I usually make homemade sausages in winter, when I have fresh pork meat and time to take care of all the stages without rushing. Relatives or friends always gather to help, especially with stuffing and tying the intestines. I have been using this recipe for years for spicier Moldovan sausages, called 'chiscosi' in our region. They are simple, with basic ingredients and no unnecessary additives. When you want to keep them longer, you can either smoke them or freeze them.
Quick Info
Total Time: 3-4 hours (including stuffing and cleaning intestines)
Servings: 25-30 sausages (approx. 10-12 meters)
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
5 kg pork (shoulder or leg, not too fatty)
2 kg hard pork fat
5 kg beef (leg or neck)
10-12 meters of well-cleaned pork intestines
5-6 heads of garlic
100 g salt (or to taste)
20-25 g ground black pepper
50-70 g hot or sweet paprika (according to preference; for chiscosi, use hot)
Cold water (only if the mixture seems too dry)
Preparation Method
1. Start with the pork intestines. Wash them well under cold running water, then rub them with coarse salt and a little lemon juice or vinegar. Turn them inside out and wash thoroughly. Finally, keep them in cold water until stuffing. If they are not clean enough, the sausages will have an unpleasant smell or burst during stuffing.
2. Cut the pork, beef, and fat into pieces suitable for the meat grinder. Peel the garlic and either crush it or chop it very finely.
3. Pass all the meat and fat through the meat grinder using the large plate. If you prefer finer sausages, you can use the small plate, but traditionally, a coarser texture is left.
4. Mix the ground meat with garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Knead well for at least 10-15 minutes. Taste a bit of the mixture (fry a spoonful in a pan to check the seasoning). If the mixture seems too dry, you can add 100-150 ml of cold water gradually until it reaches a slightly sticky but not soft consistency.
5. Attach the sausage stuffing funnel to the meat grinder. Slide the intestines onto the funnel, leaving about 10 cm of the end free. Fill each intestine with the meat mixture, working steadily and not too quickly. Be careful not to leave any gaps or air bubbles – if they appear, prick them with a thin needle.
6. As you fill, twist the sausages every 15-20 cm in length, or leave them long and cut them after drying. Tie the ends with food string or a simple knot.
7. Hang the sausages on sticks or thick string in a cool, well-ventilated place, away from sunlight and moisture. Leave them to dry for 1-2 days until they become slightly firm to the touch. If you have high humidity at home, extend the drying period to 2-3 days.
8. After drying, you can keep them in the refrigerator, smoke them cold for 2-3 days, or put them directly in the freezer in bags, depending on how you want to use them.
Why I make this recipe often
I make homemade sausages because they are suitable for various occasions and can be stored for months without stress. I can control how salty or spicy I want them and know exactly what I put in them. They are practical for both freezing and smoking, so I have no waste.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Use fresh meat, not frozen, otherwise the mixture won't bind well.
- Don't overfill the intestines, as they may burst during drying or cooking.
- Don't skip the drying step, or they may mold or ferment.
- If you want them extra spicy, add a little ground chili.
Substitutions
- If you don't have beef, you can use only pork (8 kg pork, 2 kg fat).
- Sweet or smoked paprika works if you don't want them spicy.
- Pork intestines can be replaced with beef intestines, but the texture will be firmer.
Variations
- Caraway seeds can be added if you prefer that flavor.
- Some add a little red wine to the mixture for taste and preservation.
- For drier sausages, you can add 1-2 g of sugar for each kilogram of meat.
Serving Ideas
- Fry in a pan, serve with mustard or pickles.
- Boil in water with bay leaves, then fry for a crust.
- Bake whole or cut into pieces, alongside potatoes or sautéed cabbage.
- Grill, directly after drying or smoking.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I clean pork intestines more easily?
Coarse salt and lemon juice clean well and neutralize the smell. It's important to rinse them thoroughly, possibly soaking them in water with a little vinegar for half an hour.
2. Can I make sausages without a meat grinder?
The meat can be cut very finely with a knife, but it takes a long time and is harder to mix evenly. You still need a special funnel for stuffing.
3. What should I do if my sausages burst while stuffing?
Fill them more loosely and immediately prick any air bubbles with a thin needle. If the intestine has ruptured, cut the piece and tie the ends, then continue.
4. Can I use artificial casings for sausages?
Yes, but the texture and taste will not be the same. Natural casings allow moisture to escape better during drying and frying.
Nutritional Values
Per 100 g of sausages (raw): approximately 340-360 kcal, 27 g fat, 23 g protein, 0-1 g carbohydrates. The proportion depends on how much fat is used and how much meat content there is. Sausages are quite caloric, with high fat, but good protein intake.
