I'm not really sure what posessed me to try these Penrose Hot Sausages. Madness and an appreciation for the bizarre, I guess. They're kind of hard to describe: sort of like the bastard love child of Vienna sausage and Slim Jims, thown into a vat of "artificially colored vinegar pickle."The small sausages are tough on the outside, soft on the inside; the meat is a little fibrous and studded with little chunks of white fat that leaves a vaguely umpleasant film on the roof of my mouth. There's some gently spicy heat, on the mild side, and of course the sharp vinegar flavor from the pickle.
Anyway, they're made by ConAgra and there are many better brands of pickled sausages out there, so don't be fooled by the cheap price. Spend a little more money and get something good.
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penrose rock.
ReplyDeleteActually found this trying to purchase Penrose sausage on the net. I guess they are a midwest classic. The best part is putting boiled eggs into the juice and eating them with hard pretzels.
ReplyDeleteKevin
Dave, Thanks for your review. Growing up in Charleston, SC, I learned early on to eat these Penrose sausages with Ritz crackers. The texture and flavor complements the sausages nicely, and there is no resulting film on the roof of your mouth as you described.
ReplyDeleteGene -
ReplyDeleteI'll give your suggestion a try. Thanks for the note.
hey if anyone knows where I can purchase these its been about 2 years since my local walmart stopped carring them. please email me at garrett0912@yahoo.com if u kno
ReplyDeleteThese are the best! I can't find them near my home, so I am trying to order them online. We used the juice to pickle eggs and beets. Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteConAgra has discontinued the jarred Penrose sausages.After an explosion at their plant in Garner,N.C. where the product originated under other ownership,they have decided to close the plant and discontinue the original sausages.It seems they will only be offering the inferior tasting individually packaged products,ie.'Tijuana Mama','Big Mama',etc.Maybe if everyone complains,they will reconsider.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this product and it saddens me that they have been discontinued by the company..I have been looking for about two years in every grocery store within 100 miles from my home.. NO WONDER I CAN'T FIND THEM. My children love them and I cannot explain to them that I can't find them. I really wish that this would be reconsidered, because I dont like the ones at the gas staions that are individually wrapped as well as the jar ones.
ReplyDeleteYou seriously must be the one of the only people in the country who doesn't LOVE these. You may need a CAT- scan
ReplyDeleteAlthough I personally am not a big fan of Penrose sausage, I have been doing what I can to help persuade ConAgra to bring them back into production, so at least give me props for that, K?
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad what your doing I love them and I really hope they bring them back
DeleteDave sir, persuade ConAgra like you've never persuaded before. After years of searching, I couldn't find these or the sausages, but now I know why. They were sure good eating in the barracks back in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteomg! please tell me someone, somewhere knows a very close replacement!! ive been searching for these for years! gas station ones really suck! these were the best ever! and, I too, want to pickle some eggs in the juice! i would drink the juice as a kid!! loved these things!!
ReplyDeletetry hannahs red hot sausages they taste just like penrose 24.90 something a gallon on amazon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave thses little guys really grow on ya. I have been eating them for over 45 years and are a staple on a fishing trip. It would be nice if they came back, they are an awesome little snack!!
ReplyDeletethe only replacement I've found is to make them yourself. Here is a link to a good recipe for them. http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?158963-Penrose-Hot-Sausage-Recipe.&p=2873310
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask, plead, beg ConAgra to "please" bring back their sausages! We are a family of eight and grew up with these in our home. We all love them and have been waiting for the return of them on store shelves! There are thousands of people who love this product, don't take it away!!! You could start out making them for smaller jars and see how that goes but I am sure people will want the gal. size jars as we did and do to this day. ConAgra! Please bring back one of the worlds best snack foods!!! Thank You, PJ
ReplyDeleteDave, Please... Please get ConAgra foods to bring these back!!! I grew up also eating these and drinking the juice. Hannahs are gross and so is the individual ones in the stores!!! A good cold beer and a penrose pickled sausage (salted) went hand and hand and even dipping funyuns in the juice was awesome!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring em back! I thought OBAMA had something to do with taking them away!!!
ReplyDeletePickled sausages are ridiculously easy to make. You can use any fully cooked sausage, i.e. hot dogs, smoky links, even large Oscar Mayer or ekrich brand. The deli tray size beef sticks work great also.
ReplyDeleteHeat equal amounts of water and vinegar.
Add a Tbsp of pickling salt to every 6-8 cups.
Add garlic, chopped onion, red pepper, or what ever spices you favor. I use 1 habanero and 1 ghost chili per batch.
Heat to boil then cool a bit
Put sausage in container(s) and fill with pickling solution and leave in pantry for 3-6 weeks.
Penrose were my favorite. Beauty (and taste) are in the eye (or mouth) of the beholder.
ReplyDelete10 years later( give or take)... still wondering when they are going to bring back my red hots!!! I miss them so much!!!
ReplyDelete