My Family's HOMEMADE Italian Sausage Recipe

Learn how to make the best authentic, flavorful homemade Italian sausage recipe from scratch that is simple to cook and delicious. You will love the flavors in this sausage and the satisfaction of making it at home.
Italian sausage is ground pork often flavored with garlic and fennel seed. It comes in two different styles, sweet or hot. Hot Italian sausage usually is flavored with spicy red pepper, while the sweet version has no pepper in it. In addition, Italian sausage is a very popular pizza topping in coarse loose chunks or sliced links.
Every holiday we celebrate seems to have Italian sausage as one of the items served. Whether in a sauce or grilled and served on a bun, it’s a very popular cased protein. My recipe is a balanced approach to the sweet and hot version with ingredients that complement each other and provide a lot of flavors.
PRINT OFF THIS RECIPE AT: www.billyparis...
Ingredients for this recipe:
• 15 to 18 feet natural hog casing
• 9 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 2 tablespoons grated garlic
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup chopped Parsley
• 1 1/2 cups crushed shaved ice

[@aprilrains9921]

Best sausage stuffing tutorial. Nice meat grinder too.

[@cjohnson4342]

I make my Sicilian grandfather's sausage recipe several times a year and I made it in bulk at Christmas as gifts for family so they can make subs. I appreciate the tip about the ice, makes sense. I do wine and cheese usually.

[@rodgerbenson4319]

just finished making this and I doubled the red pepper flakes The taste is fantastic!!

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Thanks for giving it a shot!!

[@jennifertucker5907]

Wanted to let you know- just started the sausage making process and I recently made your Italian Sausage- it was AMAZING!! It is officially my go to for Italian sausage. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and helpful tips and advice. I love the kitchen!!

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Appreciate you trying it. Many thanks!

[@barbaraseddon5986]

I’ve never made any kind of sausage but yesterday I made these, and they are delicious. Your step by step instructions are so very easy to follow . Thank you.😊

[@paullombardo1076]

Great video and very helpful. I am about to make it for my first time making sausage here so wish me luck. I would like to add that the ingredient list you have listed is missing the sugar and a couple of them list a different amount than what is shown in the video. Not sure if the differences are that great but I'm going to use the amounts shown in video as my starting point. Do you do a Bratwurst like you get in Sheboygan and also a good Polish sausage like you get in Chicago? Thanks for your time and efforts as it makes life easier and better for us Kitchen Ninja Foodies like myself !

[@abelardoaramburu7791]

you need to freeze the meat before grinding. That is why the meat and fat where smushing on the grinder. Recipe looks great!

[@51rwyatt]

Glad you noticed that. Good video otherwise. He didn't chill the grinder parts either which was a warning sign.

[@joer5627]

Good suggestions. We do that with our sausage.

[@gmoney9068]

That was interesting. I've never made sausage before but that sure looks good. Thank you for sharing.

[@51rwyatt]

I like the parsley addition in this recipe. I'll definitely add that to my next batch.

[@eddiewilson8119]

Thank you for sharing this recipe and there's nothing like fresh food 🍲!!!!

[@michaelscheffler6073]

I hadn't made any sausage for about 20 years so set about looking for a herb & spice mix to use as had lost my previous recipe. I do remember my previous recipe contained only dry ingredients so I had some mild trepidation about using fresh garlic, orange rind and parsley. Anyway I followed your recipe as close as I could, allowing for the ratio of meat I was using compared to yours's and low and behold it was truly, wonderfully, exceptional - punchy, but smooth as silk!! Well done and THANKYOU for setting me straight back on the road of sausage making again! The only possible issue is the amount of garlic; using this amount, you don't just get it in your food, you get it in your fridge, in your kitchen, in your whole house! The question is - halve the garlic, halve the repercussions? I think not. Perhaps that's why my old recipe specified dried garlic rather than wet. Still, if you can't stand the heat - STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN!!!!

[@jesdakosol1797]

Thank for sharing, look very good. Will try to make some next week.

[@catninjathebestfighter4651]

I’ve been wanting to learn how to do this, for a while now!! You’re my favorite Chef because you break everything down, so simply! I’ve seen some people hanging the meat up, in their cellars, with a dehumidifier. Do you know how to do that, I wanna learn that also! What grinders are you using for all of this? ❤

[@shellycarter155]

Oh yeah!!! Another recipe to make! ❤️❤❤

[@suzannevega2289]

I never throw my parsley stems away, like you I chop' em up or if too big then I save them in the freezer for stock😉 I just bought meat grinder and I'm looking forward to trying these!

