Pork Sausage

Yield: about 2.5 kg finished sausage (≈5.5 lb), ~20–24 links (6–8 in each)

Ingredients

• 2.0 kg (4.4 lb) pork shoulder, partially chilled/frozen (about 80/20 lean-to-fat)
• 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) pork fatback or additional fatty pork
• 40 g kosher salt (≈2½ tbsp)
• 5 g Prague Powder #1 (optional cure) — follow manufacturer dosing if used
• 12 g sugar (≈1 tbsp)
• 12 g ground black pepper (≈2 tbsp)
• 10 g garlic powder (≈2 tsp) or 30 g fresh garlic, minced
• 8 g smoked paprika (≈1½ tsp)
• 6 g dried thyme (≈1½ tsp)
• 6 g ground coriander (≈1½ tsp)
• 4 g ground nutmeg (≈3/4 tsp)
• 200–300 ml cold water or crushed ice (for mixing)
• Natural hog casings, soaked and rinsed (about 10–15 m / enough for yield) Optional finishing: apple juice or beer (50–100 ml) to add to mix or for poaching

Equipment (brief)

• Meat grinder, sausage stuffer, thermometer, smoker or large pot

Method

1. Prep

• Soak and rinse natural hog casings in warm water; flush until clear. Keep refrigerated in salted water.
• Chill grinder parts and bowls. Cut meat and fat into 2–3 cm cubes and keep cold.

1. Cure & season

• Toss cubed meat and fat with salt, optional Prague Powder #1, sugar, and all spices. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to let salt start extracting proteins.

1. Grind

• Grind the chilled meat/fat through a coarse plate, then once more through a medium plate for a slightly coarse texture. Keep everything cold; work quickly.

1. Mix & bind

• Place ground meat in a chilled bowl. Add cold water or crushed ice gradually while mixing by hand or low-speed mixer until the mixture becomes tacky and holds together (protein extraction), ~2–4 minutes. Do not overheat (keep <10 °C / 50 °F). Test-season by frying a small pat; adjust salt/pepper/garlic if needed and re-mix.

1. Stuff

• Load stuffer and slide casing onto stuffing tube, leaving a tail. Stuff the sausage firmly but without over-packing. Twist into links of preferred length (6–8 in typical). Prick visible air pockets with a sterile needle.

1. Rest

• Hang or refrigerate links on a tray uncrowded for 6–12 hours to let the casings dry and flavors meld.

1. Cook options

• Smoke: Preheat smoker to 110–130 °C (230–265 °F) for hot smoking. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 68–71 °C (155–160 °F). For firmer texture, raise heat briefly to 190–200 °C (375–400 °F).
• Poach then brown: Gently poach sausages in simmering water (not boiling) to 68–71 °C (155–160 °F), then pan-sear or grill to color.
• Roast/bake: Bake at 190 °C (375 °F) until internal 68–71 °C (155–160 °F), then brown under broiler or in skillet.

1. Cool & store

• Cool quickly if not serving immediately. Refrigerate up to 3–5 days (longer if cured and vacuum sealed) or freeze for months.

Notes & tips

• Aim for a final fat content near 25–30% for juicy sausage. Adjust fat ratio if needed.
• Keep all surfaces and meat cold to avoid smearing/fat separation and to reduce bacterial risk.
• If using Prague Powder #1, follow manufacturer instructions exactly and label product as “cured.”
• For flavor variation: add 50 g grated onion (excess liquid squeezed out), 30–50 g chopped fresh parsley, or 25–30 g fennel seed (toast and crush).