Best Homemade Pork Sausage

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Making your own sausage at home might sound like a daunting task that’s best left to the pros. After all, most of us are used to simply grabbing pre-made links from the grocery store, and the idea of grinding and seasoning meat from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already juggling a busy schedule.

But here’s the thing – homemade pork sausage is actually much easier than you’d think, and it gives you complete control over what goes into your meat. Plus, once you get the basic technique down, you can adjust the seasonings to match your family’s taste preferences or what you’re craving that day.

What Kind of Pork Should I Use?

For homemade sausage, pork shoulder (also called Boston butt) is your best bet since it has the ideal meat-to-fat ratio of about 80/20. If you’re starting with whole pork shoulder, trim off any tough connective tissue but make sure to keep some of that fat – it’s what gives sausage its juicy texture and flavor. You can ask your butcher to grind it for you, or if you’re doing it at home, cutting the meat into 1-inch cubes and chilling it well before grinding makes the process much easier. While you could use pre-ground pork from the grocery store, choosing your own cut of meat gives you better control over the quality and fat content.

Options for Substitutions

Making homemade sausage is fun and you’ve got some wiggle room with the ingredients. Here’s what you can switch up:

• Pork shoulder: While pork is the traditional choice here, you could use ground chicken or turkey for a lighter version. Just add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix since these meats are leaner than pork.
• Fresh herbs: No fresh sage or thyme? Use dried herbs instead – just cut the amount in half since dried herbs are more concentrated. So that’s 1½ teaspoons each of dried sage and thyme.
• Red pepper flakes: You can swap these with cayenne pepper (use ½ teaspoon for similar heat) or hot paprika. If you’re not into spicy food, feel free to reduce the amount or skip it completely.
• Brown sugar: Regular white sugar or honey works fine here. You could even skip it if you prefer your sausage without any sweetness.
• Nutmeg: If you’re out of nutmeg, you can use allspice or a pinch of cinnamon. This spice adds a nice warmth, but you can leave it out if needed.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but in a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder as a substitute.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making homemade sausage is getting the meat-to-fat ratio wrong – aim for about 20-30% fat content in your pork shoulder, as too lean meat will result in dry, crumbly sausage. Another common mistake is not chilling your meat and equipment before grinding; keeping everything cold (including the grinding attachments) prevents the fat from melting and helps maintain the perfect texture. When mixing your seasonings, avoid overworking the meat as this can lead to tough, dense sausage – instead, mix just until the spices are evenly distributed and the meat starts to feel sticky. For the best flavor development, let your seasoned meat mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before cooking, allowing the salt to properly distribute and the herbs to infuse into the meat.

What to Serve With Homemade Pork Sausage?

These flavorful homemade sausages are super versatile and pair well with so many breakfast and dinner options! For a classic breakfast spread, serve them alongside fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy hash browns, or tuck them into warm biscuits with a drizzle of maple syrup. If you’re thinking dinner, these sausages taste great with a side of sautéed peppers and onions, or on top of creamy mashed potatoes with some grainy mustard on the side. You can also slice them up and add them to pasta dishes or serve them with braised cabbage and apples for a cozy fall meal.

Storage Instructions

Keep Raw: If you’re not cooking your homemade sausage right away, you can keep the raw mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The flavors actually get better as they meld together, so making it a day ahead is a great idea!

Store Cooked: Once cooked, let your sausage cool down and pop it in an airtight container. It’ll stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days. I like to slice it up before storing – it makes it super easy to grab and use in quick meals throughout the week.

Freeze: This sausage freezes really well! For raw sausage, shape it into patties or leave as bulk, wrap well in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. For cooked sausage, let it cool completely, wrap it up tight, and it’ll keep in the freezer for about 2 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to use it.

Preparation Time	15-40 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	25-55 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1000-1150
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 10-15 g

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork shoulder without bones or already ground pork
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil for cooking

Step 1: Prepare the Pork Shoulder (If Grinding from Scratch)

If you’re grinding the meat yourself, start by trimming the meat of a pork shoulder away from the bone.

Cut the meat into 1-inch chunks and place them into the freezer or refrigerator to chill for 15-20 minutes.

This step ensures the pork is cold and firm for optimal grinding texture.

Step 2: Grind the Pork

Once chilled, run the cold cubed pork through a food grinder using the medium-size dye into another bowl or pan.

If you are using pre-ground pork, you can skip directly to the next step.

Step 3: Season the Ground Pork

Add sage, thyme, red pepper flakes, paprika, freshly ground nutmeg, finely grated garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to the bowl of ground pork.

Mix everything together thoroughly to ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the meat.

Step 4: Test the Seasoning

Fry a small piece of the sausage mixture and taste it.

Adjust any seasonings if necessary to suit your taste preferences before proceeding to form the patties.

Step 5: Form the Sausage Patties

Shape the seasoned sausage mixture into small patties, each approximately 2 ½” to 3” in diameter.

This size is ideal for even cooking and serving.

Step 6: Cook the Sausage Patties

Heat some oil in a non-stick skillet or a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

Fry the sausage patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are browned and cooked through.

Ensure they’re cooked well to enhance their flavors and texture.

Step 7: Serve

Immediately serve the sausage patties hot.

They make a delicious addition to breakfast or as a savory dish any time of the day.