Top Two Chains With the Best Sausage, According to Butchers
When it comes to great sausage, butchers know best. From spice blends and casings to texture and technique, they can spot quality in a single bite—and a few restaurant chains consistently rise to the top. Whether you love hearty breakfast links, smoky bratwurst, or perfectly seasoned patties, these are the chains experts say are getting sausage right. Here’s where butchers agree you’ll find the best of the best.
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel consistently delivers a cozy feel with meals that rival homemade and it’s a favorite for Brad Baych Chef / Butcher / Content Creator at Butcher Wizard and author of Primal Cuts: A Butcher’s Guide to Selecting, Preparing, and Perfecting Beef. “I really like the breakfast sausage at Cracker Barrel,” he says. “The patty sausage is a tad bit drier than the breakfast links but the grind is chunkier and I really like that. The salt level is good and the simple seasonings come through with this sausage.”
Cracker Barrel’s Flavor is Unbeatable
Chef Brad isn’t the only meat expert who heads to the chain for unforgettable sausage. “Over 35 years of experience has been spent preparing and sourcing meat and Cracker Barrel has the most reliable sausage profile,” says Brian Gunterman, butcher, pitmaster, CEO and Founder of DDR BBQ Supply. He explains, “Their patties maintain a tight grind and a steady level of 19% to 22% fat and a seasoning profile that remains the same across the stores.” He adds, “It has a clean sage note, not heavy-sweetened, is what my team, and that ratio will give you a predictable sear with no excessive spillage of grease on a flat top.
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Whataburger
The second chain Gunterman recommends is Whataburger. “Their breakfast sausage is coarse grind thereby acting like a mini store product,” he says. “It has integrity on top of heat, and so the individual develops a consistent browning without disintegrating mushily like in most of the national chains.”
Fat Content is Key
There’s several factors that go into unforgettable sausage and Chef Brad explains, “A great sausage is one that has a high enough fat content that it is juicy and also has a good seasoning level.” Additionally, “The flavor should be aromatic from the spices and slightly salty,” he said.
Texture is Also Important
Another thing to look for with sausage is the texture. “It should be slightly chuck grind to ensure that the sausage has some character,” according to Chef Brad. “It should be a fine grind like a hotdog. All these characteristics come together to make a great sausage.”