prep time: 20 minutes, plus 3 to 4 hours to chill the meat, soak the casings, and rest the sausage
•
cook time: 10 minutes
•
yield: 12 sausages (1 per serving)
prep time: 20 minutes, plus 3 to 4 hours to chill the meat, soak the casings, and rest the sausage
•
cook time: 10 minutes
•
yield: 12 sausages (1 per serving)
½ pound pork fatback
½ cup coconut vinegar
6 feet medium hog casings
2½ pounds 80% lean ground beef
⅓ cup ice-cold beef bone broth, homemade ( see here ) or store-bought
3 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fine ground sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground bay leaves
¼ teaspoon whole anise seeds
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground dried thyme
Lard or coconut oil, for cooking
Keto dipping sauce(s) of choice, such as Garlic and Herb Aioli ( see here ) or Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing ( see here ), for serving
special equipment:
Meat grinder (or grinder attachment on stand mixer)
Sausage stuffer (optional)
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the fatback into 1-inch cubes and spread out on the baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
2. Fill a large bowl with the coconut vinegar and 2 quarts of water. Soak the casings in the liquid for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the fatback from the freezer and grind it using the coarse disk of a meat grinder (I use my KitchenAid food grinder attachment).
4. In a large bowl, place the ground pork fat, ground beef, broth, garlic, paprika, mustard seeds, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, ground bay leaves, anise seeds, coriander, and thyme; mix everything together until it’s evenly combined. Cook up a small dab in a skillet over medium heat so that you can taste the sausage. Add more seasoning, if desired, before stuffing the casings.
5. Load a sausage stuffer (I used my KitchenAid sausage stuffer attachment) with the presoaked casings and stuff the sausages by pushing the meat mixture through the attachment. Twist the sausages into links about 5 inches in length. Note: If you do not have a sausage stuffer, you can form the meat into 12 large patties.
6. Refrigerate the sausages for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. Cook within 3 days.
7. To cook the sausages, melt 1 tablespoon of lard or coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Poke a few small holes into each sausage link. Cook the sausages for 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Serve with the keto dipping sauces of your choice. The cooked sausages will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
tips for making sausage:
Liquid is needed to bind protein to fat. The more liquid you add, the more fat you can add.
For great flavor and added nutrients, homemade bone broth is best for the liquid. But good-quality store-bought broth will work.
If the sausage pops out of the casing when you bite into it, you cooked it too fast and at too high a heat.
Use cold meat and fat when making sausage, so it won’t turn mushy. (In fact, commercial sausage makers often add dry ice to the meat to keep it cold.) After cubing the meat, either place it in the freezer for 1 hour or refrigerate it for 4 hours or overnight before grinding. After grinding, place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes to keep meat cold while stuffing.
busy family tip: Make a double batch and freeze for easy meals.
