Lexi Webster
Sausages are a versatile and tasty ingredient used in a wide range of dishes, from sausage rolls to stews. While it may seem daunting to make your own sausages at home, it is a fun and rewarding project that allows you to control the ingredients and create a truly delicious product. In this article, we will guide you through the process of making pork sausages, specifically tailored for those in Australia. From choosing the right meat and seasonings to the step-by-step process of mixing, grinding, and stuffing your sausages, we will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to become a master sausage maker in your own kitchen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Pork, fat, salt, and flavourings |
| Meat Type | Pork |
| Fat Content | At least 20%, but can go as high as 50% |
| Liquid | Red wine, water, fruit juice, wine, cream, beer, vinegar, etc. |
| Seasoning | Salt, paprika, chilli, oregano, coriander, cumin, dried chillies, etc. |
| Casing | Hog casings, synthetic collagen casings, caul fat |
| Equipment | Meat grinder, sausage making attachment, food pusher, bowl, sausage making nozzle |
| Process | Chop and freeze pork and fat, grind meat, mix with seasoning and liquid, feed through grinder, attach nozzle, push meat through, tie a knot in the casing |
| Variations | Italian sausage, North African sausage, Caribbean sausage, breakfast sausage, sausage rolls |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your pork
When choosing your pork, it's important to select a cut that has a good amount of fat marbling. This will ensure your sausages are juicy and flavourful. Aim for a ratio of 70% lean meat to 30% fat. You can go as high as 50% fat, but this may be too rich for some palates. If you prefer a leaner sausage, opt for a ratio of 80% meat to 20% fat.
For Australian sausage-making, it is recommended to use pork mince or ground pork. This can be purchased from most grocery stores or butchers. If you are using a meat grinder, you can cut your pork into 5cm chunks and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes before grinding.
Some recipes suggest adding bacon to your sausage mix. Finely chop and mix through the pork to add a salty, juicy flavour. You can also add vegetables to your sausage mix, such as eggplant, mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, or onion and celery, which can be sautéed beforehand to add sweetness.
If you are making patties, you can use ordinary pork mince, as the fat content will ensure your patties are juicy. However, if you are making links, you will need to use casings. These can be purchased online as synthetic collagen casings, or you can ask your butcher for hog casings or caul fat.
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Adding spices and flavourings
Sausages are a simple combination of ground meat, fat, salt, and flavourings. The fun part about making sausages at home is that you can make them your own by adding your choice of herbs and spices.
A good sausage is all about balance. You can add as many or as few herbs and spices as you like, but the key is to ensure that the spices and herbs complement each other and do not overpower the flavour of the meat.
You can use a spice blend or individual spices. A typical spice blend includes sage powder, thyme, garlic and onion powder, black pepper, salt, and a touch of sugar. Sage powder is the secret ingredient that gives the sausages a distinctive "pork sausage" flavour. You can also experiment with other spices like coriander, cumin, paprika, dried chillies, and chilli flakes. If you want to make a breakfast-style sausage, add poultry seasoning and ground or freshly grated ginger.
For an Italian sausage, you can add paprika, chiles, and oregano. For a Caribbean twist, add a finely diced Scotch bonnet pepper. You can also add ingredients like garlic, onion, celery, and bacon to form the flavour base. Sautéing the garlic, onion, and celery together slowly makes them sweet and moist.
Liquids are also important as they help to tighten the bind in the sausage meat. You can use water, fruit juice, wine, cream, beer, or vinegar. However, if you are using cream, omit the vinegar as the cream will break.
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Using a meat grinder
To make pork sausages using a meat grinder, you will need a meat grinder with a sausage-making attachment, a sharp chopping board and knife, a freezer and refrigerator, and a stainless steel sausage nozzle.
Firstly, ensure that your meat grinder is set up securely on a bench or flat surface. Place a bowl underneath the fixing ring to collect the mince. It is important that all the ingredients are very cold, so place your bowls, grinder, and blade in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before using them.
Next, cut your meat and fat into small chunks (3-5cm) and keep them cold in a bowl over ice. Cut the fat slightly smaller than the meat. You can also add your seasonings at this stage and mix them through the meat.
Now you are ready to start grinding. Feed the meat and fat into the grinder, combining it with pieces of fat to achieve an even blend. You can grind the meat once or twice, depending on your preference. If grinding twice, some people recommend freezing the meat between grinds.
Once you have finished grinding, place the meat back in the refrigerator while preparing for the next stage. If you are using a sausage casing, rinse it to remove any salt, then thread it onto the sausage-making nozzle. Turn the power on and push the meat through until the mixture reaches the end of the nozzle. Tie a knot in the end of the casing, then push the sausage mixture through the grinder, using one hand to support the casing as it comes out. Leave a few centimetres of casing at the end and do not tie it off yet.
Finally, you can shape your sausages. Just divide the filling and roll them into large sausage shapes. Cover them tightly and drop them in the fridge for 24 hours or the freezer for a month.
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Preparing the casings
First, source your casings. You can purchase synthetic collagen casings online, but if you prefer natural casings, you can ask your local butcher for hog casings, which are essentially scrubbed and salted pig intestines. Another option is to request caul fat from your butcher. This is the fat that surrounds a pig's innards and can be used as a sausage wrapper.
Once you have your casings, you need to prepare them for stuffing. If using hog casings, rinse them thoroughly in cold water to remove any excess salt. If using caul fat, cut it into pieces after moistening it with warm water.
Next, you'll want to thread the casings onto your sausage-making attachment. This step can be a bit tricky, so take your time. Carefully slide the casing onto the nozzle, ensuring it is secure and won't slip off when you start adding the meat mixture.
Finally, tie a knot at one end of the casing. This will ensure that your sausage mixture stays contained within the casing as you begin to fill it.
Now that your casings are prepared, you can move on to the exciting part of filling them with your delicious pork sausage mixture!
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Cooking and serving
Once you've made your sausages, you'll want to cook and serve them. Sausages are a versatile food that can be cooked in a variety of ways and served as part of many different meals.
Cooking
Sausages can be grilled, pan-fried, or baked. They can also be added to stews. If you've made sausage rolls, you'll want to bake them. To cook your sausages, heat some oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausages for 4 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are browned and cooked through. If you're cooking sausage patties, form the mixture into 1cm-thick patties, making a shallow dent in the middle of each one to prevent doming. Cook them for 4 minutes in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Serving
Sausages can be served in many ways. For a classic option, serve them with garlic rice or roast potatoes and steamed greens. For breakfast, they can be served with scrambled eggs on toast or with eggs and cheese in a breakfast burger. Sausage rolls are a popular Australian appetiser, often served at gatherings.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need pork, fat, salt, and flavourings. The pork and fat should be chopped into 5cm chunks and placed in the freezer for 30 minutes. For flavourings, you can use any combination of herbs and spices you like.
You will need a meat grinder with a sausage-making attachment, and casings. You can buy synthetic collagen casings online, or you can ask your butcher for hog casings or caul fat.
First, combine your chosen flavourings in a bowl and set aside. Next, push the meat through the grinder into a bowl. Add the seasoning to the meat and mix through evenly with your hands or a spoon. Feed the mixture through the grinder a second time, then attach the sausage-making nozzle to the grinder. Rinse the casings to remove any salt, then thread them onto the nozzle. Turn the power on and push the meat through until it reaches the end of the nozzle. Tie a knot in the end of the casing.
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