[@lawrence1960]

I’ve been making my father’s polish kielbasa for decades. I too struggled with that KitchenAid attachment but recently got an incredible deal on Lincoln Outfitter grinder/stuffer. Cuts the work time in half. I have tried Italian sausage 3 times now, but it’s bland and dry. I’m trying your recipe. But I have to say that I absolutely love your linking technique! The sausage are stuffed and in the fridge until tomorrow to cure and dry a bit. I’ll let you know how they turned out. Made r lbs polish and 5 lbs italian. I’ll dress those Italian Chicago style when I make sandwiches.

[@housemail557]

Great video! You make it look easy.

[@anthonyriviello5942]

I appreciate your recipe. Mine is family from New York. Much simpler and four spices. Ours was sold to many outlets. I make it to this day.

[@lawrence1960]

Sausages turned out beautifully. Now I just need to cook them properly. But this is now in my sausage making book for Italian. Thanks…

[@bobroberts3628]

What about using a sausage poker/pricker? Ive seen may videos where people do that. Thanks!

[@AnotherMe890]

That is some great cooking! Keep the videos coming!

[@lena4533-n7e]

This is so cool. I have a question... can you describe the flavor? I'm sure it is incredible, but I'm just wondering how it compares to other brands if I am using it in things like soup or on pizza. Would you recommend holding back on adding in the orange or anything else if I'm not planning to use the sausage as the main ingredient? Thanks!

[@BobbyMatheis]

I made 12 pounds with this recipe. it is a home run. Thanks Uncle Billy

[@judelbugsrutter6727]

Ngl I saw the orange peel and went with another recipe last time… but gave it a go today. Woe to go in my Kenwood… 8lb was about the max that it could cope with in the bowl (I have the larger mixer)…. I’ve just had the test patty and it was so good. Even boring sausages are expensive in our town (not much change from $30 for 2kg)… but pork roasts were on sale at the supermarket for $8/kg… I’m bringing meatballs for Xmas (too hot for roast here most holidays too)… it’s a bit of fiddling around but if you don’t have a mincer but do have a thermomix (or good clone) do some maths, I made a third of a batch. Wizz the spices, remove (I used tm to grind seasonings today except fennel went through the mincer along with frozen parsley). Then, pop meat cubes onto spinning blades for first pass, no more than a cup at a time, remove, repeat. Then do the ice, add everything back in (I had 2.5 pounds of meat) and mix on medium till it looks like sausage. I don’t bother with the wole "stuffing it in casings bit"… we eat our sausages in pattys, balls or finely smashed in the frying pan…

[@danielbrady3684]

I got the machine to do this and i baught colllagen casings what whas missing me is the way to make them Im sooooo glad i found your video 😊😊 ohh and i just suscribed to your channel thank you soooo much 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@erinhedman2503]

I’m inspired Chef! What are your favorite casings to use. And what’s the name of your meat grinder? My Kitchen-aid is struggling

[@kingofthegrill]

Very nice! In Czech Republic, too, we love pork. Ever tried our sausages?

[@jamescampolo7824]

When I left Kenosha, I left behind a hand crank grinder. I miss it now.

[@robertadaversa2503]

Or you can simmer the bones in your tomato sauce when you make it. For stock or sauce... delicious flavor boost.

[@bonzo1928]

Nice recipe and tutorial. Do you ever add rusk for added moisture retention?

[@dimex3362]

I really like naked sausages.. no casing just burned a bit on the grilll or stove top… delicious!

[@clayjr67]

I have six butchers in my family and I have learned to make sausage in the first rule of sausage making when you’re grinding is do you have your meat almost frozen leave it in the freezer not the fridge the video I watched hear you’re fat smeared really bad if you freeze it look like regular ground sausage that look like it was all smeared

[@fishyrunnr]

if you are adding ice at the end, it might be worth your while to add some during the grinding to push the rest of the pork through. This will eliminate any plastics from being used or getting into the grind.

[@armoni-gl8lp]

I am asking for advice on purchasing electric salami fermentation oven.

[@javasrevenge7121]

I have a meatgrinder, thanks for your recipe and the tip to put at last the plastic through the machine to clean up the scrap.

[@michaelsotomayor5001]

its really that easy huh. I'm not gonna use casings.. I'm just gonna shape into patties and freeze. It's really just for the days I crave a sunday breakfast with eggs and beans

[@ls-888]

Although, the pork casing add deliciousness when fried.

