Sweet Italian sausage.

[Steve H]

Thought it was time to make another batch of Sweet Italian sausage. I thawed out one of the pork shoulders I had. Cut it up. Ended up with 7.9 pounds of meat. I set 1.9 pounds aside for a future meal.

For the spices:
3 TBS salt
2 TBS fresh ground pepper
4 TBS sugar
2 TBS ground Fennel
2 TBS garlic powder
2 TBS onion powder
2 TSP smoked Paprika
2 TSP dry thyme
2 TSP dry Oregano
6 TBS dry red wine.

All mixed together, smells good!

Made a test patty. Came out good. Now to stuff with hog casings.

Now drying on my jerky racks. I'm thinking about smoking half of them.

I'm getting better with the stuffer. No blow outs. And only had one air pocket. Has anyone smoked Italian sausage before? Your thoughts on it?

 

[Braz]

I haven't smoked Italian sausage in the traditional way but I do grill them over indirect heat with the smoke tube going. Indirect heat allows them to come to temp slower and take more smoke. I like the result.

 

[johnmeyer]

I'm still looking for a "Chicago-style" Italian sausage recipe that I can use on my pizzas. Yours looks quite interesting. I think I'll try it.

Thanks for the post!

 

[pc farmer]

Looks great. Watching for the rest of this when you smoke half of it.

 

[Steve H]

I put 3 links on the smoker while I was doing some rib tips for dinner. I pulled them at 165. I liked the taste. But it was salty. Probably from the garlic and onion salt. My next try will be with 1/2 the salt. The casings had a really nice snap. Which surprised me since I wasn't even thinking about that part of the cook. This is a good recipe. But watch the salt level. It wasn't bad. And others might like it. But, I thought it could use less. Though taste is subjective.

 

[daveomak]

I know what you mean about too salty...
I've started buying dried onions and dried garlic... grind it myself and add it in place of onion and garlic salt.. Mobetta... better flavor too when grinding it at home....

 

[Steve H]

I know what you mean about too salty...
I've started buying dried onions and dried garlic... grind it myself and add it in place of onion and garlic salt.. Mobetta... better flavor too when grinding it at home....

That's a good idea. I'm going to start doing the same.

 

[archeryrob]

I won't buy anything with salt mixed in it as they always over salt everything. Add garlic and salt separately.

Sausages look good though.

 

[johnmeyer]

I won't buy anything with salt mixed in it as they always over salt everything. Add garlic and salt separately.

Same here. I long ago quit buying "garlic salt," and instead always buy "garlic powder." Same with onion salt and other similarly-named spices.

 

[Steve H]

I found some at the store. Granulated onion and garlic power. And, I have another pork shoulder in the freezer. Hmm......

 

[tallbm]

Thought it was time to make another batch of Sweet Italian sausage. I thawed out one of the pork shoulders I had. Cut it up. Ended up with 7.9 pounds of meat. I set 1.9 pounds aside for a future meal.

View attachment 399224

For the spices:
3 TBS salt
2 TBS fresh ground pepper
4 TBS sugar
2 TBS ground Fennel
2 TBS garlic powder
2 TBS onion powder
2 TSP smoked Paprika
2 TSP dry thyme
2 TSP dry Oregano
6 TBS dry red wine.

View attachment 399225

All mixed together, smells good!

View attachment 399226

Made a test patty. Came out good. Now to stuff with hog casings.

View attachment 399227

View attachment 399228

Now drying on my jerky racks. I'm thinking about smoking half of them.

View attachment 399229

I'm getting better with the stuffer. No blow outs. And only had one air pocket. Has anyone smoked Italian sausage before? Your thoughts on it?

Looks like a good start!
I've never smoked italian sausage BUT if I were to smoke a sweet italian sausage I would go 100% Maple on that sucker!

