| Bra sausage | |
| Alternate Name: | Sautissa ëd Bra |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Piedmont |
| Course: | Sausage |
| Served: | Warm |
| Main Ingredient: | Lean beef, spices, pork belly |
Bra sausage (Italian: salsiccia di Bra; Piedmontese: sautissa ëd Bra) is a sausage recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT).[1] The sausage is produced in Piedmont, exclusively in the comune (municipality) of Bra, by butchers associated with the Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of Bra Sausage.
The Bra sausage was once produced without using pork fat and was mainly intended for the Jewish community of Cherasco, which supplied itself with meat at the nearby market of Bra. As members of the Jewish religion, they were prevented from consuming pork-based sausages. A royal decree of 1847[2] acknowledged the Braidese custom allowing the butchers of the municipality to produce fresh beef sausage, which was prohibited in the rest of the country.[3]
The sausage is prepared with lean beef (70–80%) and pork fat for the remainder.[4]
Bra sausage can be eaten both cooked (in particular on the grill) and raw in the fresh state, in this case often as appetizer or as a topping for pizza and crostini.