Canned meat gets a little bit of a bad rap. It's either something you're fond of in a nostalgic sort of way, or it's something you absolutely refuse to eat. Two of the most well-known types of canned meat are Spam and Vienna sausages, and both have their fans and classic recipes. But what you may not know is that canned sausage happened, like so many innovations, because of war.
In the late 1700s, France was involved in wars in several different locations around the globe. Finding a way to feed French troops in far-off locations meant finding new ways to preserve food. The French government created a competition through the Society for the Encouragement of Industry that offered a 12,000-franc prize for a breakthrough in food preservation.
In 1809, Nicolas Appert, a French chef and inventor, claimed the prize with his process for packing meat in tin cans, which were soldered shut; the process took him almost 15 years to perfect. Part of winning the prize was sharing his process with the public, which he did in 1810 as The Art of Preserving, for Several Years, all Animal and Vegetable Substances.
Vienna Sausages Come to America
Food producers in the United States and Great Britain took notice of the new process and started inventing better cans and assembly lines for different kinds of canned meat. One of those meats was the original Vienna sausage.
In German, the word wiener means Viennese. Wiener is, of course, another name for a frankfurter or hot dog. These little sausages are usually a mixture of ground pork and ground beef, stuffed inside a thin casing and parboiled or smoked.
Several American companies were founded on producing canned meat, including Armour Star and Company and Libby's. You can still find Armour Vienna Sausage and Libby's Vienna Sausage today, made with different flavorings in 4.6 or 10-ounce cans.
What are Vienna sausages made of?
While the canned Vienna sausages do include beef and pork, they also contain mechanically separated chicken, natural flavors, sugar, salt, and sodium nitrite (a preservative). The sausages are canned in chicken broth, which is why when you open the can you'll find a kind of gelatinous liquid. It's these preservatives that give the product packaging its long shelf life.
You can eat the sausages right out of the can, or you can use them in all sorts of recipes. We've rounded up five recipes that show off how Vienna sausages can take you from a snack to an easy weeknight meal.
Pigs in a Blanket
Pigs in a blanket using Vienna sausages are everyone's favorite recipe for a party snack. They're fun and easy to make, too; a great project for the kids to help with.
Get the recipe here.
Mini Corn Dogs
Mini corn dogs are the perfect snack food for any party from game day to a block party to a kids' sleepover. Make sure to fix extra because they'll go fast. Serve them with a variety of condiments; you can stick to ketchup and mustard, but it's also fun to try different flavored barbecue sauces.
Get the recipe here.
Korean Style Sausage Stir Fry
Use the tiny sausages in a quick-cooking stir fry with a sweet and tangy sauce. This meal looks just as good as it tastes, too!
Get the recipe here.
30-Minute Arroz Con Salchicha
Cuban-style yellow rice and Vienna sausages are a classic combo. This version is a faster, one-pot twist on the classic recipe. Try using the chicken Vienna sausages for a different flavor.
Get the recipe here.
Fideo with Vienna Sausage
This Mexican-style pasta dish is fast and inexpensive to make, and because it's pasta and mini hot dogs, your kids are sure to love it.
Get the recipe here.
FAQs
Vienna sausages can be enjoyed as a snack on their own, or used in a variety of recipes. Pigs in a blanket is one of the more common recipes, often enjoyed as an appetizer at a party. They can also be wrapped in bacon, sliced up for a casserole, or rolled up in a breakfast burrito.
How to make Vienna? ›
It starts with a mix of pork shoulder, back fat, and ice water as the primary base. The meat and fat are ground separately, ensuring a super fine consistency. Here comes the distinctive addition of salt and ground spices. Classic vienna seasoning is a combination of salt, white pepper, mace, and coriander.
How many Vienna sausages are there? ›
There's no set number, but a standard can of Vienna sausages typically contains seven to ten sausages, depending on the brand and the specific product.
Can I eat Vienna sausages while pregnant? ›
The quick answer is yes, you can enjoy sausage safely when you're pregnant.
Is a Vienna sausage a hot dog? ›
The Vienna sausage is very similar to hot dogs and frankfurters with similar ingredients used. What makes these sausages different is that they are softer and smaller in size. The term often refers to small open end sausages that are packed in cans.
What is a fun fact about Vienna sausages? ›
After having been brought to North America by European immigrants, "Vienna sausage" came to mean only smaller and much shorter smoked and canned wieners, rather than link sausage, beginning about 1903. However, they have no federal standard of identity.
Do Vienna sausages have horse meat? ›
What are Vienna sausages? By definition, Vienna sausages are sort of thin parboiled sausages that contain a lot of water and are traditionally made of pork, beef or horse meat. This food product comes from Germany and it is typical in the northern countries of Europe.
How to make a black Vienna? ›
Pour 3 single shots (90ml) hot espresso coffee into a heatproof glass. Stir in boiling 3/4 cup boiling water. Spoon whipped cream, to serve over top. Dust with Cocoa powder, to serve.
What is a Vienna cake called? ›
With its layers of deeply chocolaty cake spiked with cinnamon and rum and a bright stripe of apricot jam running through the center, the Sachertorte is the most widely recognized Viennese pastry for good reason, this elegant cake is decadent and absolutely delicious.
What is the best way to cook Vienna sausages? ›
Place a small skillet on the stovetop and heat it over medium-high heat. Open the can and use a fork to pull the sausages out of the broth. Place the sausages in the pan and let them cook for 3-4 minutes. If you like, you can add a pat of butter to the pan right before putting the sausages in.
Vienna sausages are already cooked when you buy them and can be eaten without further cooking, However they contain an unhealthy quantity of sodium and fat, and are not recommended to feed to your pets LOLZ! Timothy Sly.
What is the real name for Vienna sausages? ›
The Frankfurter
You may know it by its name or as a “wiener sausage”, “hot dog” or “Vienna sausage”. The Viennese mostly call it a Frankfurter, though. Occasionally available in a variety made from turkey meat (German: Pute).
Is there horse meat in Vienna sausages? ›
What are Vienna sausages? By definition, Vienna sausages are sort of thin parboiled sausages that contain a lot of water and are traditionally made of pork, beef or horse meat. This food product comes from Germany and it is typical in the northern countries of Europe.
Is potted meat and Vienna sausage the same? ›
It's the country cousin to rillettes and homemade potted meat (or seafood) where cooked and spiced meat shreds or purees are packed into crocks or terrines and sealed with fat. Vienna sausages are a simplified version of a traditional German sausage made from finely ground, moist meat packed into slender casings.
Is Vienna sausage can healthy? ›
Sodium Levels
One of the concerns with Vienna sausages is their high sodium content. A single serving can contain around 500 milligrams of sodium, which is a significant amount. It's advised to limit intake if you're on a low-sodium diet.
What's the difference between Vienna and sausage? ›
If you google both, you will find that a traditional 'frankfurter' is pure pork in a sheep-intestine casing, while a traditional 'vienna sausage' is the same thing but with beef added to the pork.
