Make Your Own Sausage: What Seasonings to Use?

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Discussion Overview

The thread centers around the topic of making homemade sausage, with participants sharing their experiences and recipes for various sausage seasonings. There is a mix of curiosity about the process and personal anecdotes related to sausage making and preferences for different flavors.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about seasonings for homemade sausage, specifically asking for options beyond sage.
  • Another participant shares a detailed recipe for homemade sausage, including various seasonings like sage, salt, and black pepper.
  • One participant provides two distinct recipes for Italian and Greek sausages, highlighting different ingredients such as fennel and mint.
  • Several participants express surprise at the concept of making sausage at home, indicating it is not commonly known to them.
  • One participant shares their background of growing up on a farm and making sausage regularly, contrasting it with the prevalence of pre-made options today.
  • Multiple participants express strong opinions about fennel, with some loving it and others disliking its flavor.
  • One participant mentions their preference for Bob Evans sausage, noting its lack of fennel, while another praises a local sausage brand from North Carolina.
  • Several participants discuss their experiences with farm-fresh meat, noting differences in taste and quality compared to store-bought options.
  • One participant humorously reflects on the diversity of food preferences, particularly regarding cilantro and licorice flavors.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ regarding the use of fennel in sausage, with some participants enjoying it while others strongly dislike it. There is no clear consensus on a preferred sausage recipe or seasoning, as personal tastes vary widely.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences related to sausage making, including recipes and flavor preferences, without implying any authoritative guidance on the subject.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants interested in exploring homemade sausage recipes and discussing flavor preferences may find this thread engaging.

krzymomof4
krzymomof4
Silver Member
Messages
1,682
Does anyone make their own sausage? We had a pig butchered and got some ground pork that I would like to turn into sausage. What seasonings do I put in it besides sage???
 
Re: SausageHere you go!

Homemade Sausage


* 2 teaspoons dried sage
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 pinch ground cloves
* 2 pounds ground pork
 
Re: SausageStephanie's Homemade Italian Fennel Sausage

1 lb ground pork or turkey
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tsp fennel seed
1 T mustard seed
1 tsp all purpose Itailan seasoning
2 T fresh pressed garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp salt


Stephanie's Greek Sausage (for gyros and pizzas)
1 lb ground lamb (it works with pork or turkey too, but I love it:love: with lamb)
2T fresh pressed garlic
1 T fennel seed
2T chopped fresh mint
2 tsp dry oregano
2T fresh chopped rosemary
2 tsp dry dill weed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp salt
 
Re: SausageWow, I was blown away. I didn't know people did this. Sorry if I sound naive, but I have never heard of that before.
 
Re: Sausage
vwpamperedchef said:
Wow, I was blown away. I didn't know people did this. Sorry if I sound naive, but I have never heard of that before.
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LOL - that tickled my funny bone!


Really though, we live in such a pre-made world, I'm not surprised that you didn't know. I grew up on a farm, and we grew all of our own meat. We made our own sausage quite often. The boughten kind that comes closest to homemade for me is Bob Evans, but I don't think that is available all over.
 
Re: SausageOh - and now you have some recipes to use, so that if you need sausage, but don't have any, you can just make your own!:thumbup: The recipe I posted works with ground turkey too - but just don't use ground turkey breast, it's too lean. Or you can mix turkey and pork half & half.
 
Re: Sausage
ChefBeckyD said:
LOL - that tickled my funny bone!


Really though, we live in such a pre-made world, I'm not surprised that you didn't know. I grew up on a farm, and we grew all of our own meat. We made our own sausage quite often. The boughten kind that comes closest to homemade for me is Bob Evans, but I don't think that is available all over.
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Bob Evans is my favorite brand of sausage! I think I love it so much cuz there isn't any fennel in it. I can't stand that licorice-tasting-nasty stuff!! :yuck:
 
Re: Sausage
KellyTheChef said:
Bob Evans is my favorite brand of sausage! I think I love it so much cuz there isn't any fennel in it. I can't stand that licorice-tasting-nasty stuff!! :yuck:
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I totally agree! There is nothing worse than biting into a fennel seed!:yuck::yuck::yuck:
 
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Re: Sausage
vwpamperedchef said:
Wow, I was blown away. I didn't know people did this. Sorry if I sound naive, but I have never heard of that before.
Click to expand...

