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BOULDER SAUSAGE · MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
Simply crafted sausage and bacon.
Tastier. Healthier. Fresher.
Most people know Boulder Sausage due to its same signature recipes and Boulder roots for the past 50+ years; however, the story of Boulder Sausage actually began in the early 1900’s when the parents of Don Olk traveled from Germany to Racine, Wisconsin and started hand crafting sausage. In 1961, World War II veteran Don and his wife Frieda decided to move west and ultimately settled in Boulder, CO where they opened Don’s Cheese and Sausage Mart on Pearl St.
Don’s Cheese & Sausage Mart was well-known amongst the lunch crowd and quickly became a staple to many Sunday afternoons and childhood memories. As business grew, Don decided to franchise, opening several locations across Colorado’s Front Range. Unfortunately, business began to suffer-leading to real financial trouble and the closing of most locations.
As a result, some investors reached out to Jim Burton, a reputable local with financial wisdom. Upon his audit, Jim knew that the company was headed into bankruptcy; however, he saw great opportunity. There was a fantastic product, but simply no business. Motivated to help save the jobs of the 10 employees, Jim took on the challenge. He began by gathering a group of partners together, forming GBS Partners, Inc., who formally operates as Boulder Sausage today.
The partners ultimately decided to change the business model. Instead of keeping the restaurant alive, they focused on manufacturing and distributing the quality sausage directly to grocers throughout Colorado. They found pride in being different; maintaining the same great product but building relationships with the stores’ meat managers in order to build the business.
GBS Partners, Inc. was truly ahead of the curve in doing business differently both in operations and with products. In its first year, Boulder Sausage only made $200,000 in total revenue, but at least jobs were safe. The partners chose to loan the company money on Fridays so that the employees would be able to cash their checks. Employees were finally treated as a valuable asset and vendors were now paid on time. The partners were into healthier lifestyles and believed that, “your health is your wealth.” They took into account what people wanted and needed, developing a way to make Boulder Sausage a trusted, healthy brand. They used only high-quality premium pork, no MSG, kept it fresh (never frozen), and lowered sugar content (ultimately removing sugar from all but two recipes). These strategic moves became the foundation of being different and lead to their unanimous recognition for excellence.
Over the past 30 years, Boulder Sausage has continued to set themselves apart. Keeping the tradition of fresh sausage minimally processed with only pork and spices. Boulder Sausage has strived to become a brand you can trust, always going the extra mile to ensure quality.
Although Don is absent, the signature recipes that his family created still live on at Boulder Sausage.
It’s very important that we do what we say, because we are authentic.
~Jim Burton – CEO, CFO
The employees here at BOULDER SAUSAGE want to share this delicious recipe with you. At our recent sausage potluck someone brought this tasty dish using our BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Hot Italian Sausage, and we couldn’t resist passing recipe cards around!
Italian Sausage with Bow-tie Pasta
Ingredients
1 lb. bow-tie pasta
1 cup olive oil
½ head garlic
½ red onion
½ bunch fresh basil
½ can yellow corn
1 pack BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Italian Sausage (hot or mild)
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation
- Pre-cook the Italian sausage (Pan-fry, bake, etc.) cut into circles or semi-circles.
- Chop garlic; put into a small bowl. Chop basil and add to garlic. Chop red onion; add to the garlic/basil. Add a little salt and pepper before covering the garlic basil & red onion with olive oil. Put bowl into the refrigerator and let sit.
- Boil pasta, rinse and drain. Toss pasta with sausage and oil/garlic mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.
- If pasta is too dry, add more olive oil. Stir in Parmesan cheese and enjoy.
Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cook Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 30 minutes – Yield: Serves 4-6
Amanda from South Dakota sends in this recipe to us with a raving review. “I LOVE BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Italian Sausages! But what I think a lot of people don’t realize is you can mix it up with other meats, too. I like to add it to a shrimp and kale salad and love the zing from yellow cherry tomatoes that burst in your mouth with the shrimp and sausage bites. Go BOULDER SAUSAGE!”
Hot Italian Sausage with Shrimp and Kale Salad
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
½ pack of yellow tomatoes (cut in half)
2 large, chopped garlic cloves
1 pack BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 ¼ lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 bunches of kale, chopped roughly into large pieces
Finely grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Preparation
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1T butter. Add 2 large, finely chopped garlic cloves sauté and stir for a minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Mix in sausage and cook until brown, 5-6 minutes, Add 1 1/4 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp is just cooked through – about 4 minutes.