Storage and Reheating
Sausages can be stored dry in the refrigerator (2-4°C) for up to 2 weeks after drying or smoking. For longer periods, the freezer is the safest – 4-6 months, in well-sealed bags. When reheating, fry them directly from the freezer or after slow thawing in the refrigerator. After frying, it is not recommended to keep them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Quick Info
Total Time: 3-4 hours (including stuffing and cleaning intestines)
Servings: 25-30 sausages (approx. 10-12 meters)
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
5 kg pork (shoulder or leg, not too fatty)
2 kg hard pork fat
5 kg beef (leg or neck)
10-12 meters of well-cleaned pork intestines
5-6 heads of garlic
100 g salt (or to taste)
20-25 g ground black pepper
50-70 g hot or sweet paprika (according to preference; for chiscosi, use hot)
Cold water (only if the mixture seems too dry)
Preparation Method
1. Start with the pork intestines. Wash them well under cold running water, then rub them with coarse salt and a little lemon juice or vinegar. Turn them inside out and wash thoroughly. Finally, keep them in cold water until stuffing. If they are not clean enough, the sausages will have an unpleasant smell or burst during stuffing.
2. Cut the pork, beef, and fat into pieces suitable for the meat grinder. Peel the garlic and either crush it or chop it very finely.
3. Pass all the meat and fat through the meat grinder using the large plate. If you prefer finer sausages, you can use the small plate, but traditionally, a coarser texture is left.
4. Mix the ground meat with garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Knead well for at least 10-15 minutes. Taste a bit of the mixture (fry a spoonful in a pan to check the seasoning). If the mixture seems too dry, you can add 100-150 ml of cold water gradually until it reaches a slightly sticky but not soft consistency.
5. Attach the sausage stuffing funnel to the meat grinder. Slide the intestines onto the funnel, leaving about 10 cm of the end free. Fill each intestine with the meat mixture, working steadily and not too quickly. Be careful not to leave any gaps or air bubbles – if they appear, prick them with a thin needle.
6. As you fill, twist the sausages every 15-20 cm in length, or leave them long and cut them after drying. Tie the ends with food string or a simple knot.
7. Hang the sausages on sticks or thick string in a cool, well-ventilated place, away from sunlight and moisture. Leave them to dry for 1-2 days until they become slightly firm to the touch. If you have high humidity at home, extend the drying period to 2-3 days.
8. After drying, you can keep them in the refrigerator, smoke them cold for 2-3 days, or put them directly in the freezer in bags, depending on how you want to use them.
Why I make this recipe often
I make homemade sausages because they are suitable for various occasions and can be stored for months without stress. I can control how salty or spicy I want them and know exactly what I put in them. They are practical for both freezing and smoking, so I have no waste.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Use fresh meat, not frozen, otherwise the mixture won't bind well.
- Don't overfill the intestines, as they may burst during drying or cooking.
- Don't skip the drying step, or they may mold or ferment.
- If you want them extra spicy, add a little ground chili.
Substitutions
- If you don't have beef, you can use only pork (8 kg pork, 2 kg fat).
- Sweet or smoked paprika works if you don't want them spicy.
- Pork intestines can be replaced with beef intestines, but the texture will be firmer.
Variations
- Caraway seeds can be added if you prefer that flavor.
- Some add a little red wine to the mixture for taste and preservation.
- For drier sausages, you can add 1-2 g of sugar for each kilogram of meat.
Serving Ideas
- Fry in a pan, serve with mustard or pickles.
- Boil in water with bay leaves, then fry for a crust.
- Bake whole or cut into pieces, alongside potatoes or sautéed cabbage.
- Grill, directly after drying or smoking.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I clean pork intestines more easily?
Coarse salt and lemon juice clean well and neutralize the smell. It's important to rinse them thoroughly, possibly soaking them in water with a little vinegar for half an hour.
2. Can I make sausages without a meat grinder?
The meat can be cut very finely with a knife, but it takes a long time and is harder to mix evenly. You still need a special funnel for stuffing.
3. What should I do if my sausages burst while stuffing?
Fill them more loosely and immediately prick any air bubbles with a thin needle. If the intestine has ruptured, cut the piece and tie the ends, then continue.
4. Can I use artificial casings for sausages?
Yes, but the texture and taste will not be the same. Natural casings allow moisture to escape better during drying and frying.
Nutritional Values
Per 100 g of sausages (raw): approximately 340-360 kcal, 27 g fat, 23 g protein, 0-1 g carbohydrates. The proportion depends on how much fat is used and how much meat content there is. Sausages are quite caloric, with high fat, but good protein intake.
Storage and Reheating
Sausages can be stored dry in the refrigerator (2-4°C) for up to 2 weeks after drying or smoking. For longer periods, the freezer is the safest – 4-6 months, in well-sealed bags. When reheating, fry them directly from the freezer or after slow thawing in the refrigerator. After frying, it is not recommended to keep them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.