew simmers cubed pork loin and bulk sausage with bell peppers, butternut squash, corn, and olives. Topped with a tender cornbread crust for a Southwestern Sunday supper.
Hot Sausage Balls
Three-ingredient hot sausage balls made with spicy bulk sausage, sharp cheddar, and biscuit mix. Shape, bake at 350F for 20 minutes, and watch them vanish at any party or potluck.
Creamy Stuffed Pasta Shells
Stuffed pasta shells packed with sausage, chicken, and mushrooms, smothered in Mornay sauce. Made in the microwave for a quick Italian-style dinner in individual gratin dishes.
Sausage Dumplings
Sausage dumplings: pork sausage balls wrapped in pastry, baked, and served with quick onion pan gravy. Hearty old-fashioned dinner for four.
Aunt Tommy's Sausage Quiche
Make-ahead sausage breakfast casserole with buttered bread layers and cheese. Assemble the night before, bake in the morning for easy brunch.
Sausage-Cheddar Quiche
Sausage and cheddar quiche with browned pork sausage, mushrooms, green pepper, and sharp cheddar in a pre-baked pie crust. A hearty breakfast or brunch centerpiece that feeds a crowd.
Fiesta Tamale Pie
Microwave tamale pie with seasoned ground beef and sausage, stewed tomatoes, corn, black olives, and a cornmeal topping baked under melted cheddar cheese.
Sausage Balls
Sausage balls with sharp cheddar and Bisquick, shaped walnut-sized and baked in 15 minutes. The classic Southern party appetizer with just 4 ingredients.
Cheesy Breakfast Sausage Mushroom Casserole
A great way to use up day-old bread. I like preparing everything and assemble the casserole the night before, then pop the dish into the oven the next morning. The entire house smells "delicious" :) I do sometimes add some sweet bell pepper or broccoli, and my kids don't mind eating veggie this way at all!
Easy Eggplant Casserole
Eggplant casserole with browned sausage, onions, and a buttery cracker crumb topping baked until golden. A hearty, diabetic-friendly main dish for four that comes together in about an hour.
Crockpot Peppered Meat Loaf
Put the baking pans away and use the crockpot to cook this succulent meat loaf your family will enjoy.
Sausage Coffee Cake
Savory sausage coffee cake with bulk sausage, Swiss and Parmesan, and a biscuit-mix batter. Brunch-friendly square casserole, no sweetness, all savory.
Hanky Panky Squares
This unique and delicious bread is topped off with a scrumptious mixture you will love.
Corn & Sausage Casserole
Hearty corn and sausage casserole with eggs, creamed corn, and buttery cracker topping. Comforting breakfast or dinner bake that feeds a crowd in 75 minutes.
