Best 17 Fresh Sausage Recipes

KIELBASA, HOMEMADE KIELBASA, FRESH POLISH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Put the garlic through a garlic press or mince really fine. Put the seasonings into a small pot with a pint of water. Boil and then cool. Here's where my Mom always said taste it and I wouldn't. That could account for the variance in taste from year to year!
• Meanwhile, cut the pork off the bone. Cut into strips maybe 1" by 3". Doesn't have to be exact size, we get pretty sloppy with it. Strips go through the grinder better than chunks. Don't trim anything off, unless you just can't stand not to. Trust me, if there's not enough fat, the kielbasa will be dry and hard. DO trim off any bloody-type stuff though. We then put the meat into plastic dishpans, pour the cool liquid over, add about 4 cups ice cubes and mix together until your hands freeze. It should be kinda sloppy. If not, add more water or ice. Cover with aluminum foil or such and put in fridge over night to marinate so the meat soaks up the flavor. Stir occasionally. The ice will probably all be melted the next day before you make the sausage. The meat kind of absorbs the flavors. Yes, it will smell up the fridge. In fact, it will smell up the whole house! Open the windows. Make the neighbors crazy!
• Next day, take the casings out and soak in warm water for several hours; it makes them more flexible. Cut in 4 ft. lengths. Shove the meat in the freezer for 1/2 to 1 hour before you start. The meat stiffens up a little and it's easier to put through the grinder. (We forget to do this a lot!) Stick one end of each casing on the faucet and run warm water through the inside of the casing.
• Ready? (Keep everything as cold as you can) This is the fun part. Put a little oil on your hand and run it over the horn where the meat will come out. Run casing through fingers to drain slightly. Put a casing on the horn. One person helps push the meat through the grinder while the other holds the casing while it is filling up. It kinda curls up as you hold it. I find for me that it's better if I hold it up while it's filling, less pressure on the casing. We make each one about 12-16". Or until it splits! Tie it off with string or knot the end if you can get it close to the end of the filled casing. Some people twist it every 6" or so to make smaller sausages. If the darn thing splits, you gotta scrape out the meat, dump it back with the other stuff in the dishpan and start over. Some years you're lucky, but some years the darn things split all the time. That's one reason for soaking the casings for a longer time, they don't split as easily. Sometimes it's just a bad batch of casings. Then all you can do is swear at it.
• We put the coils of sausage back into clean dishpans (on a rack if possible) and put back into fridge to kinda dry overnight. Then we pack them in Saran, aluminum foil, ziplock bags, anything that will keep the smell in, and put the packages in the freezer. We make 2-3 lb. packages. Since I have a vacuum sealer, I use that. It works really great.
• By the way, the sausage is pale because it is not smoked. We don't care for smoked kielbasa. But you can smoke it before freezing. Can't help you with that, though!
• We've been able to keep the sausage frozen for months. Just keep everything cold and clean while you're working. Keep a lot of paper towels handy to dry hands, answer the doggone telephone, etc.
• We have found over the years, that pork has become much leaner now.That is sometimes a problem. We've considered buying more fat and mixing it in but never have. It worked out all right just not cutting off any fat. But insufficient fat makes for dry sausage.
• It takes up about 1-1/2 hours altogether to fill the casings. It's really simple and easy. Of course sometimes we have splashes on the walls when "someone" gets a little rough pushing the meat through the grinder. Hey, that's the fun of it. It's a messy job, but someone has to do it.
• Oh yeah, the house smells for 3-4 days. But it smells good. If you like garlic. All the seasonings are to your personal taste. You really need a lot of salt though. The pepper -- eh, how much do you like? We like a lot. Same with the garlic.
• We keep a little of the ground meat and cook a couple of small patties of the sausage. That's when you can taste it and find out what you did wrong in the seasoning, too late, of course.
• Use the plate in the grinder which grinds the meat coarse. It's better if the meat is a little chunky. You don't want a mealy texture.
• If you run a search on google, you can find other information under kielbasa.
• One recipe I found says to knead meat and seasonings. Supposedly the more you knead, the more tender the sausage. We've never tried that.
• In recent years, we've set aside 3-4 lbs. of the ground sausage meat and made it into small patties like breakfast sausage, and larger patties like hamburgers. The grandkids really like that. We do, too. But for Easter and Christmas, it has to be the links.

