Choosing Your Sausage

• The sausages used in commercial pickled-sausage production are fully cooked before the pickling process. They're usually a variety of smoked sausage, such as Polish sausage, with a robust flavor that won't be overwhelmed by the pickling vinegar. Some brands are made with extra-spicy sausages or an extra-spicy pickling solution, for the same reason. When you're making them at home, you can choose any sausage you like, but it should be cooked before you begin the pickling process. Cooking your sausages in the pickling solution introduces impurities and cooking juices that can harbor bacteria and affect food safety.

The Pickle

• The pickling process is the same as for pickled eggs. Combine equal parts water and ordinary white vinegar; bring them to a boil with your choice of seasoning ingredients. Common seasonings include chili pepper flakes or cayenne, black peppercorns, onions, garlic, allspice, bay leaves, cloves and mustard seeds. Some cooks add a small amount of sugar to moderate the sharpness of the vinegar, and several drops of red food coloring give your sausages the vivid color of the commercial product. Simmer the pickling solution for at least 30 minutes, so the flavors can meld. Unless your range hood has an extra-powerful vent fan, pickle them outdoors or with your kitchen windows wide open. The fumes can become distressingly potent.

The Sausages

• While the pickling solution is cooking, sterilize your jars by rinsing them with boiling water. Commercial sausages are often sold in gallon jars, but that's awfully large for home use. Quart mason jars are a better option unless you're a serious pickled-sausage lover. Cut thin, hot dog-sized sausages in halves, or thicker sausages into thirds or quarters, to allow the pickling solution to soak in more rapidly. Pack your jars loosely with sausages, and pour in enough pickling solution to fill the jars within a half-inch of the top. Seal the jars immediately.

Storage and Use

• It will take two to five days before your sausages have fully absorbed the flavors of the pickling solution, so you'll need to be patient. After that, the longer they stay in the jar, the more powerful their flavors will become. Commercially pickled sausages are processed under pressure, making them food-safe at room temperatures for an indefinite length of time. Yours aren't, so you need to keep them in the refrigerator to ensure food safety. Transfer sausages to a serving dish or appetizer plate when you're entertaining, and leave the rest of the jar safely in your refrigerator.