Italian Sausage - Makes 5 lbs.5 lbs. ground pork (80% lean to 20% fat)
2 tbsp. table salt
1 tbsp. fennel seed, cracked
1/2 tbsp. coriander
1 1/2 tbsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. red chili pepper, flakes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Combine the ground meat with all ingredients, mix/knead well. Taste test by cooking a small thin patty. Add more spices if needed at this time and remix. Taste test again if you feel it's necessary.
For bulk sausage simply form sausage patties or stuff into poly meat bags. Refrigerate up to a week or freeze until needed.
If you are using casings slide a 33MM to 36MM hog casing or a 32MM collagen sausage casing onto the sausage tube.
Do not refrigerate the Italian sausage mixture before you stuff it into the sausage casing as the meat will "set up" and put undo stress on your sausage stuffer. Stuff the seasoned meat into the sausage casing. The casing should be full but not full enough to burst when you begin to form links. The more you operate the sausage stuffer the easier it becomes to determine the proper fullness. With practice you will be stuffing sausage casings like a pro. The rule of thumb "practice makes perfect" applies here.
To form Italian sausage links press your forefinger and thumb together to make a slight indent in the casing about every six inches. Twist 3 or 4 turns, repeat the process for the next link, only twist 3 or 4 turns in the opposite direction. Refrigerate the Italian sausage links up to a week or freeze up to 6 months.
Bake, fry, grill or broil the Italian sausage links in usual manner until they are fully cooked.