ORECCHIETTE WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and add pancetta to the skillet. Cook and stir until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove casings from the sausages; add sausage meat to skillet. Cook and stir until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet.
• Toss mushrooms into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, 1 to 2 hours.
• Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in orecchiette and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 7 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain without rinsing the pasta.
• Stir spinach into the sauce in the skillet. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Toss pasta into the skillet and stir to combine everything. Stir until heated through, adding some reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.

FRESH OLD FASHIONED POLISH SAUSAGE RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Cut the meat into one-inch cubes. Put through medium grinder. Using your hands (wear latex or rubber gloves, if you prefer), mix the pepper, marjoram, garlic, allspice, water and salt into the meat. Cover and chill at least two hours or overnight. Make into patties or links using hog casing. If links, spread on a tray and refrigerate for up to three days, turning daily to allow sausages to dry and cure. Makes five pounds of sausage. To cook, you can grill or brown in a skillet. Cook thoroughly, at least 20 minutes.

FRESH PASTA WITH 20 MINUTE SAUSAGE AND BEEF BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil in large pot.
• In a large pot on high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. Add carrot and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add both sausage and ground beef and cook until 3/4 done, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes and reduce for 10 minutes on medium heat until slightly thickened.
• Add pasta to water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
• Stir in basil, parsley, and pasta and season with salt and pepper. Add pasta cooking water, if needed, to loosen sauce to liking. Garnish with grated cheese and parsley.

APPLE, SAUSAGE, AND PARSNIP STUFFING WITH FRESH SAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes.
• Sauté sausages in very large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking into pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl; add bread.
• Add onions and celery to same skillet and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl with bread. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes; mix apples into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add parsnips and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes; mix into stuffing. Melt 1/4 cup butter in same skillet. Add sage and sauté until dark green, about 2 minutes. Mix sage and butter into stuffing. Season with salt and pepper.
• Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Stuff turkey. Transfer remaining stuffing to prepared dish; drizzle with 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake stuffing covered until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

FRESH POLISH SAUSAGE SAUERKRAUT POTATO DISH RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil to cover bottom of baking dish (Le Creuset Dutch Oven-Mary fills 9 ½ qt oval, Marilyn uses 5 ½ qt oval) Sauerkraut (lots) , drained, layer on bottom of dish Beef broth, ½ to 1 cup, to add moisture for potatoes & polish sausage to cook in Cut fresh polish sausage into 6" pieces, tuck into sauerkraut, along edges of pan, will brown Peel and cut potatoes into fourths, tuck into sauerkraut Sprinkle with Lawry's Seasoning Salt, a little pepper Bake at 300-350 degrees until potatoes are done, tender. About 1 ½ hours. Cook slowly, can keep warm at 200 degrees when potatoes are tender, sausage browned. Easy, you can cook and add more polish sausage if you have extra sauerkraut and/or potatoes for another meal or 2. Mmmm delicious!

LAMB SAUSAGE PATTIES WITH FRESH MINT, FETA, AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Place lamb in large bowl. Sprinkle garlic and salt over. Gently toss lamb to blend. Combine feta and mint in small bowl.
• Divide lamb into 12 equal mounds. Using damp hands, shape each into ball. Working with 1 ball at a time, poke thumb into center to make hole. Press 1 teaspoon feta-mint filling into hole. Pinch hole closed, then press ball between palms to flatten into 3/4-inch-thick disk. Repeat with remaining lamb and feta-mint filling. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, cook lamb sausages until browned on both sides and cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer sausages to rimmed baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Serve hot.

