How To Make Delicious Fresh Homemade Sausage

INGREDIENTS
10 pounds pork butt, coarsely ground (a ratio of about 80% meat to 20% fat)

½ cup fine sea salt

¼ cup hot pepper powder or
paprika

¼ cup crushed red chili pepper flakes

1 tablespoon whole black pepper, crushed with a mortar and pestle

½ cup red wine

1 cup sweet or hot pepper paste

32-35 mm natural hog casings (enough for 20 to 25 pounds of meat)

1 lemon, cut in quarters

Butcher’s twine

Sausage pricker or large sewing needle

METHOD
Spread the pork meat in a large metal or plastic tray. The pile should be approximately 3-inches high.

Evenly spread the salt, pepper powder, crushed red and black pepper, wine, and pepper paste onto the meat. Mix well.
In a cold room, let the mixture sit for approximately 2 hours.

To clean the casings, rinse them under cool running water, removing the salt they are packed in. Then fill the casings with cold water, discard the water, and repeat the process. Fill a bowl with cold water and place the casings and lemon in the bowl. Let soak for at least 2 hours. Keep them soaking right until the time of use. They must be moist when placed on the stuffing tube, otherwise they will be difficult to fill.

Put the casing on the stuffer tube and tie the end with the twine. Begin filling the casings as tight as possible. As you go along, lightly prick the sausage with a sewing needle or sausage pricker, removing any air pockets. Tie each link and continue stuffing, or, stuff the complete casing and tie the links when done. If the casing tears, do not try to repair it. Just tie the casing and continue. It is best to stuff when the casings are moist. If they become dry while on the funnel, take a handful of water and moisten the casings.

The sausage can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator (for up to 2 days) or freezer.