We have been trying to cut costs and so my BIL has a small farm if that is what you call it. Chickens and did 2 pigs. You would be very suprised at how much different the meat is. The chickens are smaller, but they are not pumped up on stuff. The pork has very little fat in it because of how we fed it. The eggs are very different also.
 
Re: Sausage
krzymomof4 said:
We have been trying to cut costs and so my BIL has a small farm if that is what you call it. Chickens and did 2 pigs. You would be very suprised at how much different the meat is. The chickens are smaller, but they are not pumped up on stuff. The pork has very little fat in it because of how we fed it. The eggs are very different also.
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I am jealous! I want fresh farm eggs!
 
Re: SausageI'm just wondering when breakfast is..... :)
fresh eggs and sausage.... mmmmm sitting here drooling now...
 
  • Thread starter
  • #12
Re: SausageIf I could just get my gramma's buiscuit recipe to work out, then we are talkin' breakfast. However, we are not much breakfast eaters around here..so we have breakfast for supper.:chef:
 
Re: SausageWe had breakfst for dinner last night,but my favorite sasuage is BLue and Gold, it is big in Oklahoma, FFA fundraiser. and Their bacon is out of this world.
We aslo grow our own meat, but I like the B&G better.
 
Re: Sausage
KellyTheChef said:
Bob Evans is my favorite brand of sausage! I think I love it so much cuz there isn't any fennel in it. I can't stand that licorice-tasting-nasty stuff!! :yuck:
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Nahunta sausage! THE BEST!! If you are ever in NC you must get this sausage! I love the HOT Air Dried Sausage, but it is a local only sausage!!! here is there link Nahunta Porkframe :thumbup:
 
Re: Sausage
ChefBeckyD said:
I totally agree! There is nothing worse than biting into a fennel seed!:yuck::yuck::yuck:
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You guys are funny! I love fennel! Isn't food cool? What one person can't live without another wouldn't touch. If you don't want the seeds, that is a good excuse to use the new spice grinder (or use basil for a less licorice effect) You can make my recipes without fennel if you want. LOL. I love the sausage with sage too. That sweet breakfast sausage. I love homemade chorizo, but it is sooo fatty. Personally we don't make sausage a lot, DH the vegetarian. We have a meat grinder I use more for homemade sprouted wheat bread than I ever used it for meat. DH says it has changed it's evil ways. He hates meat. I make a lot of vegetable sides when I do cook a main meal with meat in it. Anyway. Thanks for the good fennel laugh! ;)
 
Re: Sausage
Chef Stephanie Petersen said:
You guys are funny! I love fennel! Isn't food cool? What one person can't live without another wouldn't touch. If you don't want the seeds, that is a good excuse to use the new spice grinder (or use basil for a less licorice effect) You can make my recipes without fennel if you want. LOL. I love the sausage with sage too. That sweet breakfast sausage. I love homemade chorizo, but it is sooo fatty. Personally we don't make sausage a lot, DH the vegetarian. We have a meat grinder I use more for homemade sprouted wheat bread than I ever used it for meat. DH says it has changed it's evil ways. He hates meat. I make a lot of vegetable sides when I do cook a main meal with meat in it. Anyway. Thanks for the good fennel laugh! ;)
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:yuck: I don't want it ground either - I'm not a big licorice flavor fan - I would love it with basil though!.... And you're right about peoples tastes! I love love love cilantro - always add at least double the amount called for in a recipe, and add it to recipes that don't call for it.....but there are entire website devoted to the hate of cilantro! And I just can't understand that!
 
