Recipe: Homemade Sicilian-Style Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage (makes 5 lbs., how to prepare casings)

SICILIAN-STYLE HOT OR SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGEe
Makes 5 pounds



"This recipe provides enough that you can please everybody by making hot and sweet sausages at the same time. Just add crushed red pepper to only half of the sausage mixture."

VERSION 1:
5 feet medium (2-inch-diameter) hog casings
4 1/2 pounds lean pork butt, cubed
1/2 pound pork fat, cubed
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon freshly coarse-ground black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Crushed red pepper: 1/2 teaspoon for sweet sausage, to taste for hot sausage

VERSION 2:
Ingredients for Version 1
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon anise seed

Prepare the casings.*

Using the coarse disk of a food grinder, grind the meat and fat together.

Mix the fennel seed, black pepper, salt, and red pepper together with the meat and fat. Stuff the mixture into the casings. Twist off into 3- or 4-inch links.

Refrigerate and use (cook) within 3 days, or freeze.

*HOW TO PREPARE THE CASINGS:
Rinse the casing under cool running water to remove any salt clinging to it. Place in a bowl of cool water; soak for 30 minutes. While you're waiting for the casing to soak, begin preparing the meat (step 2). After soaking, rinse the casing under cool running water. Slip one end of the casing over the faucet nozzle. Hold the casing firmly on the nozzle, and then turn on the cold water, gently at first, and then more forcefully. This procedure will flush out any salt in the casing and pinpoint any breaks. Should you find a break, simply snip out a small section of the casing.

Place the casing in a bowl of water and add a splash of vinegar - 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water is sufficient. The vinegar will soften the casing and make it more transparent, which in turn will make your sausage more pleasing to the eye. Leave the casing in the vinegar solution until you are ready to use it. Rinse well drain before stuffing.

ABOUT SAUSAGE SAFETY
When making sausage, you must be responsible for providing food that is safe to eat.

Here are some rules to follow:
1. Use hot water and dish detergent to scrub all surfaces that will be in contact with the meat. In particular, clean your cutting board very well. Rinse everything thoroughly. When you are finished, wash and sanitize the cutting board (use a mixture of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach and 1 quart of water as a sanitizing solution).

2. Assemble your utensils and equipment: grinder, sausage funnel, knives, mixing spoons, and a large pan for mixing.

3. Pour boiling water over the grinder and the utensils that will come into contact with the meat. Allow everything to cool completely before proceeding, so as not to raise the temperature of the meat and thus encourage the growth of bacteria.

4. Take off any rings you are wearing and wash your hands carefully. Wash them again if you are called away from your work, such as for a phone call.

Source: 500 Treasured Country Recipes by Martha Storey and Friends