Main dishes
Homemade bratwurst-style sausages
Fresh German-style pork sausages with shoulder, back fat and spices. Grind cold, fill natural casings and cook to a 71 °C centre.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- German
Ingredients
Sausage mixture
Spices
Casing
Browning
Method
Prepare the casings and equipment
Rinse 2 m casing inside and out as the supplier directs and keep in clean water. Chill grinder parts and bowl for 15 minutes. Keep meat at 4 °C or below.
Cut and chill the meat
Cut 700 g shoulder and 300 g back fat into 2 cm cubes. Spread separately on a tray and refrigerate 30 minutes: very cold, not a frozen block.
Grind the mixture
Grind meat and fat through a 4–5 mm plate into the cold bowl. If they warm or fat smears, stop and chill again.
Mix and season
Add 16 g salt, 2 g white pepper, 2 g marjoram and 1 g nutmeg. Mix 3–4 minutes, gradually adding 100 ml ice water until sticky. Keep cold.
Check the seasoning
Cook a teaspoonful in a pan to 71 °C at the centre, then taste. Adjust spices if needed; any extra salt changes the nutrition estimate.
Fill and form the sausages
Slide casing onto the nozzle and fill without packing tightly. Twist alternately to make 8 similar-length links. Prick only air pockets with a clean needle.
Cook with temperature control
Poach in water at 80 °C without vigorous boiling for about 15–20 minutes, until a link measures at least 71 °C in the centre. Thickness affects time: use a thermometer.
Brown and serve
Drain and dry with clean paper. Brown in 5 g oil for 4–5 minutes, turning, then serve immediately. Browning does not replace reaching 71 °C.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
1 of 8 servings
- Protein
- 16.2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0.4 g
- Fat
- 49.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 17.6 g
- Fiber
- 0.2 g
- Sugars
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 836 mg
Informational estimate; brands, yield and uneaten fat or sauce affect the result. Quantities, times, servings and nutrition are AI proposals awaiting owner confirmation. All fat and oil are counted although some may drain away. Casing is omitted and white pepper is approximated with black pepper.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (abril de 2018)
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
These fresh pork sausages are neither cured nor fermented. You need a meat grinder, sausage stuffer and food-grade natural pork casing.
Makes 8 large sausages. Keep meat, fat and equipment cold; the 100-minute total includes 30 minutes of chilling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use bought minced pork?
Yes, if its fat ratio is known and it stays cold. Adjust the added fat; this formula uses shoulder and back fat.
Why must the mixture stay cold?
It keeps fat from smearing during grinding and helps the mixture bind.
Are these cured sausages?
No. Cook to 71 °C and refrigerate or freeze; do not mature them at room temperature.
