Sausage Season 2024: Spicy Italian
Author: Jon Bennion, Montana Free Press
Sausage Season 2024: Spicy Italian
Jon Bennion
Montana Free Press
This article was originally published in the Montana Free Press on September 23, 2024.
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A year ago we launched Wide Open Table with the introductory offering of a uniquely Montanan huckleberry sage sausage recipe. On the year anniversary of this column, I’m offering a second recipe for your homemade sausage arsenal that just happens to be the most popular at my household: spicy Italian.
The versatility of this sausage is topped only by its delicious flavor and kick of spice. The Italian flavors come from granulated garlic, whole fennel seed, fresh Italian parsley, and an optional splash of a nice Italian dry white wine. The kick comes in the form of two heat sources — cayenne pepper and red chili flakes — that can be adjusted to suit your taste. My family uses this sausage on pizza, mixed into meat blends for meatballs, and more recently as a star in a forthcoming Wide Open Table recipe for a delicious baked pasta.
Highlighting a homemade Italian sausage recipe might be a head-scratcher for some readers, since this style of sausage is widely sold in stores, both with and without casings. So is homemade the way to go when convenience calls? The answer is indisputably “yes.”
First, homemade is much easier than you think if you can find a butcher who can freshly grind the meat (or if you grind your own) with the fat-to-lean ratio required for sausage. That would be a minimum of 20% fat and up to 30%. I usually end up around 25%, which ensures the sausage won’t dry out and get tough. If you’re a hunter and make sausage with game (which is entirely appropriate for this recipe), you already know the importance of having the right balance, and likely use pork fat or beef tallow.
Second, you will know exactly everything that is going into your sausage. Check out the listed ingredients on pre-made sausages sometime. Can’t pronounce them all, or guess what they’re doing in food? Best to stick to this all-natural version.
Finally, you get to adjust the seasonings and ingredients to your preferences. And remember: this recipe is just a starting point to make your own special blend that fits your family’s taste buds. Little less salt? Bump up the granulated garlic? Extra kick? You are the chef of your own kitchen and entitled to make those adjustments. Besides, making a little patty for yourself after mixing in the ingredients to taste for modifications is the best part of the sausage-making process.
Whether I put this into casing or leave it loose to grab in a pinch, I always vacuum seal copious amounts to save for the coming months. But I have also gone to the store to grab a pound of ground pork and made a single serving, which is how this recipe is laid out, and which is perfectly portioned for the baked pasta dish I’ll be sharing in the next edition of Wide Open Table.
SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE RECIPE
1 pound freshly ground pork or meat combo of your choice
1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt (adjust according to preference)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red chili flake
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp whole fennel seed
2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
optional: 1/4 cup Italian dry white wine
Use freshly ground meat with a range of 20-30% fat. Keep the meat refrigerated until all of your seasonings and herbs are assembled and ready. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Take a small portion and fry a patty to check the seasoning. Adjust seasoning according to your preference. Vacuum seal any that you aren’t using in the next 24 hours in flattened shapes (they thaw faster that way) and freeze until you are ready to use.
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PhotoCredit: Jon Bennion, Montana Free Press Photo
Image 1 Caption: Homemade Italian Sausage
Jon Bennion, Montana Free Press Photo
