Continuing our blog series, we’d like to share some images of the Boulder Sausage family, and their thoughts about the company and the products that we produce.
Boulder Sausage is a brand founded on creating a superior, quality product and we pride ourselves in taking extra measures to ensure that we always deliver such promise.
We’d like to share some images of the Boulder Sausage family, and their thoughts about the company and the products that we produce
We live in a fast-paced world, full of hustle, bustle and competition. People increasingly seek out food products that are fast, easy, and cheap. Most sausage products easily hit two out of the three. They can be prepared in very little time on the grill or on the stove and are very adaptable for a wide variety of cooking techniques. However, in the attempt to make sausages cheaper, many manufacturers sacrifice quality, texture, and flavor.
Food fillers help add weight to the food by using less expensive ingredients, like water, fat, and starch. This helps some sausage producers keep the cost down but comes at a sacrifice to quality. The meat processing industry is notorious for their use of fillers to increase the apparent size and weight. Processed meats like sausages and hamburger are the worst offenders for filler-stuffing. Believe it or not, this can lower the manufacturer’s costs by 10% to 30%, at the expense of the consumer.
Non-Meat Fillers
Most non-meat fillers are flours and starches. These add sweetness and gluten while making products lower in nutrition and high in carbohydrates. Cereal binder and maltodestrine are two of the most common non-meat fillers, composed of oatmeal, and flours, starch and breadcrumbs. Cheaply made sausages often also contain a dry biscuit powder called “Rusk,” and cheaply made hamburgers often use soy protein. All of this adds up to a grainy cereal texture and a bland or bready taste.
Meat Fillers
Mechanically Deboned Meat or MDM is another popular type of filler used in the meat processing industry. It is actually made of meat but doesn’t use the same lean cuts of pork shoulder that Boulder Sausage uses. MDM usually includes chicken and turkey meat and some lower cost alternatives, such as scrap parts, glands, organ meat, or “head meat.” In addition to being generally unappealing, MDM creates a mushy pre-chewed (fine grind) texture in the product.
Extenders
These types of fillers have a high amount of protein and are widely used to “stretch” the meat or to make it appear as though you’re getting more food. These usually have cereal blended with fat, meat, blood, and various internal organs. While widely used in processed meats like sausages and hot dogs, these can also be used to extend shelf life in frozen products.
Water
One of the most common fillers in any type of sausage is plain old water. Unlike most of the ingredients mentioned here, water doesn’t harm the flavor or texture of the sausage.
Why then does Boulder Sausage avoid adding water to our products? Because we want to be honest and open with our customers. When water is added in sausages, it bulks up the uncooked product. When the sausage is cooked, the water evaporates, leaving you with a smaller quantity even though you paid for a larger amount.
Why do we skip fillers altogether in our sausage?
Sausage without water and fillers mean a significant difference between value and price. Many companies focus on cheaply offering a larger amount of product in packages by adding to the gross weight. This way, the customer sees a larger package, a lower price, and thinks that they’re getting a better deal. What they don’t realize is that they are truly getting much less then what they have paid for, and its not nearly as healthy. Net weight shows true value after cooking the product.
When you buy Boulder Sausage, you can rest easy knowing that you truly get what you pay for! We strive to create a product that you can trust and be proud to serve to your valued family and friends. Everyday we follow the motto, if it isn’t good enough for our family – it isn’t good enough for yours! At Boulder Sausage you are apart of our family and we hope you enjoy our products as much as we enjoy making them!
Well, it’s all settled. The Patriots will face off against the Rams in Super Bowl LIII. Now that we know who’s playing, all that’s left to decide is how to watch the big game. Our favorite way to watch is surrounded by family, friends, and scrumptious snacks. While some snacks are definitely more tasty than others, keep in mind that some are far better for you than others as well. To keep you at the top of your game-watching game, we present our 5 guidelines for Super Bowl snacks.
Know the Game Plan – A good Super Bowl party planner knows it’s all about the spectacle. We love to have a wide spread of scrumptious bites available, but nobody wants to spend the whole time in the kitchen! Plan for snacks that can be made ahead of time and kept warm in slow cookers, or that don’t need to be kept warm at all. Sausage and Cheddar Biscuits are a great option that can be made ahead!
Mange the Mess – It’s not just the game that captures our attention this time of year, it’s everything that comes with it. We don’t want to miss a second of the gridiron action, but we also want to catch the funniest commercials and rock out to the halftime show. With all eyes on the TV, it’s best to avoid foods that need forks and knives. Stick to finger foods, or foods that can be individually speared on a toothpick, like some flavor-packed Boulder Sausage Currywurst.
Grab Something Green: A full on salad with dressing probably isn’t the best bet for TV tapas, but that doesn’t mean you should scrap the vegetables. A good veggie selection brings freshness and bright flavors to your lineup and keeps your guests from feeling weighed down. Crudite platters are always a hit, but if you’d like something a little fancier, give these Wedge Salad Appetizer Bites a try, using our delicious Peppered Bacon!
Don’t Neglect the Protein: Alongside those veggies, you’ll definitely want some protein heavy munchies. We’re hoping for an exciting game, and you’ll need plenty of energy to keep up if it goes into overtime! Protein packs a great pop of energy to keep you going, and our delicious bacon adds a big pop of flavor when wrapped around cream cheese stuffed jalapenos.
Flag the Additives: It may be quicker to grab a bunch of frozen highly-processed snacks, but it’s a definite food fumble. Boulder Sausage products are never frozen and are never made with chemical additives. Check the labels on every product you buy, and make sure you’re feeding your friends and family sausages made with only lean pork shoulder and flavorful spices, never MSG or preservatives. Check out our kid-pleasing Corn Dog recipe for a familiar favorite without all the chemicals.
When the game’s over, and the party’s winding down, you’ll be glad to know that your guests are full of real, nutritious, healthy food made right here in Colorado. As we always say, your health is your wealth, and we’re here to make sure that you can enjoy the game with the freshest, tastiest, and healthiest sausage around.
What do Nitrates and Nitrites mean to your health? When your breakfast contains lean meat with no nitrates and nitrites, you know that you’re starting the day with a blast of nutritious flavor.
