Boerewors
My
earliest memories of feasting in South Africa was at Uncle Hendrik and Auntie
Yvonne's home. A plough disc—with a piece of iron rod welded into the center
to make a handle—was heated over a fire, and soon the tantalizing aroma of
searing meat rose into the air. After the sausages were cooked, Uncle Hendrik
sautéed onions with tomatoes in the drippings and served sauce over crumbly
maize. This recipe requires a 3-pound capacity sausage stuffer from Sausage
Equipment and Supply catalog.
Spice Mixture
1 cup water
⅓ cup malt
vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire
sauce
5 garlic cloves,
crushed in a garlic press
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground
nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried sage
leaves, crushed in
a mortar with a pestle
1 teaspoon dried
thyme, crushed in
a mortar with a pestle
3 tablespoons ground
coriander seeds
1 ½ teaspoons freshly
ground Tellicherry peppercorns
½ teaspoon seasoning
salt
¼ teaspoon ground
cloves
½ teaspoon smoky
paprika
Meat
These items may be purchased from your butcher
4 pounds chili style
ground beef
2 pounds ground pork
¼ pound bacon,
coarsely ground
1 prepared 35mm hog
casing
1. Prepare
your working area by laying out a large towel and
covering it with
a sheet of butcher paper or waxed paper.
Set up the 3 pound
sausage stuffer with the 1-inch stuffing
tube. There should
be three tubes, use the 1-inch one.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the water,
vinegar, Worcestershire
sauce, garlic,
sugar, nutmeg, sage, thyme, coriander, pepper,
salt, cloves and
paprika.
3. In an extra large bowl, use
food-grade gloves and mix the
beef, sausage,
pork fat and spice mixture just until combined.
4. Tie one end of casing. Place the other end over tube,
making
sure the plastic
"guide" is attached under the "bolt" so it
doesn't slip.
Stuff just enough sausage mixture as can be
easily pressed. If
the casing breaks, press less meat through at
a time and tie off
broken ends. Patience is essential to the
process as casing can be delicate in some places. The
goal is
two or three long coils. On the first try, expect “links :).”
5.
Refrigerate overnight if using the next day. This sausage also
freezes very well and may be frozen the day after making so it
has time for the flavors to meld together.
6. To
cook: Heat a large fry pan or "wok" style pan on an
outdoor grill burner. There is an outdoor wok you can order
from www.thesizzler.com.
Hint:
Sausages are also delicious on buttered hoagie rolls.
Makes 16
servings when served alongside other meats