Italian Sausage – 2026

This recipe works very well. I used AI to adapt and adjust my previous recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pork butt: 454 g (1 lb)
• Salt: 6.8–6.9 g (weigh!)
• Rubbed sage: ⅞ tsp
• Black pepper: ½ tsp
• Cayenne pepper: ⅛ tsp
• Dried thyme: ⅓ tsp (scant)
• Coriander: ⅓ tsp (scant)
• Marjoram: ⅜ tsp
• Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp
• Onion powder: ⅛ tsp
• Water: 2 Tbsp (~30 g)
• Fennel seeds (whole): 1 tsp
• Crushed red pepper (whole): ¼ tsp
• Olive oil: 1 Tbsp (~13–14 g)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Grind dry spices (except whole fennel and crushed red pepper) to fine powder.
2. Grind pork once (large plate).
3. Mix in all ingredients thoroughly.
4. Second grind (¼” plate).
5. Rest 24 hours in fridge.

INGREDIENT CHANGES FOR MEDIUM:

Medium (noticeable warmth/medium kick, like many “hot” grocery store versions but not overwhelming):

• Crushed red pepper: ½–¾ tsp per lb (most common for medium; provides good visible flakes and balanced heat without dominating)
• Cayenne: ¼–⅜ tsp per lb (adds lingering heat; ¼ tsp keeps it approachable, ⅜ pushes toward hotter medium)

INGREDIENT CHANGES FOR HOT:

Hot (spicy/burns noticeably, like classic hot Italian links—forehead sweat territory for some):

• Crushed red pepper: 1–1.5 tsp per lb (common in hot recipes; 1 tsp for solid heat, 1.5 tsp for aggressive)
• Cayenne: ½–1 tsp per lb (½ tsp for hot with depth, 1 tsp for very hot—many hot recipes hit around this)