Making your own sausage meat at home is easy and allows you to control the quality of the ingredients. With just a few simple ingredients you can make tasty sausage meat that is perfect for homemade sausage rolls, sausage patties and more.
Why Make Your Own Sausage Meat?
There are several benefits to making your own sausage meat rather than buying pre-made sausage meat
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Ingredient quality – By making it yourself, you can choose high quality pork and control what goes into the sausage meat. Pre-made sausage meat may contain fillers, preservatives and other additives.
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Cost savings – Buying pork mince and making your own sausage meat is cheaper than buying ready-made sausage meat.
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Customize flavors – You can tweak spices and ingredients to suit your taste.
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Avoid allergens – Make it gluten free or omit ingredients you are allergic/intolerant to.
Ingredients Needed
The main ingredients you need are:
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Pork mince – Use pork shoulder or pork belly mince for the best fat content. Go for 20% fat or higher. The fat content helps keep the sausage meat moist.
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Breadcrumbs – These help bind the sausage meat mixture. Use fresh breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs or gluten free breadcrumbs.
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Herbs and spices – These add flavour. Popular choices are sage, thyme, parsley, black pepper, fennel seeds, garlic and onion.
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Salt – For seasoning.
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Egg – Helps bind the mixture.
How to Make Sausage Meat
Making your own sausage meat is very easy to do. Follow these simple steps:
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Prepare ingredients – Gather your ingredients and tools. Mince garlic, chop onion and herbs if using fresh.
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Combine pork mince and dry ingredients – In a large bowl, combine pork mince with breadcrumbs, dried herbs/spices and season with salt and pepper.
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Mix in wet ingredients – Add in egg, garlic, onion and any fresh herbs. Mix everything together well using your hands.
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Rest the mixture – For best results, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows flavours to mingle and makes it easier to handle.
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Use as required – Roll out and use to make sausage rolls, form into patties or stuff into casings if making sausages.
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Cook sausage meat thoroughly – Always ensure sausage meat is cooked through to 160°F/71°C internally. The texture will change from pink and wet to opaque and dry when fully cooked.
Flavour Ideas
Tailor the flavour by using different herbs and spices. Some ideas:
- Breakfast – Sage, thyme, onion and garlic
- Italian – Oregano, basil, fennel seeds, garlic
- Chorizo – Smoked paprika, garlic, oregano
- Cajun – Cayenne, thyme, oregano, garlic
Play around and have fun coming up with your own signature flavours!
Recipe for Basic Sausage Meat
This versatile recipe can be used in many recipes calling for sausage meat.
Ingredients
- 500g/1lb pork mince
- 1⁄2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 3⁄4 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
- 1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 spring onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine pork mince, breadcrumbs and dried herbs/spices. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add in egg, spring onion and garlic. Mix well to combine.
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Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Use as required in recipes. Cook thoroughly before eating.
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Store leftover sausage meat tightly wrapped in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Now you know how to make your own sausage meat at home using pork mince! With this basic recipe, you can create sausage rolls, patties, bangers and more. The flavour possibilities are endless.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best fat percentage for sausage meat?
Aim for 20% fat or higher when buying pork mince. The fat content helps keep the sausage moist. Too low and it can become dry.
Can I use turkey or chicken mince?
For best results, use pork mince which has some fat. Chicken and turkey are very lean so the sausage meat can be dry.
What’s the ideal breadcrumb to meat ratio?
Use around 1/2 cup breadcrumbs per 1lb/500g of meat. More makes it drier, less makes it not hold together as well.
Is sausage meat safe to eat raw?
No, raw sausage meat is not safe. Always cook thoroughly to 160°F/71°C internal temperature.
How long does homemade sausage meat last?
Sausage meat lasts 2-3 days refrigerated. It can be frozen for 2-3 months.
Can I use gluten free breadcrumbs?
Yes, you can use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of regular breadcrumbs.
Making your own sausage meat opens up so many recipe possibilities! Follow this simple guide for how to make tasty sausage meat at home using pork mince.