What Is Summer Sausage? A Wisconsin Guide to the Beer-Hall Classic

You've seen it on charcuterie boards. You've seen it in gift baskets. You've probably eaten it at a tailgate & never asked what it actually is.

Summer sausage is one of America's most underrated cured meats. And here in Wisconsin, where we've been making it for generations, we think it deserves a proper introduction.

Cheesy Takeaways

• Summer sausage is a semi-dry cured sausage that's shelf-stable before opening, no refrigeration required.

• It's called "summer" sausage because it was traditionally made to survive warm months before refrigeration.

• Flavor comes from fermentation, smoking, and spices like garlic, mustard seed, and black pepper.

• It pairs legendarily with sharp cheddar, crackers, and a cold beer.

• Gardner's Garlic Summer Sausage is our top-selling meat, and for good reason.

What Exactly Is Summer Sausage?

Summer sausage is a semi-dry, cured, and fermented sausage, usually made from beef, pork, or a combination of the two. It's seasoned with classic spices (garlic, pepper, mustard seed, coriander), fermented with lactic acid bacteria that give it a subtle tang, and then smoked or slow-cooked to finish.

The result is a firm, dense, slice-able sausage with bold flavor & impressive shelf life. It's not quite as dry as salami & not as fresh as a breakfast link. Semi-dry is the technical term, and it's the perfect middle ground.

Our Garlic Summer Sausage is made with subtle undertones of garlic and a blend of flavorful herbs & spices. It's a 12 oz roll that does not require refrigeration until opened, which makes it a pantry MVP.

Why Is It Called Summer Sausage?

Back before refrigeration was a thing, farmers & butchers needed a way to preserve meat through the warm months. Traditional fresh sausages would spoil in a week. So they started curing, fermenting, and smoking sausages specifically designed to survive a Wisconsin summer without going bad.

The combination of salt, acidity from fermentation, low moisture, and smoke created a sausage you could hang in a cellar or pantry and eat well into the summer. Hence "summer sausage." The name stuck even though refrigeration eventually changed the game.

How Is Summer Sausage Made?

The classic process, refined over centuries:

• Grind the meat. Beef, pork, or a blend, ground to a medium consistency.

• Season. Salt, pepper, garlic, mustard seed, coriander. Regional variations add everything from jalapeño to cheese to cranberry.

• Add cure & starter culture. Lactic acid bacteria kick off the fermentation that gives summer sausage its subtle tang.

• Stuff into casings. Natural or synthetic casings that hold the sausage shape during cooking & storage.

• Ferment & smoke. Low, slow smoke over hardwood brings down moisture, adds flavor, and finishes the cure.

• Cool & package. Ready to slice, ready to ship.

Four generations of Wisconsin sausage-making means we've fine-tuned every step. Our Garlic Summer Sausage is our top seller for a reason. Balanced, bold, and built to show up at a family gathering like it owns the place.

What Does Summer Sausage Taste Like?

Think bold, savory, and a little tangy. The fermentation provides a subtle sour note underneath, while smoking adds depth and spices deliver the top-note punch. Every recipe is a little different. Garlic summer sausage is punchier. A mild beef summer sausage is closer to dense salami. A cranberry-studded variety adds sweet-tart contrast.

The texture is firm & slice-able, not soft like fresh sausage and not dry like a hard salami. It holds its shape on a cheese board & stays satisfying for days.

Summer Sausage vs Salami: What's the Difference?

Great question. Both are cured, fermented sausages.

The differences are subtle but real:

• Moisture: Salami is typically drier than summer sausage. Summer sausage is semi-dry.

• Aging: Traditional salami hangs & ages for months. Summer sausage is typically smoked & done in a few weeks.

• Texture: Salami slices thin & chewy. Summer sausage slices thicker & feels slightly softer.

• Flavor: Salami leans on aging complexity. Summer sausage leans on smoke & spices.

Both belong on a great charcuterie board. Our Classic Sliced Salami & our Garlic Summer Sausage offer both styles, and they play beautifully off each other.

How to Eat Summer Sausage

The short answer: slice & enjoy. The longer answer:

• Slice thin & pair with sharp cheddar. The classic Wisconsin combo. Try it with our 8-Year Super-Sharp Cheddar.

• Build a sandwich. Summer sausage, aged cheddar, a smear of mustard, sturdy bread. Lunch solved.

• Top crackers. Summer sausage + cheese + cracker is the party snack trifecta.

• Cube it into a salad. Adds smoky, salty protein to a leafy green situation.

• Throw it on pizza. Unexpected, delicious, worth trying at least once.

• Snack it straight. Cut a hunk, eat it standing at the counter. Judgment-free zone.

The Best Cheese Pairings for Summer Sausage

Summer sausage is a flavor bomb, so pair it with cheese that can hold its own:

• Sharp or aged cheddar: The textbook pairing. Our 8, 13, and 17-year Super-Sharp Cheddars are built for this.

• Aged Gouda: The sweetness cuts the savory punch of the sausage. Try our Aged Gouda.

• Smokin' Hot Pepper Jack: For heat seekers. Bold cheese + bold meat + beer = happy people. Try our Smokin' Hot Pepper Jack.

• Squeaky Cheese Curds: Casual, fun, road-trip-ready. The fresh curd squeak alongside cured sausage is a textural delight. Our Cheese Curds are made for this.

Finish the board with Raspberry Honey Mustard or Hot Pepper Bacon Jam on the side & you've officially out-parted the party.

The Gardner's Take on Summer Sausage

Our Garlic Summer Sausage is our top-selling meat for a reason. Subtle garlic, balanced spices, perfect slice-ability, and the kind of quality that comes from doing this for four generations in central Wisconsin. It doesn't need refrigeration before opening, which makes it a gift package favorite (try our Wisconsin Cheese & Sausage Sampler).

Want to learn more about summer sausage before you buy? Our next guides dive deeper into how long summer sausage lasts and storage best practices. (Though if you want the FAQ version now, check our shipping & shelf-life FAQ.)

FAQ: Summer Sausage

Is summer sausage cooked?

Yes. Summer sausage is fully cooked during the smoking & fermentation process, which is why it's shelf-stable before opening. You can eat it straight out of the package.

Does summer sausage need to be refrigerated?

Before opening, no. Our Garlic Summer Sausage is shelf-stable in its sealed packaging. After opening, refrigerate it & use within a few weeks.

Is summer sausage the same as salami?

No, but they're cousins. Both are cured & fermented, but summer sausage is semi-dry & smoked while salami is typically drier & aged longer.

What is summer sausage made of?

Usually beef, pork, or a blend, seasoned with garlic, pepper, mustard seed, and other spices, then fermented & smoked.

How long has summer sausage been around?

Centuries. The style evolved in Europe before refrigeration as a way to preserve meat through warm months. German, Polish, and other European immigrants brought the tradition to Wisconsin & the Upper Midwest, where it's a regional staple.

What's the best summer sausage?

We're biased, but Wisconsin-made is a solid rule. Our Garlic Summer Sausage is our top-selling meat, backed by four generations of Wisconsin craftsmanship.

Bottom Line

Summer sausage is Wisconsin in stick form. Bold, balanced, shelf-stable, and legendary on a cheese board. If you've been sleeping on it, this is your cue to wake up.

Grab a roll of our Garlic Summer Sausage, pair it with an 8-Year Super-Sharp Cheddar and a cold beer. That's a Wisconsin weekend right there.