What makes smoked sausage red in color?
Many different factors can contribute to the characteristic red hue of smoked sausage, depending on the ingredients and preparation of that particular type of sausage. Flavorings, preservatives or the smoking process itself can cause that rich red color.Smoking MeatsSmoking meats adds flavor, helps preserve them or cooks them thoroughly by exposing them to burning organic material, most often wood chips.ChemistryWood is mostly comprised of sugar in the form of cellulose. When burned, these sugars caramelize and form carbonyls, molecules with double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms. This process gives smoked meats their reddish tint and earthy flavors.FlavoringsCertain flavorings added to sausage, particularly peppers, can also contribute to their red color. For example, Spanish chorizo usually contains paprika, giving it a bright-red color, whether smoked or not.PreservativesNitrates or nitrites are usually added to cured meats to slow the spoilage process and might be added to some smok
