Swedish Christmas Sausage

Directions

Get hog casings from your butcher.

You may need to order them ahead of time.

Pick up casings the day before you make the sausage and soak them overnight in a mild salt brine in your refrigerator.

Rinse with cold water before using.

Make mashed potatoes (packaged are fine).

Chop onions finely and sauté in a little Crisco.

Do not let brown. Cool. Mix very thoroughly meat, mashed potatoes, onions, allspice, salt, pepper, bay leaves, oregano, powdered cloves and stock.

Put a little vegetable oil on spout of grinder or sausage machine.

Fry a pinch of mixture in Crisco to test the flavor.

Add more seasonings if you need them. Flavor of allspice is important but should be subtle.

Mixture should be light.

Add more stock if needed.

Rinse casings in cold water and cut into 16-inch pieces (approximately).

Tie one end of each section. Fill grinder or sausage machine with meat mixture.

Ease end of casing (about 2 inches) onto spout.

Turn handle slowly. Stop turning 1½ inches from end of casing.

Don’t pack sausage casing too tightly.

Remove from spout and tie second end. Put in Baggies and freeze or refrigerate in a mild salt brine with Saltpeter, not more than 4 or 5 days.

To cook, defrost and set oven at 250 degrees.

In an open shallow pan, put 2 tablespoons of Crisco and ½ cup water (or just ½ cup water).

Place sausages in pan and cook for 45 minutes.

Turn once to brown evenly. At the end of 45 minutes, if not completely browned, turn heat to 350 degrees, but watch sausages so as not to burn them.

For dinner, cut in 1½-inch pieces.