Making homemade Italian sausage is easier than you might think. Turn pork shoulder into sausage with a few spices and some fresh herbs to build flavor. This recipe makes a large batch, so you can freeze the extra and always have sausage ready for your favorite meals.
Making homemade sausage
One of the main reasons I like making Italian sausage at home is the cost. Buying pre-made sausage, especially good-quality sausage, can get expensive. By starting with a pork shoulder and grinding it myself, I get a much better price per pound and end up with enough for several meals. I try to wait until bone-in pork shoulders go on sale, and then purchase to make my sausage.
I also like know exactly what goes into my sausage. There are no fillers, preservatives, or mystery ingredients. The herbs and spices can easily be adjusted to suit your needs. I like to use red pepper flakes for a bit of spice, but you could easily omit it, or even double the amount.
Grinding my own meat lets me control both the texture and the fat content. I usually choose a well-marbled bone-in pork shoulder. The bone-in is usually cheaper than a boneless. Some meat counters will remove the bone for you for no extra charge. Be certain to let them know it's for sausage. You don't want them to discard any of the fat.
This Italian sausage freezes well. I portion it into smaller amounts and freeze it in vacuum seal bags and store in the freezer.
Key ingredients for Italian sausage
- Pork Shoulder - I prefer to buy bone-in pork shoulder. It's cheaper, and often still contains the fat on top of the shoulder. The fat is essential when making Italian sausage. You want about an 80/20 mix of meat to fat. Without the fat, you may end up with a dry, crumbly sausage.
- Fresh Herbs - I use oregano, basil, and Italian parsley. If you prefer to use dry or fresh isn't available, you'll need to reduce the amount used. Plan on using one teaspoon of the dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh. For this recipe, you'll need 3 tablespoons of the dried.
- Spices - You'll need fennel seeds, paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, granulated garlic (garlic powder), black pepper, and salt.
- Red Wine - The wine adds flavor and also helps add more liquid to the sausage. Use a wine you enjoy to drink, and avoid using a sweet wine. A dry white wine can also be used. Measure out the amount of wine your are using and refrigerate it. It needs to be well chilled before adding it to the sausage.
Equipment needed
- Meat Grinder - We grind a lot of meat in our house so we have a heavy-duty meat grinder. A good option for a smaller amount of grinder is a KitchenAid Meat Grinder Attachment.
Making the sausage
- Cut meat into large 2-inch pieces, or small enough to fit through the feed tube of your grinder. Remove any bones, sinew or connective tissue.
- Place in freezer for 10-20 minutes. This makes it easier to grind and ensures it is very cold.
- Grind on the small die into a bowl set in ice.
- The meat and fat should come through the grinder cleanly. The meat and fat should look distinct and should be coming through each hole. If the meat looks smeared or mushy, turn off the grinder and clear out the tube and clean the blade of any sinew.
- Add remain ingredients and begin mixing everything together. I find it best to use my hands. You are combining all the seasoning into the meat and you are also creating "the bind". This happens when the meat begins to become sticky. The meat is done when you can take a small 3-inch patty, and press it into the palm of your hand. Turn your hand upside down. If the sausage sticks, it is mixed sufficiently. If not, mix for a bit longer. Don't overmix, because this can create a dry sausage.
- Test your sausage. Take a small amount and cook it in a pan. Taste to see if you need to adjust your seasoning.
- Measure out your meat to create smaller portions. I packaged in one pound portions.
- Place in freezer-safe bags or vacuum seal bags.
- Use fresh within 3-5 days or freeze until ready to use.
Recipe tips
- It's important to keep the meat as cold as possible. If the meat warms too much, it can break (the fat and protein can separate while cooking resulting in a dry, crumbly sausage.)
- Keep the meat well chilled before cutting into cubes.
- Place the cubes in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before grinding.
- Place the grinder and die in the refrigerator before using.
- Grind into a bowl that is placed in another container filled with ice.
- Remove as much sinew as possible when cutting your meat. The sinew can tangle on the blade and clog the die.
- If you prefer a spicier version, increase the red pepper flakes.
- You can also make this a sweet Italian sausage (sweet meaning the absence of heat) by omitting the red pepper flakes and the cayenne pepper.
- Keep notes of any seasoning adjustments you'd like to make for next time. That way you can adjust the next batch to your taste. Maybe you'd prefer more garlic, more red pepper flakes, less fennel seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh sausage can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. The sausage may also be frozen to store longer.
When stored in a deep freezer, the sausage is best if used within one year. After a year, the quality may start to decline, but it will still be safe to eat.
Delicious recipes using Italian sausage
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach
- Baked Rigatoni
- Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce
- One Pot Pasta, Pepper, and Onions
- Spinach Stuffed Shells
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious main dish recipes.
I used three different resources to develop this recipe; Charcuterie, a cookbook by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn, Bon Appetit magazine, July 2014, and a handwritten recipe from a friend.
Homemade Italian Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 pounds Pork shoulder (Cut into large 2 inch cubes)
- 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt (40 grams) (or other coarse salt)
- 4 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 4 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 4 tablespoons fresh oregano (4 grams) (finely minced)
- 4 tablespoons fresh basil (10 grams) (finely minced)
- 4 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley (10 grams) (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (11 grams)
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic (22 grams)
- 1 tablespoon black pepper (6 grams)
- ½ cup red wine (chilled)
Instructions
- Read through all instructions and notes before beginning. Step-by-step photos of the process can be found in the post above this recipe card.
- Cut meat into large 2-inch pieces, or small enough to fit through the feed tube of your grinder. Remove any bones, sinew or connective tissue.Place in freezer for 10-20 minutes. This makes it easier to grind and ensures it is very cold.
- Grind on the small die into a bowl set in ice. The meat and fat should come through the grinder cleanly. The meat and fat should look distinct and should be coming through each hole. If the meat looks smeared or mushy, turn off the grinder and clear out the tube and clean the blade of any sinew.
- Add remain ingredients and begin mixing everything together. I find it best to use my hands. You are combining all the seasoning into the meat and you are also creating "the bind". The bind is when the meat begins to become sticky. The bind has been developed when you can take a small 3-inch patty, and press it into the palm of your hand. Turn your hand upside down. If the sausage sticks, it is mixed sufficiently. If not, mix for a bit longer. Don't overmix, because this can create a dry sausage.
- Test your sausage. Take a small amount and cook it in a pan. Taste to see if you need to adjust your seasoning.
- Measure out your meat to create smaller portions. I packaged in one pound portions.
- Place in freezer-safe bags or vacuum seal bags. Use fresh within 3-5 days or freeze until ready to use.
Notes
-
- It's important to keep the meat as cold as possible. If the meat warms too much, it can break (the fat and protein can separate while cooking resulting in a dry, crumbly sausage.)
-
- Keep the meat well chilled before cutting into cubes.
-
- Place the cubes in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before grinding.
-
- Place the grinder and die in the refrigerator before using.
-
- Grind into a bowl that is placed in another container filled with ice.
-
- It's important to keep the meat as cold as possible. If the meat warms too much, it can break (the fat and protein can separate while cooking resulting in a dry, crumbly sausage.)
-
- Remove as much sinew as possible when cutting your meat. The sinew can tangle on the blade and clog the die.
-
- If you prefer a spicier version, increase the red pepper flakes.
-
- You can also make this a sweet Italian sausage (sweet meaning the absence of heat) by omitting the red pepper flakes and the cayenne pepper.
-
- Keep notes of any seasoning adjustments you'd like to make for next time. That way you can adjust the next batch to your taste. Maybe you'd prefer more garlic, more red pepper flakes, less fennel seeds.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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