According to Chef Giada De Laurentiis, “Homemade chicken sausage with high-quality ingredients is truly a revelation.”
Easily create savory sausage surpassing store-bought. Discover how to craft fresh flavors with simple methods.
Stick around to learn this chef’s foolproof techniques for juicy, tender sausage everyone adores.
Continue reading to gain these valuable skills!
Key Takeaways
The best homemade chicken sausage recipes allow you to control ingredients to create savory sausage that is far superior to store-bought varieties. By following the foolproof techniques in this guide, you will be able to craft juicy, tender sausage to enjoy with friends and family.
How to Make Juicy and Tender Homemade Chicken Sausage
There’s nothing more satisfying than making your own sausage at home. With just a few basic ingredients and steps, you can create tasty sausage links and logs to enjoy for weekday meals or special occasions.
Growing up, I have fond memories of helping my dad make batches of sausage in our kitchen. The smells of pepper, paprika and parchment drifting through the house still transport me to those special times.
Nowadays, I still love mixing up homemade sausage, knowing exactly what goes into each morsel that lands on my family’s plates. In this guide, I’ll share with you the easy recipe I’ve perfected for juicy chicken sausage.
Ingredients :
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup cold water
Equipment :
- Mixing bowls
- Meat grinder or food processor (optional)
- Sausage stuffer (optional)
Steps to make juicy sausage
- Combine the GROUND CHICKEN with the shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano, thyme, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix well using your hands until fully combined.
- Add the COLD WATER a bit at a time while mixing until the mixture has a sausage-like texture.
- Form into oval/log shapes for loose sausage or stuff into casings using a sausage stuffer for links.
- REFRIGERATE for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend before cooking.
- To cook, BROWN the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks.
- REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve warm on buns or toast or enjoy in dishes as you would store-bought sausage! Store leftover sausage in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Credit : COOKTOPIA
Benefits of Homemade Sausage
There are several advantages to making your own sausage at home rather than purchasing pre-made sausage from the grocery store.
Homemade sausage allows you to control the ingredients that go into each link and log, ensuring the highest quality and most nutritious sausage for your family. Here are some of the top BENEFITS OF HOMEMADE SAUSAGE:
Complete Control Over Ingredients
– Choose fresh, local, and organic MEATS like chicken, pork or turkey
– Pick your favorite CLASSIC HERBS and SPICES like sage, thyme, pepper
– Customize FLAVOR PROFILES with chili, garlic, etc.
– Avoid unnecessary SALT, PRESERVATIVES and FILLERS found in store-bought
Personalized Flavor Preferences
– Experiment freely with new SPICE BLENDS and flavor COMBINATIONS
– Cater sausage FLAVORS to YOUR FAMILY’S TASTE
– Personalize RECIPES to suit any DIETARY PREFERENCES like gluten-free
Freshness and Quality
– Grind your own MEAT for the highest level of FRESHNESS
– Know exactly what when INTO each link of sausage you eat
– Enjoy sausage at its PEAK FLAVOR and TEXTURE
– Store homemade in the FREEZER to enjoy all year
Fun and Creative Process
– Engage in TIME-HONORED COOKING TRAditions
– Enjoy the SATISFACTION of crafting meals from start to finish
– Get the whole FAMILY involved in the sausage-making PROCESS
– Use creativity to invent unique sausage FLAVOR profiles
In the end, making sausage at home builds CONFIDENCE in the KITCHEN and allows you to control everything that goes into comforting dishes like sausage gravy, pasta bakes and breakfast sandwiches. With a little practice, you’ll be an expert at preparing your own hearty and hearty homemade sausage in no time!
Tips for Tender Sausage
I spent many hours in the kitchen helping my mother and grandma prepare dishes for our family. Two of my favorite things to make were homemade soup and sausage.
Over the years, I’ve picked up helpful tips and tricks for crafting plump, juicy sausage from friends and community members. Now I’d like to share some of these expert pointers to help you produce tender, moist sausage every time!
Handle Meat Gently
Nothing is more satisfying than a perfectly cooked sausage to start your day. But as I soon learned from mistakes, mishandling the meat or overmixing can result in an unpleasantly dense texture (1).
- Gently mix MEAT and SEASONINGS by hand until just blended
- Avoid squeezing casings too much, leave room for EXPANSION
Balance Seasonings
My grandma always said, “Seasonings are what brings out the flavor in any dish.” Finding the right combination takes some trial and error. Too much of one herb or spice can spoil the whole batch.
- Too much salt can DRYOUT sausage (2)
- Use SALTY and ACIDIC ingredients
- HERBS like sage, thyme add FLAVOR and MOISTURE
Cooking Methods
After many attempts, I finally got the hang of creating sausages that were tender throughout. The secret, as many kitchen experts agree, is to cook slowly at a moderate temperature…
- SIMMER or POACH at 325°F to keep sausage PLUMP (3)
- BAKE, GRILL or SMOKE at low temps, checking TEMP
Doneness
It’s important to ensure sausage is cooked safely while avoiding becoming dry and rubbery. I always use a meat thermometer just as I was taught. Taking the temperature prevents overcooking…
- Poultry sausage done at 160°F internally
- Use a THERMOMETER to prevent overcooking
Moisture Boosters
My favorite varieties always seemed creamiest and juiciest. That’s because my mother knew adding a touch of dairy, fruit or vegetables could keep sausage from becoming crumbly…
- Add DAIRY, FRUITS or VEGGIES to keep sausage JUICY
Making homemade sausage is so gratifying. I hope you’ll try some new cooking techniques and flavors as you strive for tender, moist results every time! Don’t hesitate to get creative in your kitchen.
Conclusion
Well friends, we’ve come to the end of our delicious sausage-making journey! I hope you felt as inspired as I did learning all about how to craft your own homemade chicken sausages.
Whether you’re new to butchering or an old pro, I believe you now have the skills and know-how to unleash your inner chef in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to have some fun getting creative with different spice combos – you never know, you just may invent a whole new family tradition!
And remember, the secret is always using high-quality, local ingredients and cooking techniques that keep your sausage moist and tender.
Now get out there and start mixing your very own signature blends. With some practice I just know they’ll be the hit of every barbecue. As my old granny used to say, “Good eats are what bring folks together.” Let your sausages do the same. Happy cooking!
I’d love to hear about your first attempts at homemade sausage – leave a comment below and share your favorite recipes or tips. Who knows, you may just help another home cook achieve sausage greatness!
References
- https://www.thedailymeal.com/1416949/common-cooking-sausage-mistakes/
- https://thecookingfacts.com/how-much-salt-do-you-put-in-a-pound-of-sausage/
- https://cooksdream.com/how-to-poach-sausage/
Related Article
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/how-to-ground-chicken-sausage/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/chicken-sausage-health-benefits-nutrition/
- https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/grilled-chicken-sausage/
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I’m Mary R. Q. , a seasoned professional chef dedicated to elevating home cooking experiences. Through my expertise in the culinary arts, I provide practical cooking tips and insightful reviews of kitchen utensils on my blog, milkwoodrestaurant.com. As a passionate advocate for transforming everyday meals into extraordinary culinary adventures, I aim to empower home cooks with the knowledge and tools they need to create delicious and memorable dishes. I’m also an author of the book “1,001 Kitchen Tips & Tricks: Helpful Hints for Cooking, Baking, and Cleaning (1,001 Tips & Tricks)” which is sold on Amazon. Join me on a flavorful journey as we explore the art of cooking and the essential tools that make it a joy.
