Gendarme is a flavour-packed traditional saucisson known for its firm interior and snappy casing. Crafted from a mix of beef and pork, it delivers a beautifully balanced blend of rich, savoury and gently spicy notes.
After drying, the sausage is salted, spiced, and lightly smoked, taking on a reddish-brown hue and a delicate anise-like aroma from freshly ground caraway. Its distinctive long, flattened shape makes it an artisanal treat loved across many regions.
Origins of Gendarme Sausage
Born in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Alsace, sausage gendarme is woven into the culinary heritage of each region. Its drying and smoking were originally devised to give it an exceptionally long shelf life.
That reddish-brown hue and firm bite made it indispensable: it kept brilliantly and travelled well—ideal for harsh winters and long journeys.
Tips for Perfect Gendarme
For flawless gendarmes, pay close attention to these key stages:
Choice of Meat: Select top-quality lean beef and well-marbled pork belly for optimum texture and flavour.
Seasoning: Grind and measure the spices at the last minute to capture their full aroma—especially the caraway that provides the signature anise note.
Grinding and Mixing: Grind the meat evenly, then work it vigorously with the seasonings until the mixture is sticky and perfectly uniform.
Stuffing: Stuff the casings firmly, eliminating any air pockets to achieve the characteristic dense texture.
Drying and Smoking: Respect the recommended drying and smoking times—they’re crucial for flavour development and preservation.
Final Pressing: Press the sausages into their signature flattened shape to enhance both appearance and bite.
Recipe originally published on the cochonetleboeuf website and shared here with permission from the “Home Charcuterie Lovers” association.
Equipment
- 1 kg de sciure ou copeaux de hêtre as needed, depending on batch size
Ingredients
- 700 g boneless, moderately lean beef short ribs
- 300 g fatty pork belly
- 25 g sea salt
- 4 g ground grey pepper or freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 g caraway seeds or cumin seeds, freshly ground just before use
- 1 g granulated sugar
- 0.5 g saltpeter (potassium nitrate) or replace the regular salt with a 50/50 mix of curing salt and table salt
- 1 g coriander seeds freshly ground just before use
- 1 g nutmeg freshly grated
- 3 g degermed fresh garlic or garlic powder
- 25 ml dry red wine full-bodied
- Pork casings, 42–44 mm or 44–46 mm
Procédé
- The day before, soak the casings in cold water.
- Trim the meats, removing any small bones, cartilage, and sinew, then cut into strips for easier grinding. Keep the pieces well chilled.
- In a bowl, combine the salt, pepper, caraway (or cumin), sugar, saltpeter, coriander, nutmeg, and pressed or powdered garlic. Pour the wine into a separate glass and set both aside.
- Using a 4.5 mm grinder plate, grind the meats into a tub, alternating beef and pork.
- Sprinkle the spice mix over the ground meat and knead vigorously until evenly combined. Pour in the wine last and mix again until the mixture is uniform and slightly tacky.
- Load the mixture into a sausage stuffer, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets.
- Stuff the casings smoothly yet firmly, then twist or tie into 20 cm links.
- After stuffing, cut the links in pairs and hang them to air-dry for two days before smoking.
- On smoking day, transfer the sausages to a cold smoker with a light airflow and smoke for 8 hours.
- The following day, lay the gendarmes flat between two boards and press for 24 hours to create their characteristic slightly square profile.
