🔥 Smoked Pork Sausage Recipe
🧂 Ingredients (for 5 lbs / 2.27 kg of sausage):
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4 lbs (1.81 kg) pork shoulder (well-marbled, chilled)
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1 lb (0.45 kg) pork fatback (or substitute with fatty pork belly)
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2 tbsp Himalayan Pink Salt
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1 tsp pink curing salt #1 (SPQR Seasonings / 6.25% sodium nitrite)
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1 tsp MSG (SPQR Seasonings)
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1 tbsp sugar (white or brown)
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1 tbsp black pepper, ground
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1 tbsp smoked paprika (optional, for color and mild smokiness)
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1 tsp garlic powder
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½ tsp onion powder
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½ cup ice-cold water
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Hog casings (rinsed and soaked)
🔪 Equipment Needed:
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Meat grinder (coarse and fine plates)
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Sausage stuffer
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Smoker (or oven if not smoking)
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Thermometer
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Scale (for precise measurement, especially for curing salt)
🧑🍳 Instructions:
1. Prep the Meat:
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Cut the pork and fat into small chunks and chill them well (near freezing) for easier grinding.
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Keep everything cold to avoid smearing the fat.
2. Grind the Meat:
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Grind meat and fat through a coarse plate (⅜") once.
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Optional: Grind a second time through a fine plate (⅛") for a smoother texture.
3. Mix the Seasonings:
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In a small bowl, combine the salt, pink curing salt, MSG, sugar, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and paprika.
4. Mix and Emulsify:
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Mix the ground meat and fat with seasonings and ice-cold water.
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Knead or use a mixer until sticky and well combined (this builds protein structure).
5. Stuff the Sausage:
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Load into sausage stuffer and fill hog casings.
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Twist into 6" links or your desired length.
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Prick air bubbles with a sterile needle or sausage pricker.
6. Cure Time (Optional but recommended):
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Refrigerate sausages uncovered for 12–24 hours to allow curing salt to work and improve smoke adhesion.
7. Smoke the Sausage:
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Preheat smoker to 130°F (54°C) and gradually increase to 175°F (79°C).
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Smoke sausages until internal temperature hits 155°F (68°C).
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Use fruitwood like apple or cherry for a sweet-smoke profile.
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8. Chill & Store:
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Immediately dunk sausages in an ice bath to stop cooking.
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Let them bloom at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
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Store in the fridge up to a week or vacuum seal and freeze.
📝 Notes:
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Curing Salt #1 is NOT optional in this recipe since it’s used for smoked meats to prevent botulism.
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MSG adds a noticeable umami boost in flavor.
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Always weigh curing salt carefully; do not eyeball.
