Cervelas and Cervelat

cervelas and cervelat are names given to sausages made in France and Germany respectively. The latter has its own entry. Both names and the Italian must have had a past connection with similar terms meaning ‘brain’ but the connection has been lost; for no recent or modern recipes for cervelas call for brains as an ingredient.

The typical French cervelas is a short, stumpy fresh sausage, made from pure pork or pork and beef flavoured with garlic, and spiced with coriander, allspice, and nutmeg. It is matured for a few days, and may be smoked lightly. Popular in much of E. France, these sausages are cooked by poaching in water or red wine before being served with a sauce, or a potato salad, or cold, sliced and seasoned with a mustardy vinaigrette and sliced onion. The name is also used in Lyons for a saucisson à cuire (see sausages of france) frequently laced with pistachio or truffles.