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Image of sausage links in a pan.

The Best Mild Italian Sausage – 10 lb Master Recipe

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  • Author: Kara Taylor- Home Cooks Guide
  • Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 10 lbs 1x
  • Category: Charcuterie
  • Method: Sausage Making
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

10 lb (5 quarts) Trimmed Pork Shoulder*

70 grams (10 t) salt

40 grams (10 t) sugar

26 grams (7 lg) garlic cloves

28 grams (5 T) whole fennel seed

18 grams (5 t) whole black peppercorns

29 grams (10 T) dried basil

13 grams (5 T) whole coriander seeds

1 bunch fresh basil, stem removed and minced

6 oz (3/4 cup) cold water

2 oz (1/4 cup) cold red wine vinegar

Sausage Casings (optional)


Instructions

For a more detailed step-by-step, check out How To Make Sausage before making this recipe.

Place the removeable parts of your meat grinder and mixing into the fridge or freezer to cool it for at least 30 minutes.

Measure out the water and red wine vinegar into a small container and place it in the fridge.

In a dry frying pan set over medium heat, add the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns and toast until fragrant.  Set aside to cool. Once cooled, place in a spice grinder (or mortal with pestle) and grind into a fine powder.

Grate the garlic cloves on a Microplane over a medium mixing bowl.  Add to the bowl the toasted ground seeds, salt, sugar, and basil (fresh and dry).

Reassemble the meat grinder with the chilled parts.  Grind the meat through the medium die into a chilled mixing bowl

Reassemble the meat mixer with the chilled parts.  Transfer the ground meat and the spices to the meat mixer and begin mixing (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Add the chilled liquids and continue mixing on medium speed for another 4 1/2 minutes (total of 5 minutes).

When it is done the sausage meat will look tacky.  You cannot really overmix it (unless it gets warm) but you can undermix it.  If you are not sure, cook up a small patty in a frying pan to test the texture.  

At this point, you can package the sausage up as bulk for patties or sauces, or you can stuff into casings for links.



Notes

You can substitute some or all of the pork for boneless skinless chicken thighs for a leaner option.  Just make sure to inspect the chicken pieces well for little bone/cartilage fragments.