Gyulai or Csabai? – On the hunt for the best Hungarian sausage
The million-dollar question, the source of conflicts in many-many Hungarian households – which famous sausage is better? That’s the question we are trying to find the answer to.
No wonder why Gyulai and Csabai sausages have earned their status on the list of Hungarikums – which is the collection of Hungarian values. According to magyarorszagom.hu, they are precious to both Hungarians and visitors of Hungary, and expat relatives always request them, too. Still, you might wonder when standing in front of the sausage aisle in the supermarket, which one do I take home?
What is the difference? First of all, do not worry, because there is no wrong decision here; both of them are delicious. Basically, both are paprika flavoured sausages, but while Csabai is specifically spicy and is made with caraway, Gyulai is flavoured with pepper. Another difference is in their diameter size; Gyulai is stuffed into the pork’s small intestine (30-35 mm), and Csabai is stuffed into the large intestine (40-55 mm).
Gyulai sausage is made exclusively with typical Hungarian ingredients. The award-winning sausage also has a protected geographical status, so it is produced within the administrative boundaries of Gyula and Békéscsaba. Nowadays it is known all over the world, but once it started as a small family business: József Balogh started selling his homemade sausages, bacon and head cheese in 1882. One day he sent a delicious package to his friend in Paris, who encouraged him to sign up to the Brussels International Exposition of 1910, from where Balogh returned home with a gold medal. The Gyulai sausage earned another gold in 1935, and they started trademarking the product but then the second world war kicked in, completely destroying the meat plant. In 1948, the company was secularised, and then in 1992, it became a joint-stock company named Gyulai Húskombinát.
The Csabai sausage also originates from the 19th century but it only really became well-known between the two world wars. It also has a protected geographical status and is made with specific ingredients; strictly without black pepper. Until 1890, people in the “Csaba” area did not keep enough pigs to produce sausages, but after the first world war, keeping meat-type pigs became the norm instead of mangalitza, and Csabai sausages became popular between the two world wars. The large-scale production of the Spicy Csabai started after the company was secularised.
To answer the above-proposed question: both sausages are unique and tasty, so let the personal preferences decide, which one is the best.
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Source: magyarorszagom.hu
They are all horrible. Problem solved.
They are both excellent. I love them both.
#Andrew: I commend you upon your ability to eat spicy gristle. It’s not the spices that put me off, far from it. It’s the rest of it.
Being Hungarian myself love both. When I visit Hungary all I eat is the sausages and cheese. It took a long time to be able to purchase these sausages in the US. But found the connection to be able to buy them. Can’t get enough to eat. We had a few old timers who were making the sausage. But have passed and the younger generation wasn’t interested in learning how to make them. The other problem not too many slaughter houses to purchase the meats.
I used to buy the Csabai and Gyulai from a manufacturer in Illinois / USA. Now I can only get the Gyulai from them for some reason. They were / are wonderful products. Clean, consistent, very well made, with obvious care for both quality and appearance. The taste is superlative – to me they are best smoked pork sausages I have ever tasted, and I have tasted a great many types.
As to people like “Anonymous” here, he / she / it hides their identity for good and obvious reasons.
I am not Hungarian, however my best friend of over 40 years was born of Hungarian parents so I was lucky enough to eat this occasionally amongst many other typical Hungarian things. They are both delicious!