Pork Sausage Recipe

A simple pork sausage recipe that we use all the time. We also use this as our standard base recipe that we then add any wild game meat to make it even better!

We like to smoke our sausage links after we stuff them into sections about 2 feet long. Each link makes a nice size meal for a family of four.

Let’s get started;

Pork sausage recipes are pretty standard fare and as long as you carefully follow the directions, use a proper cure, and keep your meet very cold while processing, you will have no problems. We use a curing product in our raw meat commonly called cure#1. This is available here or sometimes at your local grocery store. It is very important that you follow the directions exactly, and your finished links will be perfectly cured and safe to eat.

Equipment needed

The basic tools to make sausage links are a meat grinder, a sausage link stuffer, and a smoker. The smoker that I use is an Onyx Oven from BBQ Guru. Smokers can be very advanced and digitally controlled all the way down to a simple old fashioned smokehouse with a wood fire. They all do the job and work well. Most average smokers such as this one will do a good job. You can even cook your sausage in the family oven, but the traditional smoke flavor is left out.

For a grinder, we use the Kitchen Aid mixer with a meat grinder attachment. This little grinder works great for small to average batches of meat. In the pictures we are grinding 10lbs of meat in about 20 minutes.

The sausage stuffer press is a specialized tool that you can get here. One tip is to not be fooled into buying the stuffing tubes from Kitchen Aid to use with the grinder attachment.  They just do not work well. Do yourself a huge favor and buy a dedicated sausage stuffer press. You can make perfect links in about 10 minutes with this press.

One suggestion is to use a premixed sausage spice package until you make enough sausage over time to develop your own recipe. We always use Leggs Old Plantation Pork Sausage #10. This is just about everyone’s favorite and you sausage will turn out perfect every time!

Be sure to disinfect all kitchen utensils and surfaces and tools with a bleach water solution for safety. Keep everything clean and ready to use. I like to cube the pork shoulder while it’s nearly frozen as it cuts easier that way. I then grind the meat and add the spice mix using my hands and following the directions on the package. I then stuff it into natural hog casings that I buy here. Once the links are all stuffed and tied I usually leave the links in the refrigerator overnight to allow the meat to fully absorb the flavors of the spices. The next day I fire up the smoker and I keep the oven temperature at 140 deg. I add the links and cook till the meat is at 130 degrees for 3 hours. I then add some wet apple wood chips onto the fire for the smoke flavor and bring the temp up to 180 degrees for another 2 hours till the meat reaches and internal temperature of 155 degrees and is fully and safely cooked. I remove the links from the oven and place them in a foil pan and cover with ice to stop the cooking process. After the meat is fully chilled we freeze the links using a vacuum sealer.

That was easy!

Now that you know how to stuff and smoke your own sausage links I must give you a final warning. Making sausage is highly addictive. You will find yourself making A LOT of sausage for all of your family and friends. It’s fun to do and you can rest assured that you know exactly what ingredients are in your meal. Have Fun!