I haven't made any pickled sausage for probably 6 months . Being deprived that long and needing a pickled sausage 'fix' I ordered a gallon of Big John's Red Hot Pickled Sausage . Receiving them at the shop I immediately opened em up got one , offered one to my son who also loves pickled sausage (wonder why ?) .
I had got up to get a handful of crackers to have with mine and when I stepped back into the office he was pitching his in the trash can . He said ..DON"T EAT IT ! It's terrible !
I bit off a small piece and the potted meat texture pickled made me spit it in the trash can . I threw em in the trash can in the shop . $38.00 down the drain . Soft , mushy you could only taste the cayenne used to mask the mechanically separated whatever meat they were made out of .
Got to reading ...MADE BY Conagra worthless trash , I understand we all taste differently and am open minded but ....NO , these are carp .
Got to checking . Penrose , the best national brand sold to Conagra , Colonial who made good pickled meat products for years is gone . I have been occasionally been buying Herb's pickled sausage and pickled hocks (much like Penrose) is in the wind . Can't find a source .
Far as I can tell if you like pickled meat you better make your own . No good brands out there . Take it for what it's worth .