Just like my Breakfast Pork Sausage post, homemade sausage isn’t difficult to make. But for this recipe you’ll need to raid your spice cabinet. This Sweet Italian Sausage recipe is loaded with all things Italiano–oregano, thyme, fennel, basil, parsley… It also contains red wine vinegar. The vinegar gives the ground pork an extra tang, and helps tenderize it. Either way, it’s delish in meatloaf, spaghetti or my Baked Italian Meatballs!
The beauty of sausage recipes, which I completely forgot to mention in the Breakfast Pork Sausage post, is that store-bought ground pork can be used. If you’re in a pinch, or don’t have a meat grinder, this is a major time saver. Just buy the unseasoned ground pork found in the butcher/meat section of your local mega mart. If you’re going to grind away, I recommend pork butt (aka “Boston Butt”).
If pork isn’t your thing, swap it out with equal parts of other ground meats. Ground turkey or chicken are healthier meat options, containing less fat than pork. They’re equally tasty, need a little extra oil like veggie or EVOO to cook in. Your sausage won’t stick this way, and you won’t be scrubbing out the pan. If your tastes are more bovine in nature, ask your butcher or the meat counter for ground chuck. Ground hamburger will also work, but you’ll end up with an Italian-flavored hamburger instead of sausage.
After grinding (or buying), mix the ground pork with the red wine vinegar. Then sprinkle on the spices. Mix well and package according to your preferences. I like to portion the sausage into 1-pound packages for freezing. If you’re wanting to use your sausage sooner, give it a rest time in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before cooking. This gives the spices and meat plenty of time to mingle. The Hubby likes to mix equal parts of our Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage with hamburger (80/20 blend) to make his Italian meatloaf. It can also be browned and added to your favorite spaghetti sauce, or baked as balls in my Baked Italian Meatballs recipe. Viva Italia!
Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage
Loaded with traditional savory Italian herbs, Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage is both easy to make and cost-effective. It’s perfect for your next spaghetti and meatballs dinner, or mixed with with hamburger for an Italian style meatloaf. An added bonus is knowing exactly what the ingredients in it are, and adjusting to your tastes!
- Yield: About 6 Pounds of Italian Sausage 1x
Ingredients
6 pounds pork butt (aka “Boston Butt”), cut into 1-1/2″ cubes* (Substitute with ground pork if necessary.)
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. salt (table, kosher or sea)
4 tbsp. ground black pepper
5 tbsp. dried parsley
4 tbsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. onion powder
4 tbsp. dried basil
8 tsp. paprika
8 tsp. crushed red pepper, or adjust to your preferred spice level
3 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Instructions
According to manufacturer’s directions, set up your meat grinder using the smallest metal die. Grind pork butt in batches twice. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork* with red wine vinegar. Sprinkle over and mix in remaining spices and seasonings until all is evenly distributed. Portion bulk sausage into 1-pound packages. The sausage can be frozen for up to 6 months in freezer-safe containers. For best immediate results, refrigerate the sausage for about 12-18 hours before cooking in your favorite recipe. This will allow the flavors to blend thoroughly.
Notes
*If you don’t have a meat grinder, store-bought ground pork can be used. You can also substitute equal parts of ground turkey or ground beef chuck. If you use ground turkey, you’ll need to cook the sausage with extra canola, vegetable or EVOO to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
IMNPB
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