homemade sausage
In this recipe I used parsley, garlic and nutmeg and pork, but feel free to experiments with the flavorings and ground meat of your choice. I’ve adapted this recipe from Italian Country Cooking: The Secrets of Cucina Povera by Loukie Werle.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic, with the inside green little sprouts removed
- 4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 lbs. of ground pork, if it’s ground coarsely it’s even better (you can also use beef, veal, chicken or turkey)
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- a pinch of freshly-ground nutmeg
Making homemade sausage
Prepare the garlic by removing their skins, slicing them in half, and removing their internal green sprout.
Removing the sprout is important because it lends bitterness to a dish and can also cause intestinal discomfort to boot.
Place 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt and 3 garlic cloves in a mortar.
Crush to a paste.
Add 4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.
In a large mixing bowl, add 2 lbs. of ground pork meat along with the 1 cup of chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes (optional), 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, a pinch of nutmeg, and the salt, garlic and vinegar mixture.
Mix very well. At this point, you may want to test the sausage’s flavor by frying a small patty in a pan. Add a little more salt or spices if required. Then, divide the mixture into 5 – 7 parts and shape them to resemble sausages. You can also roll them with your hands. Wrap each sausage with clear food wrap, twisting or tying the ends, and refrigerate.
I’ve found they taste even better if you allow them to ‘cure’ for 24 – 48 hours in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them for later use if the ground pork you used has never been frozen before. Makes enough to be used in 2 separate dishes (meals) that amply feeds a family of four.
