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Homemade Ham Sausage Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 127 reviews
  • Author: Cleo
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes plus chilling time (minimum 3 hours recommended)
  • Yield: Approximately 5 lbs of ham sausage 1x

Description

This homemade ham sausage recipe combines cubed and ground pork blended with garlic, black pepper, and a curing mix. The sausage is tightly packed into a Ham Maker and gently cooked in a water bath to achieve a perfectly tender, flavorful ham sausage you can slice and serve. The slow simmering technique ensures a juicy, moist texture with traditional savory notes.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Cure

  • 3 ½ lbs pork, in ½-inch cubes
  • 1 ½ lbs ground pork
  • 6 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp Morton Tender Quick Cure

Flavorings

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup water, divided

Instructions

  1. Dissolve Cure and Salt: Pour half of the ¼ cup water (2 tablespoons) into a small bowl. Dissolve the 6 teaspoons salt and 1 ½ teaspoons Morton Tender Quick Cure completely in the water.
  2. Prepare Garlic-Pepper Mixture: Put the remaining water into a blender along with the 2 cloves of garlic. Blend until the garlic is pureed. Add 2 teaspoons of black pepper and blend briefly to combine.
  3. Combine Meat and Mixtures: Place the 3 ½ lbs cubed pork and 1 ½ lbs ground pork into a large bowl. Add the dissolved cure and salt mixture as well as the garlic-pepper water mixture.
  4. Mix Meat Thoroughly: Using clean hands, mix the pork, cure, and seasoning mixtures together thoroughly. Continue mixing until the meat mixture becomes sticky and adheres to your hands. If needed, add extra water 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve a sticky, cohesive consistency that sticks to your inverted hand.
  5. Pack into Ham Maker: Using a Ham Maker device, place the mixed meat inside. Press the spring-loaded lid firmly to pack the meat tightly and evenly.
  6. Prepare Water Bath: Select a large pot and add enough water so that, when the Ham Maker is submerged, the water level comes slightly above the meat surface in the Ham Maker.
  7. Heat Water to Simmer: Heat the water on the stovetop to a low simmer, about 185 to 190°F (85 to 88°C). Small, infrequent bubbles indicate the correct temperature—avoid boiling.
  8. Cook the Sausage: Submerge the Ham Maker in the simmering water bath. Insert a thermometer into the meat through the hole in the Ham Maker’s top lid. Maintain the simmer until the internal meat temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), which should take about 1.5 to 2 hours.
  9. Chill the Ham Sausage: When cooked, remove the Ham Maker from the water and place it in the refrigerator to cool fully. Allow at least a few hours for the ham sausage to chill and firm up completely.
  10. Release the Sausage: Once chilled, run the Ham Maker under warm water to loosen the edges of the ham sausage. Remove the thermometer, lid, and spring mechanism.
  11. Remove and Slice: Turn the Ham Maker upside down to slide the sausage out gently. Slice the homemade ham sausage and serve as desired.

Notes

  • Ensure the water temperature stays steady at a low simmer to prevent overcooking and drying out the sausage.
  • Adding water gradually during mixing helps achieve the right sticky texture critical for binding the sausage.
  • Chilling the cooked sausage fully is important for achieving clean slices and better texture.
  • If you do not have a Ham Maker, you can alternatively use sausage casings and a sausage stuffer.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Sausage
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: homemade ham sausage, cured sausage, pork sausage, ham maker recipe, slow simmer sausage, homemade cured meat

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Find it online: https://cleobrixton.com/homemade-ham-sausage-recipe/