[@TheLisaDeesDelightsShow]

Super Yummy 🤤

[@chachichachi5526]

Hi !😊can I add cheese to this recipe?

[@shawn4357]

are the sausage ready to cook right after you put them in the casing? or do they need to rest?

[@dochonrandd3997]

This guy!!! He was super clear concise and succinct throughout! Watching made me feel i could DO IT NOW 😃 #newSub #serve The Yèhovah-God Jesus

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Many thanks!

[@GiuseppeIppoliti-b3l]

Ciao Mr Parisi, great video, judging from the ingredients (and your surname) these recipe seems to be from Sicily, sadly the whole of Italy does not use sugar in sausages making , nevertheless it is a great video and I hope that will inspire many people into the art of charcuterie😀😀😀😀

[@franksumina]

Are the spice measurements per lb or for the full 9 lbs?

[@gwapitaunicahija]

what kind of wine?👏🏼👏🏼

[@MrTjcomedy]

What is the brand of grinder?

[@christinasefton4839]

Summer sausage, pepperoni , demo as well please. Why are the parts supposed to be cold? Thanks for this I was thinking I might want to try it sometime.

[@micahcanny6391]

When meat is cold it’s easier to work with. Like grinding and mixing into casings

[@mattmiller9718]

fennel is great, but caraway seeds are not half bad if you dont got fennel in the house.

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Great substitute suggestion, Thank you!

[@gauthren]

The recipe itself looks fine, but you really need to partially freeze the meat before grinding. Ideally, the meat should be somewhere around 30-32f when you feed it through the grinder. The easiest way to ensure a uniform freeze is to place it on a cookie sheet and then into the freezer. 20 minutes in a deep bowl, placed in the fridge will not get you there. You end up with crushed mince and smeared fats like you did here. Properly chilled meat results in a grind that resembles pebbles. I'd also recommend putting the auger, plates, knife and head in the freezer when you're doing the first grind to help keep the meat cold. Refreezing the meat to 30-32f will also help it feed through the auger and tube.

[@judelbugsrutter6727]

Oh you really did say 1tbs pepper? I thought I wrote that down wrong… thought I should have written 1tsp… so that’s what I went with… it was still really good

[@glaxmogmail]

Can you use lamb instead of hog?

[@c.j.w.vandalfsen8862]

it's amazing how you saved $ 16 on the sausage, but I noticed you have some very impressive equipment to do all this work and put in time as well. Now, hoping KZbin compensates you for being so informative and courteous to us novices, when would you meet the Break Even Point on making sausages if you consider the costs of equipment and time?

[@paulgdlmx]

How much boneless meat?

[@chrismclaughlin9722]

Saving a couple dollars when making sausages is not important. What is important is using the highest quality ingredients such as Berkshire pork and high quality spices and it usually ends up costing more than some typical grocery swine but it is totally worth it when it comes to flavor and texture

[@mahaimtiaz947]

Hi could you give a substitute for the pork shoulder? Can't eat pork for religious reasons.

[@christianphernetton7685]

Lamb

[@710LENNY]

Turkey, preferably thighs and legs - they have more fat.

[@MisplacedAmerican]

I make this with Turkey Thighs for my wife and think it is fantastic (same for the bangers in this house too by the way). I was nervous as a carnivore, but I think they are stellar

[@710LENNY]

@@MisplacedAmerican Go to Polish My Kitchen and check out her polish sausage recipes. She has one with paprika and one without. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

[@cjohnson4342]

Lamb and beef mixture

[@anetbernardinosonebigbite]

Do you have video of this for 1 pound only..

[@ChefBillyParisi]

A whole separate video just for 1 pound 😂😂😂 no

[@nathanbenton2051]

yooo i've got that same boos block! my sink is super small so i have to take outside to clean it with a hose haha.

[@christopheradam6967]

Not sure about your math 😂 BUT the ones in the store will not be anywhere as good as yours!! You’ve made gourmet sausages, if you compare your costs to buying gourmet, you’ve definitely made a significant saving! I want to do this SO bad, I can’t focus on anything else 😵‍💫

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

Why is fennel traditional?

[@BeerBellyBert]

Rather than use plastic wrap to get the last of the meat out of the mincer I just put a slice of bread through.

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Great!

