Anyone can make homemade sausage. I never realized how easy it was until I started doing it myself. It doesn't take to long, the ingredients are super cheap for what it yields, and it's delicious!
EQUIPMENT:
INGREDIENTS:
Boneless pork shoulder
Pork fat back (optional)
2% salt
Your choice of flavorings and seasonings
Mild Italian:
3 pounds (1300g) pork shoulder
1/4 pound (113g) pork fat back
2.5 Tbsp (29g) kosher salt
1 Tbsp (6g) coriander seeds
1 Tbsp (6g) fennel seeds
2 tsp (5g) black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Bratwurst:
2 pounds (907g) boneless pork shoulder
1/3 pound (151g) pork fat back
2 Tbsp (22g) kosher salt
1 tsp (3g) black pepper, fine ground
1/2 tsp (3g) mace or allspice
Small pinch savory *optional*
2 tsp (5g) dry mustard
Merguez:
3 pounds (1300g) boneless lamb shoulder
1/2 pound (226g) pork fat back
3 Tbsp (33g) kosher salt
2 tsp (6g) cumin seeds
1 tsp (2g) fennel seeds
1 tsp (3g) sumac
1 tsp (2g) ground cinnamon
7 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup (60g) harissa paste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Method:
Take the weight of all of your meat and fat in grams and multiple it by 0.02. That will give you a 2% weight of exactly how much salt you need to use for every pound.
If you’re using natural hog casings, make sure you take them out of the packaging and rinse their salt cure off and let it sit in warm water for about 30 minutes.
Mild:
Start with 3 pounds of boneless pork shoulder and ¼ pound of pork fatback. Cut the fat into pieces.
To make your spice mix: combine fennel seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns in a dry pan set over medium heat. Roast them by shaking the pan often until they’re fragrant (about 2-3 minutes.) Once that’s done, grind them up in a spice grinder until they’re nice and fine.
Mix in kosher salt and combine with your meat; along with 3 cloves of finely minced garlic. Mix your ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated.
Run your meat through the grinder accordingly.
Bratwurst:
Toss your meat with freshly ground black pepper, mace or allspice, dried savory, and dried mustard.
Massage together and run it through the grinder as before.
Merguez:
Toss your meat with ground cumin and fennel seeds, sumac, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Mix together and add in your harissa paste and 7 cloves of minced garlic.
Run through the grinder as before.
To stuff your casings:
The first thing you need to do is emulsify the meat and fat together by kneading it like a piece of dough.
Attach your stuffing tube to your grinder attachment, screwing it on tight. Rub the tube with a little bit of oil and slide on a single casing; leaving 1 ½ inches of overhang.
Start up your stuffer on low speed and add in your ground meat, slowly filling up your casing; pulling the casing when necessary to allow it to flow downward.
Repeat this process until you’ve filled the entire casing, making sure to leave another 1 ½ inch of overhang on the other side.
Once your sausage is 5-6 inches long, start with the farthest end and pinch it with both hands to close both ends. Twist the sausage to tighten. Repeat with remaining sausage links.
Place your links on a baking sheet and leave in the fridge for 4 hours or ideally overnight to allow the casings to dry out. Make sure to flip them over halfway through.
To cook:
Place your sausage in a pot with just enough water to cover. Gently poach them over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Then sear in a pan.
