Proteins

Horse Sausage

Central Asian cured sausage made from horse meat and fat, a festive specialty.

Horse sausage is a Central Asian delicacy made from horse meat and fat, known as kazy or chuchuk in Kazakh and Kyrgyz cuisine. It is salted, sometimes smoked, and stuffed into casings, then boiled and sliced for festive tables. The meat is lean and rich, with a distinctive savory flavor central to nomadic culinary tradition.

Horse sausage is a cured or fresh sausage made from lean horse meat and horse fat, deeply rooted in the pastoral traditions of Central Asia. Unlike mass-produced Western sausages that rely on pork fat for richness, horse sausage uses firm, white horse fat incorporated in precise proportions—traditionally about one-third fat to two-thirds lean meat—creating a dense, slightly sweet, mildly gamey product that is notably leaner than beef, comparable to venison. The finest qazy is made from horses slaughtered in late autumn after the animals have been fattened for winter, when the meat carries the best flavor and the fat is at its firmest. The meat is worked while still cold, combined with minimal seasoning—salt, black pepper, garlic, and sometimes cumin or coriander—stuffed into horse intestine casings, and hung in a shaded, ventilated space to cure slowly over several weeks. The result should have a firm but yielding texture and a balanced sweetness.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Qazy

Kazakh air-dried sausage; the most celebrated variety, often made from select horse meat and fat, stuffed in horse intestine, and hung to cure for several weeks

Chuqtu

Kyrgyz variant similar to qazy; regional variations in spice blends and fat-to-meat ratios

Kazy

Russian-language term for horse sausage across Central Asia and Siberia; may refer to any preparation method from raw-fresh to fully cured

Kazy-Lyulya

Fresh, uncured horse sausage sold at markets; must be cooked before eating

Horse Salami

Italian and some European preparations; finer ground, heavily cured, may be smoked; shorter casing, sliceable thin

Saucisse de Cheval

French horse sausage; often fresh or lightly cured, seasoned with wine or herbs

Paardenworst

Dutch and Belgian horse sausage; typically smoked and cooked, sold ready-to-eat

The Qazy Standard

When evaluating cured horse sausage, qazy sets the benchmark for quality. The casing should be firm and dry to the touch, indicating a proper cure. Within, the fat should appear translucent or ivory—not gray, yellow, or soft. The meat itself should be deep red to mahogany in color, with a faint sweetness on the nose rather than any acidic or ammonia-like sharpness. A properly cured qazy will yield slightly under gentle pressure and bend rather than snap. If the sausage feels hard and brittle, it has over-cured; if it feels soft or mushy, discard it.

Common uses

Sliced razor-thin as an appetizer or part of a Central Asian-style charcuterie board with pickled vegetablesFried or grilled until the exterior crisps and served alongside naan or flatbreadsChopped into noodle dishes such as lagman or hand-pulled noodle soupsAdded to hearty meat soups and stews during winter monthsServed as an honor course at wedding feasts and celebrations in Kazakhstan and KyrgyzstanFried with onions and eggs for a traditional breakfast or snackEaten raw in thin slices when properly cured, as a tasting preparation

Tips & pitfalls

When buying fresh (uncured) horse sausage, cook it thoroughly before eating—do not consume raw
For cured qazy, the casing should be firm and the fat within should appear translucent or ivory, not gray
Store cured horse sausage wrapped in cloth or paper in the refrigerator; plastic traps moisture and degrades texture
Let cured sausage come to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before slicing; cold sausage shatters rather than slicing cleanly
Use a long, sharp knife with a gentle sawing motion to achieve paper-thin slices characteristic of proper presentation
If the sausage tastes excessively gamey or sour, it may be over-aged or improperly cured; discard if the odor is ammonia-like
When frying horse sausage, render the fat first over medium heat, then crisp the casing—this fat is prized for cooking other foods
Horse fat remains firm at room temperature, unlike pork fat; this is normal and not a sign of quality loss

Nutrition

155kcal

Energy

649 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 50%Carbs 1%Fat 49%

Protein

18.8g

38% DV

Carbs

0.5g

0% DV

Fat

8.1g

10% DV

Fiber

0% DV

Sugars

of which

Sodium

593mg

26% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin B1254% DV

Niacin (B3)29% DV

Zinc28% DV

Vitamin B625% DV

Riboflavin (B2)18% DV

Phosphorus14% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Sausage, turkey, fresh, raw

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

Egg Sausage
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€3.79
Egg Sausage
SALGOT · kg · Bonpreu
€4.99
Pork Sausage
BONPREU DE L'ERA · kg · Bonpreu
€5.99
Fresh Sausage
640 g · Mercadona
€3.62
Rabbit Sausage
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€6.75
Catalan Sausage
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€1.89

Good to know

Primary Regions: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Buryatia, Yakutia, Caucasus
Meat Type: Lean horse meat with incorporated horse fat
Curing Method: Air-dried, lightly smoked, or gently cooked
Flavor Profile: Slightly sweet, mildly gamey, lean and dense texture
Typical Preparation: Stuffed into horse or beef intestine casings
Traditional Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, garlic, sometimes cumin or coriander
Shelf Life: Cured varieties keep several weeks refrigerated; smoked versions keep longer
Fat Content: Horse fat is typically firm and white, incorporated as chunks or ribbons within the lean meat
Festive Significance: Central to celebrations including Nauryz, wedding feasts, and seasonal slaughter festivals
Cultural Status: Considered a delicacy and honor food in Kazakh and Kyrgyz traditions

Substitutes

Lean lamb sausage — Offers similar leanness and mild gamey character; not as sweet; best for soups and fried applications
Venison or wild game sausage — Comparable lean texture and gamey depth; available in specialty markets; adjust seasoning to account for stronger flavor
Beef kielbasa or Polish smoked sausage — Fattier and more heavily seasoned than horse sausage; use sparingly in traditional preparations as it will alter the dish's character
Smoked beef salami — Acceptable in appetizer applications; lacks the distinctive sweetness of horse meat but provides similar cured-meat function

Pairs with

Naan and flatbreadsPickled vegetablesHorse fat (salo)KumisBlack tea EggsOnions

Also called

Kazy · Chuchuk