Johnsonville Italian Sausage

In the past, I have recommended Johnsonville Italian sausage in several of my recipes, Well I now must emphatically withdraw that recommendation as it has changed!

Since the introduction of the crescent shaped yellow Styrofoam tray, the fat content has skyrocketed and the spice balance has shifted to a point where it taints my recipes with an undesirable flavor. I recently fried a single link of their Hot Italian sausage and was amazed to find almost three tablespoons of rendered fat was in the pan around the meat - unacceptable. I know this isn't a scientific test, but it's enough to disgust me. As far as the Sweet Italian, there now is a noticeable hot tinge to the flavor, again messing up my Sausage and Red Pepper sandwich recipe.

I have called the company on two separate occasions to report my findings and both times I have been told that there hasn't been any changes made. Well since the calls, I have purchased at least a dozen packages of the Sweet and Hot verities only to find them consistently bad.

Out of desperation, I have purchases a package of Kroger house brand Italian sausage and find it to be much better, but more trials are necessary on other brands to find a suitable replacement.