LORNE-STYLE FRESH BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Mix together ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, beef broth, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper, 1 1/4 teaspoons coriander, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice in a large bowl until well combined. Shape some of the mixture into 2 or 3 small patties and place remaining sausage mixture in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sausage patties and cook until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side; do not overcook or sausages will be dry. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
• Taste cooked sausages, adding more salt, pepper, and/or spices to the uncooked mixture as desired. Press uncooked sausage mixture into loaf pans and place in the refrigerator until firm, 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove sausage "loaves" from the pans and slice into 1/2-inch slabs. Separate slabs with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator if you will be cooking all sausage within 4 days. Cook as directed above, over medium-low heat.

FRESH PASTA WITH FAVAS, TOMATOES, AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add next 3 ingredients. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add sausages; break up with fork. Sauté until brown, about 3 minutes. Add wine; simmer 1 minute, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes and fava beans. Sauté until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot.
• Add sauce to pasta. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed if dry, about 2 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons cheese. Transfer pasta to bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese.

EVERYDAY ORZO WITH SAUSAGE AND FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Add orzo and stir until it begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add chives and oregano; stir. Pour in Swanson Chicken Broth.
• Bring to a low boil; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer over low heat until pasta is al dente, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with parsley.

FRESH CORN AND POLISH SAUSAGE CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Place sausage slices in a 4 to 6 quart kettle or dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring, to brown sausage lightly in its own drippings.
• 2. Spoon off fat; add potatoes, bay leaf, green pepper, pimientos, onion and broth.
• 3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
• 4. Stir in corn and cabbage and boil gently, uncovered, about 3 minutes; add milk.
• 5. Heat slowly just until soup is steaming hot (do not boil).
• 6. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• 7. Sprinkle with paprika.

FRESH BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together pork, sage, thyme, maple syrup, pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide mixture into 4 patties (about 3 tablespoons each).
• In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add patties and cook until browned, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and flip patties. Cover and cook until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes.

FRESH CORN AND SAUSAGE CHOWDER

Steps:

• In large skillet, brown sausage. Cool and cut in 1/2 inch slices.
• In large saucepan, melt butter and add onions, cooking for 5 minutes.
• Stir in flour and cook until bubbly.
• Add chicken broth, sausage, and potatoes.
• Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Add corn and cook just until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add cream and cook until heated through.

FRESH SAUSAGE WAFFLES

Steps:

• In skillet,on medium heat brown the sausage.
• Drain fat well,on paper towels.
• In a medium mixing bowl,mix the milk,eggs and butter.
• Mix well.
• Combine the dry ingredients,add to egg mixture,combining well.
• Pour half of the batter in a hot,light oiled,waffle iror.
• Sprinkle half the sausage over batter.
• Cook apprx.
• 5 minutes,or until done.
• Repeat with remaining batter.

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FRESH SAUSAGE WITH SAGE

Steps:

• 1. If using Bulk Sausage, skip to step two (2). Bone the pork, trimming out any gristle or connective tissue. Cut into 1-inch cubes and grind through the medium plate of your meat grinder.
• 2. Combine the spices and beaten egg with the ground pork and mix well until well incorporated.
• 3. Let sausage mixture sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the spices to bloom, then use as desired.
• 4. You can keep the sausage in the fridge for up to two days however it doesn't freeze well raw. Once cooked, it will last well in the freezer.

SCRAMBLED EGGS, WITH SAUSAGE, MUSHROOMS, AND FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add sausage; sauté until cooked through, breaking into small pieces. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl.
• Add mushrooms to skillet. Sauté until tender and brown.
• Return sausage to skillet. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Whisk eggs, cheese, parsley, chopped basil, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend.
• Add butter to skillet with sausage mixture and let over medium-high heat.
• Add egg mixture; cook until set but still moist, stirring with spatula, about 5 minutes.
• Mound egg mixture on platter. Garnish with tomatoes and basil sprigs.

TURKEY SAUSAGE SOUP WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain and transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker., Add tomatoes, beans, carrots, green beans, zucchini, pepper and green onions. In a large bowl, whisk stock, tomato paste and seasoned salt; pour over vegetables., Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Just before serving, stir in basil. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add stock if necessary.