saucisse de Morteau

A smoked pork sausage available all across France, saucisse de Morteau is from the Haut-Daubs in Franche-Comté and often finds its way into choucroute garnie and bean dishes.

The sausages are smoked in a special tall building called a tuyé (several in the area are open for visits). These allows for very slow smoking, especially important when making the large version, called the Jésus de Morteau (or Jésu de Morteau) so named because it’s often served at Christmas... and can weigh up to a kilo. Both kinds are designated IGP and Label Rouge.

Surprisingly, it’s not the only sausage named after Jesus— see the saucisson Jésus de Lyon.