While most sausages with chiles include pork, I decided to create a beef and chile version. They’re delicious sautéed, too.
Medium hog sausage casings (optional)
13/4 pounds beef chuck or brisket
1/4 pound beef fat
2 tablespoons paprika
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
11/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeds and ribs removed, and finely chopped
1. If using sausage casings, prepare them as directed.
2. Cut beef and beef fat into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in a mixing bowl, and toss with paprika, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and allspice. Transfer cubes to a sheet of plastic wrap on a plate and freeze for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
3. Grind beef and fat through the coarse disk of a meat grinder, or in small batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade using the on-and-off pulse button. If using a food processor, do not process into a paste, but ingredients should be very finely chopped.
4. Combine ground meat, wine, garlic, and chile in a mixing bowl, and knead mixture until well blended. Fry 1 tablespoon of mixture in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
5. Stuff mixture into casings as described, if using, and twist off into 5-inch links; prick air bubbles with a straight pin or skewer. If time permits, arrange links on a wire rack over a baking sheet and air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 day before cooking. Alternately, if keeping sausage in bulk, refrigerate mixture for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.
6. Cook sausages as directed to an internal temperature of 160°F when pierced with an instant-read thermometer or as directed in a specific recipe.
Note: Sausages can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Once cooked, they can be refrigerated up to 3 days.