Sausage 2

Making sausage from scratch gives you full control over the spice blend and the meat-to-fat ratio. This recipe uses a 50/50 split of ground pork shoulder and beef brisket for a sausage that’s rich but not heavy.

The spice mix leans Italian with aniseed, basil, and oregano, but the cumin and red pepper flakes push it somewhere more interesting. Sage ties everything together the way it does in any good sausage.

You’ve got two options here: stuff the meat into casings for links that you can smoke low and slow, or roll it into a log and slice patties for the grill or frying pan. The casings give you that snap when you bite through. Patties are faster and don’t need any special equipment beyond your hands.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the meat cold. Warm meat smears instead of binding. Chill your grinder parts in the freezer for 20 minutes before stuffing.
• Mix the spices thoroughly into the ground meat with your hands. Uneven seasoning means some bites are bland and others are too salty.
• Don’t overstuff casings. Leave a little slack so the sausage can expand during cooking without bursting.
• For patties, use wax paper between layers for easy separation when freezing.

Variations

• Smoky hot links: Add smoked paprika and extra red pepper flakes, then smoke the links for a deeper char flavor.
• Fennel Italian sausage: Replace the aniseed with crushed fennel seed for a more traditional Italian profile.
• Breakfast style: Drop the cumin and aniseed, increase the sage, and add a touch of maple syrup for sweet morning patties.