Italian sausage is a beloved staple in many kitchens, celebrated for its rich flavors and versatility. Whether used in pasta dishes, pizzas, or simply grilled on its own, making your own Italian sausage at home ensures a fresh, customized taste that store-bought versions can't match. This guide will walk you through the process of crafting delicious Italian sausage using natural hog casings.

WHY MAKE YOUR OWN ITALIAN SAUSAGE?

• Freshness: Homemade sausage is free from preservatives and additives.
• Customization: Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste, whether you prefer a mild or spicy sausage.
• Quality Control: Choose high-quality meats and ingredients, ensuring a healthier product.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds of pork shoulder (pork butt), ground
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• 2 teaspoons of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (adjust to taste for spiciness)
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 cup of cold water
• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• Natural hog casings (about 10 feet)

EQUIPMENT

• Meat grinder or food processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Sausage stuffer (or attachment for your grinder)
• Kitchen scale (optional, for precise measurements)

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the Meat
Start with pork shoulder, as its fat content is ideal for sausage making. Cut the meat into small chunks that will fit into your meat grinder or food processor. If you don’t have a grinder, you can ask your butcher to grind it for you.

2. Prepare the Casings
Rinse the natural hog casings thoroughly under cold water to remove any salt. Soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then, run water through the insides to ensure they are fully cleaned. For the full step-by-step soaking procedure please refer to the blog post: Soaking Procedure for Natural Sausage Casings (link to blog post).

3. Mix the Seasonings
In a large bowl, combine the salt, fennel seeds, paprika, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and sugar. Mix these dry ingredients thoroughly.

4. Combine the Ingredients
Add the ground pork to the bowl of seasonings. Pour in the cold water and red wine vinegar. Using your hands, mix everything together until well incorporated. This is crucial for distributing the flavors evenly throughout the sausage.

5. Chill the Mixture
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the sausage mixture for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible. This allows the flavors to meld together.

6. Stuff the Sausage
Attach the sausage stuffer to your grinder or use a standalone sausage stuffer. Slide one end of the hog casing onto the nozzle, leaving a few inches hanging off the end. Tie a knot in the end of the casing. Carefully feed the sausage mixture into the stuffer, and fill the casing slowly, making sure not to overstuff. Twist the sausages into links of your desired length as you go.

7. Cook and Enjoy
To cook the sausage, you can grill, pan-fry, or bake it. Ensure that the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for safe consumption. Serve your homemade Italian sausage in your favorite dishes or enjoy it on its own.

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT SAUSAGE

• Keep Everything Cold: Keeping the meat and equipment cold helps to prevent the fat from melting during the grinding and mixing process.
• Don't Overmix: Mix the sausage until just combined to avoid a tough texture.
• Experiment with Flavors: Feel free to adjust the spices or add your favorite herbs and seasonings to create a unique blend.

CONCLUSION

Making your own Italian sausage with natural hog casings is a rewarding culinary project that results in a fresh and flavorful product tailored to your tastes. With a little time and the right ingredients, you can enjoy delicious homemade sausage that's sure to impress. Happy cooking!

Buon appetito!

Recipe inspired by traditional Italian sausage recipes and culinary techniques.

In a world where convenience reigns supreme, Oversea Casing online shopping experience for premium sausage casings takes the hassle out of restocking. Imagine a process so easy, it's like having the perfect ingredient delivered straight to your business before you even realize you're running low.

Video Guide:

To enhance your shopping experience, our accompanying video guides you through the simple steps of purchasing our sausage casings on our online store. See for yourself how effortless it is to select, order, and receive your sausage casings.

With our commitment to making your online shopping journey seamless, you can focus on what matters – creating delicious sausages with the finest casings. 

In the fast-paced world of business, efficiency is key. That's precisely why we've introduced our hassle-free automated subscription system, revolutionizing the way you handle your orders. Say goodbye to shipping fees, relish a 10% discount, and bid farewell to the stress associated with sausage casing reorders.

Here's a closer look at why subscribing to our automated sausage casing order system is the game-changer you've been eagerly anticipating:

Easy Management 

Creating an account with us unlocks a world of convenience. Easily oversee your online subscription, giving you control at your fingertips.

Order Tracking

Stay in the loop with email notifications containing tracking information for your orders. Know exactly where your sausage casings are and when they'll arrive.

Flexible Subscription Updates

Business changes, and so can your subscription. Adjust the frequency of your deliveries – whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly – to align with your operational needs.

Customizable Items

Tailor your subscription to perfection by adjusting quantities, adding new products, or removing items. Our system adapts to your ever-evolving requirements.

Easy Information Editing

Your details matter, and editing them is a breeze. Easily update your shipping address, payment information, and contact details, ensuring precise deliveries every time.

Pause & Cancel

Life unfolds unexpectedly, and we understand. Pause or cancel your subscription any time after two orders. We believe in providing you with the flexibility you need.

Discover the hassle-free solution to ensure a steady supply of sausage casings. Sign up for automated deliveries, relish exclusive discounts, and have your casings conveniently delivered to your operations according to your schedule. With the perfect blend of flexibility, savings, and peace of mind, ordering casings has never been this easy. Subscribe today and start saving time and money on your sausage casing orders with Oversea Casing!

There are many different types of sausage casing on the market. Originally, all sausages used natural casing, but in recent decades, we’ve seen many new types of casings.

One of them is collagen casing; great for breakfast sausages, frankfurters, link sausages and more. In this post, we explore collagen casing more deeply, describing what it is, what it is good for and when you might use it.

Oversea Casing is excited to share with you the official launch of our new e-commerce site. You can now buy our premium sausage casings directly from the manufacturer at your convenience.

Our goal at Oversea Casing is to provide customers with premium sausage casings that elevate their final products.

Over the last year, we have strived to create a platform that gives you access to our high-quality casings while also giving you real-time visibility to every step of the order process. We wanted to make this a simple experience, so that our customers can go online, place a casing order, and know that it will be received quickly. Our new platform saves time for your business by offering you consistent product options, 24x7, with fast deliveries. You will be able to manage your orders and subscriptions without having to worry about getting ahold of someone during business hours.

Through the use of innovative new packaging and years of industry experience, our team has focused on sourcing top-quality casings, and delivering a superior user experience that we are happy to share with you today.

We are grateful for our partner customers who offered us insights, beta tested, and continue to support us.

This is just the beginning of our journey, and we have lots of exciting ideas for the future. We are always happy to hear from you, and if you would like to reach out to us, please feel free to contact us directly at ecomm@overseacasing.com.