Maple is a milder wood and has some great flavor, especially with something sweet. I use Maple for my ground venison pastrami lunch meat. It is amazing!
Honestly I prefer Maple to Oak 100 times over as my preferred middle of the road wood. Oak is just not flavorful enough for me and is just too generic. I feel Oak is not bad but also not very special. To me, Maple is the answer to the generic Oak problem while staying middle of the road on smoke flavor :)

 

[smokerjim]

looks like some good stuff, like said above I only use garlic and onion powder or granulated. i've smoked it before comes out good, just remember to immerse in cold water when done or your casings will wrinkle.

 

[Steve H]

Looks like a good start!
I've never smoked italian sausage BUT if I were to smoke a sweet italian sausage I would go 100% Maple on that sucker!

Maple is a milder wood and has some great flavor, especially with something sweet. I use Maple for my ground venison pastrami lunch meat. It is amazing!
Honestly I prefer Maple to Oak 100 times over as my preferred middle of the road wood. Oak is just not flavorful enough for me and is just too generic. I feel Oak is not bad but also not very special. To me, Maple is the answer to the generic Oak problem while staying middle of the road on smoke flavor :)

That's a great idea! The hickory smoke was good. But I bet the Maple would have made it real good.

 

[Steve H]

looks like some good stuff, like said above I only use garlic and onion powder or granulated. i've smoked it before comes out good, just remember to immerse in cold water when done or your casings will wrinkle.

I didn't with the test links. But I will be when I make another batch. Thanks for the tip.

 

[olecrosseyes]

While I'm lookin @ your recipe, do you think that replacing the garlic salt and onion salt with its powder equivalents would be reducing the salt by enough and give the flavor its just rewards?

We have an old Italian grocery store that is in it's 5th or 6th generation called Graziano Brothers. They have a guarded sweet sausage product that we crave in my area and sold at all Hy Vee grocery stores I believe that's 245 of them, and all 122 Fareway and the local Price Chopper.

I have yet to be able to come close to their flavor in making my own.

 

[fullborebbq]

While I'm lookin @ your recipe, do you think that replacing the garlic salt and onion salt with its powder equivalents would be reducing the salt by enough and give the flavor its just rewards?

We have an old Italian grocery store that is in it's 5th or 6th generation called Graziano Brothers. They have a guarded sweet sausage product that we crave in my area and sold at all Hy Vee grocery stores I believe that's 245 of them, and all 122 Fareway and the local Price Chopper.

I have yet to be able to come close to their flavor in making my own.

I would think you need to reduce the Garlic and onion powder a bit due to it not containing the salt portion of it's counterparts.

 

[Steve H]

While I'm lookin @ your recipe, do you think that replacing the garlic salt and onion salt with its powder equivalents would be reducing the salt by enough and give the flavor its just rewards?

We have an old Italian grocery store that is in it's 5th or 6th generation called Graziano Brothers. They have a guarded sweet sausage product that we crave in my area and sold at all Hy Vee grocery stores I believe that's 245 of them, and all 122 Fareway and the local Price Chopper.

I have yet to be able to come close to their flavor in making my own.

The amounts are right. And it calls for Garlic and Onion powder. I just goofed and used Garlic and onion salt. The flavor was very good. Just pretty darn salty!

 

[Co4ch D4ve]

I haven't smoked Italian sausage in the traditional way but I do grill them over indirect heat with the smoke tube going. Indirect heat allows them to come to temp slower and take more smoke. I like the result.

Braz,
I smoke/grill my brats like you did your Italian sausage. I smoke them to temp and them finish them over the coals. Great snap to the skin, juicy with a great smoke flavor.

Steve,
I like your recipe for Italian sausage and will be trying it soon!

Dave

 

[olecrosseyes]

Steve, thanks my friend, I've got to give it a try now. Hummm, wonder when butts will go on sale again?

 

[Steve H]

Steve, thanks my friend, I've got to give it a try now. Hummm, wonder when butts will go on sale again?

Glad to help. And I hope you like it.