Georgia’s Kitchen: Sausage

Georgia Diehm

Keota, Iowa – Some people, for various reasons, like to make their own sausage. There are many kinds to choose from and many ways to make it.

The recipes I present today came from Mom except for the “Salami” recipe, which I have had for years. I include it because I have liked it and hope someone else will find it enjoyable also.

Some of these recipes are unusual, such as the “Nut Sausage”. If someone had their own nut trees or a way to forage for them, it would be a cheap source of protein. I haven’t tried it nor do I remember Mom ever making it. Maybe I will give it a try one of these days!

Nut Sausage

1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup cooked rice
2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts(any kind)
2 eggs,beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 tsp minced onion

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Shape as sausages and saute golden brown in a little hot fat. Garnish with crisp bacon and if desired serve with a white sauce, tomato sauce or cheese sauce. Serves 6 to 8

Venison Sausages

5 # lean venison
2 # fat salt pork(or bacon)
5 tsp powdered sage
4 tsp salt
4 tsp pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small onion
juice of 1 lemon

Chop the meat very small and season. Pack in skins or small stone jars. Hang the skins or set the jars tied down with bladder in cool, dry place. Fry as you would other sausage. These sausages are very highly seasoned. If desired you may reduce seasoning according to taste.
Note: This is an old recipe. The storage may be adapted to more modern ways.

Ground Beef Summer Sausage

2 # ground beef
4 Tbsp Morton’s Tender Quick Salt
1/2 tsp coriander seed
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
several drops liquid smoke
1 cup water
dash of nutmeg
coarsely ground pepper
1/4 tsp mustard seed

Mix all ingredients together and form into rolls 2 inches in diameter (makes 4 rolls). Seal rolls in aluminum foil and drain. When cool wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. The sausage may be frozen before or after cooking. Morton’s Tender Quick Salt is a meat curing salt. Regular salt will not do the job. Poke holes in bottom of foil.

Pork Sausage

Grind tenderloin with small pieces of fat, red pepper(ground), home grown sage (crushed). Fry up a small patty. Taste until seasoned right… Flavor carefully. It’s almost impossible to remedy too much salt, pepper, or sage.

Beef Sausage

1# ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sugar

Mix thoroughly to blend seasonings, form into patties and fry as usual.

Salami

1 1/4 tsp ground pepper
5 # cheapest hamburger
5 rounded tsp Morton’s Tender Quick Salt
2 1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Schilling’s Hickory Smoked Salt (or liquid smoke)
2 tsp crushed red peppers

1st Day…Mix together. Place in covered bowl and refrigerate.
2nd Day…Mix well again and refrigerate.
3rd Day…Repeat.
4th Day…Form into 3-5 round rolls and put on broiler pan. Bake in oven at 150 degrees for 6 hrs & then 200 degrees for 2 hrs. Rotate every 2 hours.

Add more or less seasoning to own taste.