(Sweet) Italian Sausage

[Dave in AZ]

Taste, I can tell when it is in a sausage mix and when I can, I always bought with out. I will probably eliminate the anise on the first run.

Uhmm... the taste of Italian sausage pretty much IS FENNEL, it is the dominant flavor of Italian. If you don't like fennel and don't use it, then I don't know that I'd call it "Italian sausage". Kinda just a brat at that point? Anise and fennel are pretty close, I guess if you used anise you'd still have something that tasted like Italian sausage... are you at least using anise?

If not, then just salt, pepper, coriander, caraway sounds like a basic brat really. If yes on anise, then how do you feel it compares to normal Italian, pretty close? Thx

 

[chopsaw]

the taste of Italian sausage pretty much IS FENNEL,

Nope . People get stuck in that lane . Italian sausage is Regional . A lot of formulas that don't use fennel or anise .

If you don't like fennel and don't use it, then I don't know that I'd call it "Italian sausage"

Call it ,
Northern Italian
Calabrese
Luganeca
It goes on and on .

 

[Dave in AZ]

Nope . People get stuck in that lane . Italian sausage is Regional . A lot of formulas that don't use fennel or anise .

Call it ,
Northern Italian
Calabrese
Luganeca
It goes on and on .

Chopsaw, ok, you got me, yep all those sausages are from Italy ;)

Thanks for the additional names you listed for regional styles, that is exactly what I like to see-- clear defined name usage so folks know what's being discussed!

I'm using "Italian sausage" as a style name, as it is used in the US market, to indicate a particular style most commonly referred to that way. Of course if you decide to interpret "Italian suasage" as "sausages from the country of Italy", then you can call any of 100 this... but words are used to convey meaning and understanding between people, and the basis of this is a common agreement on what a particular word means. We usually don't have to define every term in a conversation, when common usage and context make it clear.

This thread was about making "Italian Sausage" as normally used in the US market for a particular style of fresh sausage, with the Marianski recipe referenced and then some similar spice versions. The one Marianski says on page 243 of Home Production, "The dominant flavor in fresh Italian sausage is fennel". It wasn't about "any sausage from Italy". If I go to any non-Italian-ethnic grocery in the US, and ask for "Italian sausage" or look in any of my 8 sausage recipe books for that name, I will get all the same item-- and it's not calabrese, luganeca etc.

I thought it's pretty clear I'm asking clifish how his sausage without fennel, maybe with anise, compares to US standard fresh Italian sausage. If it wasn't, hopefully this clears up the style I'm asking about.

( chopsaw , you sound like you know regional types waay more than me, for my info, what would you say is the closest type to the Marianski recipe, bit without the fennel or even anise? Is that a thing for a regional fresh in Italy?)

 

[clifish]

Uhmm... the taste of Italian sausage pretty much IS FENNEL, it is the dominant flavor of Italian. If you don't like fennel and don't use it, then I don't know that I'd call it "Italian sausage". Kinda just a brat at that point? Anise and fennel are pretty close, I guess if you used anise you'd still have something that tasted like Italian sausage... are you at least using anise?

If not, then just salt, pepper, coriander, caraway sounds like a basic brat really. If yes on anise, then how do you feel it compares to normal Italian, pretty close? Thx

One of the regional Italian leaning chains sells "Italian" sausage with and without fennel, not sure if it has anise or not. I way prefer the one with no fennel. Now that I am going to make on my own, I will do small bulk batches to I find what works for me.

Thanks for the comments

 

[LanceR]

I'm not near my recipe logbook to offer a hard number but agree that the recipe stated in the OP is low on fennel. And add me to the crew that uses fennel and (usually) some anise. I don't remember using caraway in Italian sausage but it's at least a year since I made any so that could just be my CRS kicking in.

I also generally cut the salt in half or even more in most sausage recipes. And I'll note that whether you crack the fennel or not it takes as much as a few days for the fennel (or any other dried spices) to hydrate and fully bloom the flavors so eating your sausage within a few hours of when you make it isn't a true representation of what the flavors are going to be in a day or two.

I generally crack some of the fennel by pulsing it in the spice grinder. And if the sausage is needed right away I add a little extra fennel and crack it all since it won't have time to bloom. I also crack some of the caraway in Brats.

Best regards,

 

[chopsaw]

ok, you got me, yep all those sausages are from Italy ;)

Wasn't trying to get you , just stating a fact .

If

This thread was about making "Italian Sausage" as normally used in the US market

I missed that part I guess .

the taste of Italian sausage pretty much IS FENNEL,

I disagree . I make a lot of white wine and parm , Italian herb and cheese , all without fennel . No one ever says " This isn't Italian "
I'm not looking for an argument , just stating that people get stuck in a lane that if it doesn't have fennel it's not Italian . Simply not true .

without the fennel or even anise? Is that a thing for a regional fresh in Italy?)

Yes , as stated above . Also a thing in St. Louis . I can buy all different regional styles here . If you want fennel , you need to ask for " Sweet " I guess you got your feelings hurt wasn't me intent .

 

[mr_whipple]

Here is one of the sweet Italian sausage recipes I use.
Per 1Kg ground pork

Salt) 1%
Fresh cracked BP) 2g
Fresh cracked fennel) 4g
Anise seed) 2g
Coriander) 1g
Fresh minced basil) 5g
White wine) 40ml
3 cheese Italian) 100g. (Blend of Asiago, pecorino Romano, and Parmesan
Gran garlic) 2g

Just going over this. To be clear, 100 grams of cheese per Kg?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Just going over this. To be clear, 100 grams of cheese per Kg?

Correct

 

[paulgeorge]

So.. I ground up a butt Monday and made Marianski's Sweet Italian recipe which is this: Per KG of ground meat

salt	18 g	3 tsp.
black pepper, coarse	2.0 g	1 tsp.
sugar	2.0 g	½ tsp.
fennel seed, cracked	3.0 g	2 tsp.
coriander	1.0 g	½ tsp.
caraway	1.0 g	½ tsp.
cold water	90 ml	3 oz fl

I made one very minor change only to Salt down to 1.5 % and added .2% MSG. I ended up being very underwhelmed with the flavor. Nice juicy sausage with a great texture and snap, but I have to wonder if I had old fennel seed, or are his spice levels in this particular recipe a bit on the low side?

So, has anyone made this baseline recipe, and if so would you care to comment on your experience?
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Edit: After posting, I went looking at the basic 2 guys recipe for italian sausage, and it has fennel seed at 1.3% so I think I answered my own question.

I think, after much study and deliberation, Italian sausage is the king of sausages. Both the hot and mild forms are fantastic. Lately I have discovered that baking them in the oven produces excellent results with very little effort. I line a cookie sheet ( with a lip, not flat) with foil, toss the sausages on, and cook for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Nothin' better! One could probably turn them halfway through, but I am nothing if not lazy, and they turn out just fine without it.