HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE ITALIAN SAUSAGES STEP BY STEP

Making your own Italian sausages is a great way to create a quality product where you know exactly what went into your sausages unlike the ones you buy at the grocery store. It also allows you to personalize your sausages so you can season them to meet your own personal preferences which ensures you get the best tasting sausage. 

 This recipe is for hot sausages, but you could certainly decrease or even cut out the red pepper flakes if you wanted to. The best way to determine if you are going to have perfectly seasoned sausages, is to mix some of your meat and seasonings together, and then before you go any further, cook up some of the seasoned meat and determine if you need to add more of any of the spices. The ingredient amounts below are approximate as hot red pepper flakes can vary greatly in the amount of heat they contain, so mixing a small batch up first is the best way to judge.In most Italian families, older men generally stay out of the kitchen as a rule, deferring to their wives expertise. But when it comes to sausage or wine making, everyone gets involved! I found it easiest to divide our meat after it was ground into 5 pound batches that I would season with the amounts listed below. We made a total of about 30 pounds of sausages, but by dividing into 5 pound batches, we were able to create some mild sausages by simply leaving out the hot pepper flakes in those particular batches. Prepare the hog casings the day before by soaking in water with a little orange juice and salt. Before using, rinse well and cut into pieces 18″- 2′ long. Keep the casings in warm water to keep them soft and flexible while you work.Makes 5 Pounds Of Sausage
by Deborah Mele5 Pounds Ground Pork Shoulder
5 Teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Fennel
3 Tablespoons Paprika
2 Tablespoons Hot Red Pepper Flakes 

 To start, cut the meat off the bone, keeping most of the fat, but discarding any sinew or ligaments. I found it best to work with the meat very cold, and cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces that easily fit into the hopper of my grinder. You want a fairly coarse, not too fine grind for these sausages, so use the large holed plate on your grinder.