This recipe uses 26 pounds of pork shoulder, which creates about 24 pounds of sausage. You can either cut the recipe in half, or use it as a basic guide.

26 Pounds of Pork Shoulder ( Bone In)

Hog Casings (Prepared As Instructed Below)

3/4 Cup of Salt

1/2 Cup Sweet Paprika

1/2 Cup Pepper

1/4 Cup Fennel Seed

1/2 Cup Red Pepper Flakes (Medium Heat)

Prepare the hog casings the day before by soaking in water with a little orange juice and salt. Before using, rinse well and cut into pieces 18"- 2' long. Keep the casings in warm water to keep them soft and flexible.

Cut the meat off the bone and coarsely grind. I use a Kitchen Aid Table Mixer with meat grinding attachments with good results. Place the prepared meat in large bowls in the refrigerator until you have it all ground.

Next put all the meat out on a large clean surface such as a baking board or counter. Spread out across the surface, and begin to pour the spices across the top. Mix well using your hands until all the spices are incorporated into the meat. Take about 1 cup of the seasoned pork and place in a frying pan with about 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium heat until the meat is nicely browned and then taste to determine if the seasonings are adequate. If necessary, add more seasonings of choice.

Take your casing, tie the end and begin to stuff it fairly firmly using your machine of choice. It takes two people to do this adequately, one holding the casing in place and one adding meat into the shute. Hold the intestine firmly and try to add as little air as possible. Continue until the entire casing is stuffed up until the last three or four inches. Tie off firmly with string. Set aside and continue in this manner with the remaining casings and pork mixture until you are finished. We now go back and tie off each sausage section in 6-8" segments. Nonna places meal sized portions into zip lock plastic bags and freezes them.

To cook, I boil briefly for about 5 minutes to remove some of the excess fat, and then I barbeque or roast the sausages until golden brown. Great served with roasted potatoes and saut�ed greens!

Nonna Lina � 2003