Tomato Sausage

My Homemade Tomato Sausage Adventure

As a busy mom, finding time to cook delicious, wholesome meals can feel like a Herculean task. But let me tell you, the reward is well worth the effort. This past weekend, I decided to tackle a project that had been on my list for ages: making my own sausages. I've always loved the satisfying chew and burst of flavor from a perfectly made sausage, but store-bought options often leave me wanting more in terms of freshness and control over ingredients. So, armed with a newfound determination and a recipe I'd been eyeing, I embarked on my sausage-making journey. It wasn't as intimidating as I initially thought; and the satisfaction of creating something so flavorful from scratch was truly incredible.

I chose a tomato sausage recipe, drawn to its vibrant flavors and the promise of a satisfyingly juicy sausage. The recipe itself was straightforward; I used a combination of pork shoulder and stew meat, which provided a perfect balance of lean and fatty textures. I finely diced the meat to ensure even cooking and that characteristic mouthfeel you get with homemade sausage. The preparation involved mixing the ground meat with a blend of spices – salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ginger, which brought a beautiful warmth to the final product. And, of course, the star of the show: the tomatoes. I opted for fresh, ripe tomatoes, blending them into a smooth puree before incorporating them into the sausage mixture. This addition not only imparted a sweet, tangy flavor, but also added a lovely moisture to the final product, preventing them from being dry.

The actual sausage-making process was surprisingly therapeutic. The rhythmic grinding of the meat, the careful kneading of the mixture, and the satisfying "plink" as the sausages emerged from the casing all felt very meditative. I followed the instructions carefully, ensuring that I properly mixed the ingredients and that the casing was filled evenly. The final step – linking the sausages – was my favorite part. It was simple, yet provided a beautiful visual appeal that made me incredibly proud of my work. The resulting sausages were magnificent – plump, juicy, and bursting with flavor.

I experimented with different cooking methods – pan-frying and grilling – discovering that both approaches yielded wonderfully delicious results. The pan-fried sausages were perfect for a quick weeknight meal, their crispy edges a welcome textural contrast to their juicy interior. The grilled sausages, on the other hand, had a smoky char that added a delicious depth of flavor. I served my homemade sausages with various accompaniments – creamy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a simple green salad, each pairing enhancing the sausage's already intense flavor. The whole family raved about my creation; it was a moment of true culinary pride.

The experience of making these sausages was more than just about creating a meal; it was about connecting with the process, appreciating the ingredients, and savoring the satisfaction of transforming simple components into something extraordinary. It's a reminder that even amidst the chaos of daily life, we can find pockets of time for creativity and self-expression, even if it's just through making a batch of homemade sausages.

It was a delightful afternoon spent experimenting in the kitchen, learning a new skill, and creating something truly special. And the best part? The incredible aroma that filled my kitchen throughout the process was utterly intoxicating. The taste? Unforgettable. It is a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most rewarding things are the simplest and the most handcrafted. Now, every time I savor a bite of my tomato sausage, it's not just a meal; it's a reminder of a perfect weekend afternoon spent crafting delicious memories in my kitchen.

Ingredients I used

• 700 grams boneless pork shoulder (fridge cold)
• 200 grams stew meat (fridge cold)
• 18 grams salt
• 3 grams pepper
• 2 grams nutmeg
• 1 gram ground ginger
• 60 grams dried bread crumbs
• 400 grams fresh or tinned tomatoes (fridge cold)
• 100 ml ice-cold water
• Hogs casing (approximately 2 meters)

Step-by-step

• Rinse the hogs casing on the outside and open and rinse through the inside.
• Soak in warm water for 1 hour.
• Place the mincer head and worm in the freezer for 20-30 mins.
• Mix all the sausage seasoning together.
• Remove any rind, gristle or bone from the meat with a sharp knife.
• Slice all the meat into 2 x 2 x 6 cm strips, separating the fat from the lean.
• Mix the lean meat and sausage seasoning together and place all meat in the freezer for 10 mins or so if necessary.
• Set up the mincer: mincer head, worm, the sharp blade goes blade facing outwards onto the worm, the medium (8mm) plate and the fixing ring.
• Mince all the meat on full speed.
• Add the breadcrumbs and tomatoes and thoroughly mix and knead the mixture adding in the water only to achieve a good primary bind (the mixture when held up will hold to your fingers, but not dry) you could add more or less water as necessary.
• Now replace the 8mm plate with the small (4mm) plate.
• Put the meat mixture through the mincer on half speed.
• Take a small amount of the mixture and set aside, place the rest in the fridge for 20-30mins.
• Take the set aside mixture and fry, taste test the sample. You can alter the seasoning or moisture of your meat mixture now, thoroughly mix again and pop it back in the fridge.
• Remove the fixing ring from the mincer and add the medium sausage attachment and replace the fixing ring (leave the blade and plate in place!).
• Remove the hog casing from the water.
• Open one end of the casing and gently feed it onto the end of the sausage attachment. Using the finger and thumb to gently remove water from the casing as you feed it onto the sausage attachment with the finger and thumb of your other hand until all the casing is on the sausage attachment.
• Remove the meat mixture from the fridge and place it into the hopper, gently feeding some down the hole using the food pusher, try to make sure you get no air into the mix at this point.
• Turn the machine onto half speed and allow the meat to come through the sausage attachment for a cm or two, and turn off the machine.
• Take the end 3 cm of the casing and gently pull it over the end of the sausage attachment.
• Moisten the worktop with a little water.
• Turn on the machine to half speed again, and gently ease out about 15cm (your chosen sausage length) and stop the machine.
• Check the sausage is it your chosen thickness? Avoid over stuffing the sausage and try not to get any air into the sausage. Keep the hopper tube filled with mixture so air does not become trapped.
• Finish feeding the meat into the casings (at half speed). Ease the sausage out and onto the worktop.
• Once you have finished it is time to make sausage links.
• From one end, leave the length of your desired sausage and twist it a few times clockwise. Then leave another length the same as your first and twist the sausage a few times anti-clockwise, the next clockwise and so on until you have a long string of sausages.
• Remember practice makes perfect! Whatever you create will be edible.