3. Add 1 bunch of chopped kale and toss until it starts to wilt. Then add 1 more bunch of chopped kale, toss until that starts to wilt, and remove from the heat. Top with grated parmesan and yellow halved tomatoes and enjoy!
Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cook Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 35 minutes – Yield: Serves 4
Stacey from Colorado sent us this recipe. “I have picky children who don’t want to eat healthy food, ever. Getting them to eat something like wild rice that looks different is hard, but when I have BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Italian Sausages cooked with the meal, they love every single bite and are willing to try new things when it means they get BOULDER SAUSAGE brand sausages with it.”
Hot Italian Sausage with Wild Rice and Basmati Pilaf
Ingredients
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 links BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Italian Sausages, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
¾ cup basmati rice
¾ cup wild rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the wild rice and cook until just tender, about 40 minutes; drain. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the drippings, set aside sausage and keep warm.
3. Add thyme. Stir in the basmati rice and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 1/3 cup. Water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, 5 minutes.
4. Fluff the basmati rice with a fork, and then stir in the prepared wild rice and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper, once plated assemble sliced hot Italian sausage over top.
Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cook Time: 50 minutes – Total Time: 60 minutes – Yield: Serves 6-8
Coloradan Joe says this about our BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Bratwursts: “The guys and I love having these when it gets warmer and we can go out and grill. That weather is sketchy now but don’t worry, I stocked up already on all the brats I need for the summer! Everyone treats it as BYOB – Bring Your Own Brats – and we share, but everyone loves the BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Bratwursts the most. They have a juicy, tender flavor that explodes with each bite. Our favorite thing to do is cook them in beer with sauerkraut. I am no ‘recipe’ guy but I wrote this up pretty easily. Dang, now I am so hungry I will be firing up the grill in the snow to eat some tonight!”
Simple Bratwurst and Sauerkraut Recipe
Ingredients
4 links BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Bratwursts
1 (12 ounce) bottled beer
1 cup sauerkraut
4 pretzel Buns
Preparation
1. In a large saucepan, cover bratwursts with beer and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. To heat sauerkraut, place in sheet of foil and wrap tightly. Place on top rack above grill or use other source of indirect heat.
4. Place bratwursts on grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
5. For toasted buns, place face-down on grill a couple minutes prior to finishing the bratwursts.
6. When finished, serve with heated sauerkraut and any additional condiments you prefer. Enjoy!
Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cook Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 35 minutes – Yield: Serves 4
Dave from Arizona says: “I’m a total dude and I hate cooking. BOULDER SAUSAGE comes every couple of weeks and the German Sausages are my favorite. I like to grill them up most of the time, but when I have a girl over for a date I go a little more complex with a dish made with red wine, which just adds tons of flavor to the German Sausages. If you like to eat hearty ‘dude food’ but don’t have extensive kitchen skills and want to impress the ladies, this is the dish.”
Classic German Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 green and/or red bell peppers cut into strips
1 pack BOULDER SAUSAGE brand German Sausages
¾ cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
Preferred cheese for topping
Sliced French roll (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Heat oil in large oven-proof skillet. Sauté green and red peppers for 2-3 minutes or until they are tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Add sausage links to skillet and brown on either side. Add wine and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until there is no longer any pink.
4. Add the sautéed peppers, and bake for 5-10 minutes. Plate & sprinkle preferred shredded cheese over top and enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cook Time: 35 minutes – Total Time: 50 minutes – Yield: Serves 4
Paula from New Mexico tells us – “I made this for dinner on Tuesday and I can’t tell you how much the kids loved it. They were eating tomatoes and they don’t even like them! The tender meat and heated flavor of the BOULDER SAUSAGE Chorizo really stood out to me and I think it made the meal twice as delicious compared to when I use store bought sausage. I love getting deliveries from BOULDER SAUSAGE. Definitely on my ‘Monthly Must Eats’ list for the fam!”
Cheese Ravioli Topped with Chorizo, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Ingredients
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 lb. BOULDER SAUSAGE brand Chorizo
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
16 oz. cheese ravioli
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut all the tomatoes in half, set aside. In a medium skillet cook chorizo till browned, about 5 minutes
2. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain ravioli and reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Plate ravioli add chorizo and top with tomatoes.
3. Garnish with chopped basil and or preferred shredded cheese.
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cook Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 35 minutes – Yield: Serves 4