Re: Sausage
ChefBeckyD said:
:yuck: I don't want it ground either - I'm not a big licorice flavor fan - I would love it with basil though!.... And you're right about peoples tastes! I love love love cilantro - always add at least double the amount called for in a recipe, and add it to recipes that don't call for it.....but there are entire website devoted to the hate of cilantro! And I just can't understand that!
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See! I adore cilantro! I would probably cry reading all the hate mail to the website against cilantro. We are on the same page of doublin' it! We have this green cilantro and tomatillo salsa that I guzzle... I'd use it for gargle if I could get away with it! I can't understand the cilantro thing. I was raised loving licorice, so it is a natural fit. But I guess that is also one of those acquired tastes (love or hate) things. I use anise in a lot of my baking and some people adore it... beg for the recipe. I didn't know that anise seed was a natural labor inducer (apparently so, since I was in preterm labor 7 times with my last one). All hopped up on cornmeal anise seed cookies. Who knew?! Anyway, I love that we can all respectfully disagree and still be friends! LOL! No preterm labor for Kelly, since she can't stand licorice flavor! Haaa!
 
Re: Sausage
Chef Stephanie Petersen said:
See! I adore cilantro! I would probably cry reading all the hate mail to the website against cilantro. We are on the same page of doublin' it! We have this green cilantro and tomatillo salsa that I guzzle... I'd use it for gargle if I could get away with it! I can't understand the cilantro thing. I was raised loving licorice, so it is a natural fit. But I guess that is also one of those acquired tastes (love or hate) things. I use anise in a lot of my baking and some people adore it... beg for the recipe. I didn't know that anise seed was a natural labor inducer (apparently so, since I was in preterm labor 7 times with my last one). All hopped up on cornmeal anise seed cookies. Who knew?! Anyway, I love that we can all respectfully disagree and still be friends! LOL! No preterm labor for Kelly, since she can't stand licorice flavor! Haaa!
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It's also raises blood pressure! My grandpa was having big problems with his BP and the Dr. about went through the roof when he found out that G-pa ate real licorice candy (not artificially flavored) every day! He was banned from eating it after that. My grandpa ate so much black licorice candy that he smelled like it!
 
Re: Sausage
ChefBeckyD said:
It's also raises blood pressure! My grandpa was having big problems with his BP and the Dr. about went through the roof when he found out that G-pa ate real licorice candy (not artificially flavored) every day! He was banned from eating it after that. My grandpa ate so much black licorice candy that he smelled like it!
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Oh Dear! That is aweful! Poor Grandpa! I think I would hate to be banned from licorice! I don't eat enogh to smell like it though. That explains my blood pressure! I thought it was just my kids making me stress out!! So I wonder if fennel root has the same effect or if it is just the anise seeds and fennel seeds.?? I would hate to think I can't have my favorite vegetables too! Especially roasted with some sweet red onions. Oh. I would be sooo sad.
 
Re: SausageHome raised meat tastes so much better than anything store bought. We raise our own meat, chicken, rabbit, beef, pig, and lamb.
My husband does the butchering and I do a great deal of processing with him as well as all the packing. We have butchered 135 chickens in one day. That was a very long day for me.
I would not have it any other way our food tastes so much better and cooks easier. We don't have to worry about meat recalls. LOL
 
Re: SausageOh man, this brings back some good memories.

Years (and I mean years) ago I worked as a butcher/meatcutter in a small locker plant in the midwest. We processed beef and pork for local farmers.

We used to make all of our own sausage; plain, links, italian, smoked, etc. And we cured all of our own meats in an old brick smokehouse. That was some of the best eatin' I ever had.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the basic seasonings needed to make homemade sausage?

To make homemade sausage, you typically need a combination of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder as your basic seasonings. These provide a foundational flavor that can be enhanced with additional spices.

Can I use fresh herbs in my sausage seasoning?

Yes, fresh herbs can add a vibrant flavor to your sausage. Common choices include parsley, thyme, and sage. Just remember to use them in moderation, as fresh herbs can be more potent than dried ones.

What spices can I add for a spicy sausage?

If you want to make a spicy sausage, consider adding crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika. These spices will give your sausage a nice kick and depth of flavor.

How do I determine the right amount of seasoning for my sausage?

A good rule of thumb is to use about 1 to 2 teaspoons of seasoning per pound of meat. However, it’s best to start with less and adjust to taste, as different spices can vary in potency.

Can I use pre-made seasoning blends for my sausage?

Absolutely! Pre-made seasoning blends can save time and provide consistent flavor. Just be sure to check the ingredients for any added preservatives or fillers that you may want to avoid.

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