Imagine the sad, drab, tasteless life that you’d be living if you were forced to eat sausage without a squiggle of mustard running down the length of it. The perfect mustard slaps every taste bud on your tongue and helps brighten up the flavor of even the fattiest links. Seriously, what were sausages made for if not to be paired with mustard? Whether you’re looking to make a meal out of things or just want a quick bite while watching a ballgame on the couch, make sure you’re doing it right by reaching for the right mustard to go with the sausage in your bun.
Fat Tire Beer Bratwurst + Maille Whole Grain Mustard
Would I mix beer and wine if I were out drinking the night away? Probably not, but you can’t argue that the essence of beer in these Fat Tire beer brats doesn’t pair nicely with the white wine flavor in this Maille mustard. During Sporked‘s bratwurst taste test, Fat Tire’s brats blew the team away with their supremely porky flavor and subtle, hoppy undertones. This Maille mustard was also a big hit with the team—with its whole mustard seeds suspended in white wine-tinged brine, it’s like the caviar of mustards. This is one of those great high-low pairings—you’ve got your beer and you’ve got your fancy wine all in one. Create a booze lover’s dream brat by pairing these two beauts.
Read the full ranking of the best bratwurst and the best whole grain mustard
Beyond Sausage Brat Original + Kosciusko Spicy Brown Mustard
Beyond Sausage makes a vegan brat that truthfully leaves little to be desired. These faux sausages have a craveable sausage snap and an indescribable “meat” flavor that’s so eerily similar to the real thing, you may just think you got your brats mixed up. Because these are basically every bit as good as brats from a butcher shop, we’re pairing them with this authentic Polish spicy brown mustard. Not only does Kosciusko Spicy Brown Mustard come in an adorable little barrel, it bills itself as the “original” spicy brown mustard. It’s horseradish-y, spicy, and a little bit bitter. If you’ve gone vegan but still find yourself missing the ballpark brats of your childhood, this is the pairing for you.
Read the full rankings of the best vegan sausage and the best spicy brown mustard
Johnsonville Italian Sausage + Great Value Dijon Mustard
If there’s one thing I learned from my Italian grandfather, it’s that you can and should add Dijon mustard to any meat you put on your plate. Pork tenderloin? Put some mustard on it. Chicken? Of course. Italian sausage? 1000%. And he’s not wrong about it. It may seem like a clash of cultures, but spicy, tangy Dijon mustard truly feels like it was made to go on a rich, fatty Italian sausage. Great Value Dijon Mustard is surprisingly well rounded for a budget product—it’s sharp, vinegary, and smooth, and it has the kind of spice that hits you right in the nostrils—a nice complement to the subtle, tongue-warming heat of hot Johnsonville’s hot Italian sausage. Pairing an Italian sausage with a French mustard might sound weird, but believe us (and my grandfather), it works.
Read the full rankings of the best Italian sausage and the best dijon mustard
Bar-S Cheddar Hot Links + Kroger Yellow Mustard
Just when you thought sausages couldn’t get any better, some absolute madman went and put cheddar in them. I mean, just pack it up and go home, everyone—this is the best food creation and I’m pretty sure it can’t be outdone. These cheddar hot links from Bar S are so rich and decadent that a tart, straight-forward yellow mustard makes the perfect sausage and mustard pairing. Cut the richness of these “cheesy, snappy, and spicy” sausages with a squiggle of a supremely tangy yellow mustard. When the Sporked crew taste tested yellow mustard, no one expected that Kroger would come out on top, but this mustard is really that good. It’s the perfect mustard with a cheddar hot link, but, to be totally honest, this mustard will go with pretty much any sausage you have on hand.
Read the full rankings of the best stuffed sausages and the best yellow mustard
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