Tuscan Sausage
I got this recipe from the father of one of Eric’s elementary school friends. I had the sausage when he served it, but never made it myself. I need to correct this deficiency.
Tuscan Sausage
- 3 lbs pork butt
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried
- 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- pinch allspice
- medium hog casings
Grind the pork through a “medium” plate and refrigerate while you get the ingredients ready. Once the meat is chilled, about 20 minutes, knead in all the ingredients until well mixed. Don’t overwork the sausage, it will get too warm.
Stuff the sausage into medium casings and tie into 6″ links.
Note: The above recipe calls for 3 pounds of sausage, I usually make 1/3 of this at a time, so cut the recipe accordingly. Sausage making isn’t an exact science, so don’t worry about being a little off on the quantities.
My sausage stuffer makes you use another grinding plate when you stuff. I use a large grinding plate for this, so I don’t “regrind” the sausage. This sausage is better if it stays a little “coarse”. The sausage will keep 3 days in the refrigerator. I usually make one day ahead, wrap in wax paper and place in the refrigerator to let flavors blend. I par boil the sausages for 20 minutes on a really low boil and then grill for 5 to 8 minutes to give them a little more flavor. This seems to work well.
Notes: Mike’s notes: I use course sea salt instead of kosher.