Are Sausages OK on the Carnivore Diet?

Yes, sausages are fine on the carnivore diet as long as you pay attention to the ingredient list. At its most basic, sausage is simply ground meat and fat packed into a casing, which is entirely animal-based. The problem is that most commercial sausages include a long list of fillers, sweeteners, and preservatives that have no place on a carnivore plate. Finding clean sausages requires either knowing what to look for or making your own.

What Ingredients Should You Avoid in Sausages?

The ingredient list on most supermarket sausages reads more like a chemistry experiment than a food label. Here are the most common non-carnivore additives:

• Sugar, corn syrup, or dextrose: Added for flavor and to help with browning
• Breadcrumbs or rusk: Used as cheap fillers to bulk up the product
• Soy protein isolate: Another filler that adds weight without adding meat
• Modified food starch: Plant-derived thickener and binder
• MSG (monosodium glutamate): Flavor enhancer derived from plant sources
• Wheat flour or oat fiber: Binding agents common in cheaper sausages
• Maltodextrin: Plant-based filler used as a flavor carrier
• Cellulose casings: Plant-derived casings (usually removed before eating)

A proper carnivore sausage should contain only:

• Meat (pork, beef, chicken, or a combination)
• Fat
• Salt
• Natural casings (animal intestines or collagen)
• Optional: simple spices like black pepper, fennel, or sage

What Are the Best Types of Sausages for Carnivore?

Not all sausage styles are created equal when it comes to ingredient simplicity:

Bratwurst: Often one of the cleanest options. Traditional bratwurst is made from pork, veal, or beef with salt and simple seasonings. German-style bratwurst tends to have shorter ingredient lists than American versions.

Italian sausage: Usually made from pork with salt, pepper, and fennel seed. Both sweet and hot varieties are typically straightforward. This is one of the easiest clean sausages to find in regular grocery stores.

Breakfast sausage patties: Bulk breakfast sausage (loose, not in casings) is often just pork, salt, and sage. Making patties yourself from bulk sausage gives you full control. Look for brands with no sugar added.

Kielbasa: Traditional Polish kielbasa can be simple (pork, salt, garlic, marjoram), but many commercial versions add corn syrup and other fillers. Check labels carefully.

Chorizo: Fresh Mexican-style chorizo can be very clean, but some brands use vinegar and chili peppers extensively. Spanish-style cured chorizo varies widely in ingredients.

Are Sausage Casings Carnivore-Friendly?

This is a common concern, and the answer depends on the type of casing:

• Natural casings: Made from the intestines of pigs, sheep, or cattle. These are 100% animal-derived and perfectly carnivore-friendly. They provide that satisfying snap when you bite into a sausage.
• Collagen casings: Manufactured from animal hides and bones. Also carnivore-friendly, though they do not have quite the same snap as natural casings.
• Cellulose casings: Made from plant fiber. These are typically used on skinless hot dogs and frankfurters and are removed before packaging or eating. Not carnivore, but since you do not actually eat them, most carnivore dieters do not consider this an issue.
• Plastic casings: Used on some larger sausages like summer sausage or bologna. Always removed before eating.

For the strictest carnivore approach, look for sausages in natural or collagen casings.

How Do You Make Your Own Carnivore Sausage?

Making sausage at home is the surest way to know exactly what is in your food. You do not even need a sausage stuffer for the simplest version:

Basic carnivore breakfast sausage patties:

• 2 pounds ground pork (not too lean, 70/30 or 80/20 is ideal)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Optional: sage, black pepper, thyme

Mix the meat and salt together thoroughly, form into patties, and cook in a pan or on a griddle. That is it. These freeze well and can be reheated quickly for easy meals.

For stuffed sausages you will need natural casings and a sausage stuffer attachment for your stand mixer or a dedicated stuffer. The basic process is the same: mix ground meat with fat and salt, then stuff into casings. Countless tutorials are available online for the mechanical process.

The beauty of homemade sausage is that you control the fat ratio. Carnivore dieters generally prefer a higher fat content than commercial sausages offer, so you can grind your own blend using fattier cuts or adding extra beef tallow or pork fat.

How Do Sausages Fit Into Carnivore Meals?

Sausages are incredibly versatile in the carnivore kitchen:

• Breakfast: Sausage patties or links alongside eggs and bacon is a classic carnivore breakfast.
• Quick dinner: Grilled or pan-fried sausages with a side of ground beef patties make a filling meal in under 15 minutes.
• Batch cooking: Cook a dozen sausages at once and refrigerate for easy grab-and-go meals throughout the week.
• Added to bone broth: Slice cooked sausage into hot broth for a hearty soup.
• Variety: Rotating between different sausage styles (bratwurst one night, Italian the next) helps keep the carnivore diet interesting.

Where Should You Buy Sausages?

Your best sources for clean carnivore-friendly sausages:

• Local butcher shops: Many make sausages in-house with simple ingredients. Ask them what goes into their recipe. Butchers are usually happy to share and may even make custom batches.
• Farmers markets: Small-scale producers often use traditional recipes with minimal additives.
• Specialty online retailers: Companies like US Wellness Meats and ButcherBox offer sausages made from pasture-raised animals with clean ingredients.
• Grocery stores: Read every label. Even within the same brand, different flavors may have vastly different ingredient lists. Store-brand Italian sausage is often surprisingly clean.

Sausages are a practical, delicious, and affordable addition to the carnivore diet when you choose wisely. They add variety to your meals without compromising on your dietary principles. For more on what belongs on your carnivore plate, visit our carnivore diet foods hub page.