[@usergonemad]

Looks like it'd take about 100lbs of sausage to cover the cost of that grinder before any actual savings begin. After no more than two or three years, even with a small family and a good quality grinder, the cost savings begin to show. You should be able to amortize the cost with less than a third of that amount of sausage if you get a manual grinder and have two people working together to make the sausages. Real savings in the long-term and a *much* higher quality than typical store-bought sausage.

[@19juba72]

I belive it is about quality, not cost..

[@cherryredrose3887]

This

[@jstaffordii]

Harbor Freight #5 grinder can be had for under $50 . It works perfectly well for small scale sausage making.

[@lkapigian]

Thanks for sharing, but Plastic Wrap??? run some already ground meat through....wrap seems pretty risky

[@tommydan55]

I use paper towels. Works fine.

[@buzzkiller9942]

Don't use plastic use bread...heals!! Who wants to eat micro plastic pieces. A lil bread never hurt anyone... that's an old school tip!!

[@buzzkiller9942]

*cleaning meat out of grinder

[@51rwyatt]

I regularly get shoulders at $2.50/lb, and there are sometimes sales for $1/lb. Turning that into sausage creates an incredible value.

[@richardc1925]

Billy love you but you want to put the meat in the freezer then grind it. You want your meat below 34 degrees. You will get a cleaner grind.

[@percywikham7936]

Anyone reading the description the sugar is missing from the recipe. Just a note. Apart from this, the receipe seems fantastic definitely trying it. This can be pinned.

[@marcelarodriguez9280]

He use sugar

[@withoutprejudice8301]

Putting two handfuls of ground meat (from the tub) back through the grinder will ensure all meat is ground. SCREW the plastic..., there's enough of that in the bottled water.

[@stevenlawrence5733]

Pork is a salty meat. In a world of trying to reduce salt consumption why not remove salt from the recipe???? Love to know your opinion?

[@TheStabservo]

Looks like fun, but not sure about the cost savings. $16 saved minus the $579 meat grinder = Well... Keep making sausage and that grinder will pay for itself in the next 20 years!

[@ChefBillyParisi]

You can use a hand crank sausage maker that costs $89. It all depends on if you enjoy the process or and want to continue doing it. It wasn’t meant to be a cost saving video, it just ended up being a bit cheaper and a whole lot better in the flavor department.

[@Farmboyjason]

Can't finish watching it after you smeared the fat. The meat wasn't cold enough to grind it.

[@JulesMoyaert_photo]

You forgot to add the depreciated cost of your grinder over x years. x being subjective...

[@scottvielweber3506]

Have the butcher cut it into pork steaks then cut around the bone, much easier.

[@withoutprejudice8301]

For the love of God!, don't use a GRINDER as a STUFFER! It's called a GRINDER for a reason. If you're springing for a grinder don't chinx for a stuffer.

[@tomnpaula63]

You take the blade out when you use it as a stuffer. It's not grinding in this mode, simply using the auger to push the mince through the tube into the casing.

[@science2726]

Need it colder. The meat looks like it smeared

[@denverbri69]

Did you teach at the CIA and his first name was Norm?

[@lisachapman6492]

I don't like fennel so I will leave it out.

[@Andy-qb8ls]

why do you want plastic wrap in your sausage meat?

[@javasrevenge7121]

Nope, it is to clean up the meat rests in the machine. A good tip btw.

[@maxgrrrr]

​@@javasrevenge7121 I just use some bread,

[@rb-ex]

nothing green belongs in a real new york style italian pork sausage, certainly not dried basil, which is a completely useless herb. use fresh basil, or forget about basil, and dont put it in your pork sausage. keep it real with salt, fennel, black pepper and sugar and the best cuts of fresh pork with plenty of fat. i prefer shoulder and shoulder fat, as shoulder fat does not melt and separate away from the meat as easily as belly fat

[@stevenfish3324]

I can not keep up with your recipe.

[@RedfishInc]

Pigs ain't kosher sarge...

[@ChefBillyParisi]

I don’t believe I said they were :-)

[@Necr0Mancer666]

Tries to save pennies on supermarket sausages. Spends thousands of dollars on industrial machinery. FFS

[@ChefBillyParisi]

Or spend $59 for a KA attachment. Both do the same thing

[@MotocrossGuru-zf8pk]

not even italian

[@jamescampolo7824]

If you don't want to work that hard or only want a few pounds of the best Italian, stop at Tenuta's in Kenosha. No I'm not affiliated, just have been shopping there for 50 years.