Homemade Italian Sausage Meat

5 from 5 votes

Homemade Italian Sausage Meat

This is a recipe for homemade Italian Sausage Meat. Use it in place of the “bulk Italian sausage” called for in American recipes, or anywhere a recipe calls for sausage meat, rather than squeezing meat out of sausage casings! I like that you can really taste the herbs and spices, and there's the option to use lean meat (though - the fatter your pork, the juicer, tastier and softer :) ).

If you're missing one or two herbs, it's totally fine, there's enough other flavourings to still make a tasty sausage mixture. Though if you omit fennel, you will lose the Italian touch. :)

Makes 500g / 1 lb

Prep Time5

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Italian, Western

Keyword: Ground pork recipe, homemade bulk italian sausage, italian sausage meat, Pork mince recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 347cal

Author: Nagi

Ingredients

500 g/ 1 lb pork mince (ground pork) - preferably 20 - 25% fat, otherwise just standard pork mince usually ~17% fat (Note 1)
1 tbsp dry red wine , anything not too woody or sweet, optional (Note 2)
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley , or 2 tsp dried parsley
1 tbsp paprika . regular/sweet (or smoked, for smoky flavour)
1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (half for table salt, +50% for flakes)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder (substituted 1 large garlic clove finely grated)
2 tsp fennel seeds , toasted and coarsely ground - sub 1 tsp fennel powder (Note 3)
1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes / red pepper flakes , optional (for bit of warm spiciness and little red bits!)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil

Instructions

Mix everything together using your hands. If time permits, leave to marinate for 24 hours to let the flavours meld (I usually don't).

Uses and storage:

Use per any recipe calling for "Italian sausage meat" or "bulk Italian sausage". Just cook it up like regular mince, or make patties or meatballs. See in post for many ideas!
Keeps for however long the meat is good for, or freeze.

Notes

1. Meat - The pork used in sausages is quite high in fat which helps make them soft and juicy. Also, fat is where most of the meat flavour is. :) So the higher your fat %, the tastier your sausage meat will be! However, the recipe works just fine with lean meat too, including chicken and turkey.

2. Wine is often included in traditional Italian sausages, but it's entirely optional. If you prefer, just leave it out.

3. Fennel seeds - it's not Italian without fennel in it! Preheat a small pan over medium heat (no oil), then toast the fennel seeds until fragrant and lightly browned. Immediately remove from pan, then once cooled, coarsely grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Fennel powder can be substituted but it's not as good, fennel flavour is faded.

Keeps in the fridge for whatever the shelf life of the pork is, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition