Luncheon sausage, pork and beef

Luncheon sausage made from pork and beef is a cooked, finely emulsified deli sausage sold in a large-diameter log and sliced into thin rounds. In the kitchen those rounds go straight onto sandwiches and crackers, get quartered into a snack board with cheese and pickles, or are diced into fried rice, scrambled eggs, and pasta bakes for a quick savory hit. Some cooks give slices a fast turn in a hot pan so the edges curl and crisp. The texture is smooth and firm, cutting into tidy coins, and the flavor is mild, salty, and lightly spiced, pairing well with mustard, sharp cheddar, and crunchy raw vegetables.

It is a concentrated meat: per 100 g it holds 260 calories, 20.9 g fat, 15.4 g protein (31% of the Daily Value), and only 1.58 g carbohydrate. The figure to keep in mind is sodium at 1180 mg per 100 g, common for cured sausage, so a few slices season a sandwich without any need for extra salt. Keep it refrigerated and tightly wrapped, and use opened product within a few days since exposed slices dry and darken. A standard slice, about a 4 inch round, weighs roughly 23 g, a handy way to portion by the piece. Slice it thin, stack it with fresh crunch, and let its own seasoning carry the flavor so the rest of the plate can stay light.