Best 12 Homemade Italian Fennel Sausage Recipes

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If you're looking for a flavorful and authentic homemade Italian fennel sausage recipe, you're in the right place. This classic Italian sausage is bursting with flavor from the perfect combination of fennel seeds, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Whether you're making it for a special occasion or just a casual weeknight dinner, this homemade Italian fennel sausage is sure to be a hit.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE



Italian Fennel Sausage image

Make this simple fennel-scented sausage to toss into pasta or onto pizza. Par-cook large crumbles to fold into Thanksgiving stuffing or a pot of soup. Or fry up patties and serve alongside crusty bread and a bowl of tender white beans doused generously in olive oil. Be sure to use ground pork with enough fat or you'll end up with dry, flavorless sausage. Twenty percent by weight is a good ratio, though 25 doesn't hurt. If the ground pork available to you is too lean, ask the butcher to replace two ounces or so of the lean meat with ground pork belly or bacon.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Categories     sausages, side dish

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground fennel seed
1/2 to 1 tablespoon red-pepper flakes
1 pound ground pork (20 to 25 percent fat by weight)
1 teaspoon pounded or very finely grated garlic
1 teaspoon dry white wine or vermouth
Extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine salt, fennel seed and red-pepper flakes. Add pork to the spice mixture along with the garlic, and wine. Using your hands, mix thoroughly for 1 full minute, until the pork begins to appear tacky and sticks to the palm of your hand.
  • Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Use a heaping tablespoon of pork mixture to make a small, thin sausage patty. Add a teaspoon or so of olive oil, and cook the patty for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Taste, and if needed, add salt or any other seasonings to the uncooked sausage mixture and mix to combine.
  • Divide and form the remaining sausage into 8 2 1/2-inch patties, placing them on the prepared baking sheet as you go. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. (Patties can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated or frozen at this point until ready to use.)
  • To cook, wipe out cast-iron pan, and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When it shimmers, add patties in a single layer, leaving space between them. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned on the surface and just cooked through.
  • Drain sausages on paper towels, and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 319, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 19 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 275 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams

SWEET ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE



Sweet Italian Fennel Sausage image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h10m

Yield about 5 pounds sausages

Number Of Ingredients 12

5 pounds pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 ounces curing salt (salt peter)
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons fennel seeds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock, iced
Court bouillon, for poaching
Olive oil, for sauteing
Honey mustard, to taste
Minced onion, to taste

Steps:

  • In a bowl combine the pork, curing salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, garlic, sugar and cayenne pepper. Mix to make sure seasonings are well distributed throughout the pork. Freeze for 30 minutes.
  • To prepare the forcemeat, pass the mixture through a meat grinder using the large hole plate. Transfer to an electric mixer, using the paddle on the lowest speed, and mix for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and slowly add the stock and mix for 2 minutes. Switch to high speed and mix for 30 seconds.
  • To form the sausages, place about a cup of forcemeat in a 12 by 16-inch piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a 1 1/2 by 8-inch sausage and wrap with the plastic to a tight roll. Tie both ends by forming a knot. Wrap again in aluminum foil. Repeat the process until all forcemeat is used.
  • In a large saute pan bring court bouillon to a simmer. Poach the prepared sausages for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Allow to cool and unwrap sausages. In a cast iron pan, over high heat, saute the sausages in olive oil until nicely browned. Slice and serve with honey mustard and minced onion.

ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE RECIPE (BAKED ITALIAN SAUSAGE)



Italian fennel sausage recipe (baked Italian sausage) image

Don't believe that the Italian fennel sausage recipe is terribly complicated. It's so easy! And you'll have the best baked Italian sausage

Provided by The Saporito

Categories     Dinner     Lunch

Time 12h40m

Number Of Ingredients 9

4 lbs (2 kg) minced pork (the more fat in it, the better)
2 lbs (1 kg) chicken fillet (cut into small pieces)
sausage casing (I always use natural hog casings but you can also choose the synthetic collagen ones)
2 tbsp mustard (paste, not seeds or powder)
1 cup + 1 Tbsp (250 ml) cold water
4 tsp salt (the amount of salt can be changed depending on your taste)
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp your favorite meat seasoning (optional), I always use a salt-free one
2 tbsp dried fennel seeds

Steps:

  • Cut chicken fillet into small pieces
  • Mix minced pork and chicken fillet with seasonings, salt, pepper, dried fennel seeds, and mustard.
  • Add water too
  • Mix everything well by hand, cover, and leave in the fridge to marinate overnight
  • The next day fill the casings with the meat and spices stuffing (I use a hand meat grinder that has a sausage stuffer attachment. Tie the sausages with threads).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 253 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving

HOMEMADE ITALIAN SAUSAGE



Homemade Italian Sausage image

Provided by Food Network

Time 30m

Yield Approximately 5 pounds finishe

Number Of Ingredients 8

5 pounds pork shoulder
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 pound hog sausage casing

Steps:

  • Trim the meat of all gristle but remember to not trim too much fat as the mixture should be approximately 80 percent lean to 20 percent fat. Cut the meat into chunks and pass through a meat grinder using the largest die. Pass the meat through again, this time using the medium die. Pass the sausage meat through one more time on this medium die. In a large bowl mix the ground meat with the water, salt, pepper, fennel seed, cheese and parsley. Wash the casing well under cold running water and allow water to run through the casing so that any holes may be detected. Fit the grinder with the sausage stuffing attachment and place the casing over the stuffing tube by feeding it on and bunching it up on the tube.. Place the meat in the hopper on top and begin to push the sausage meat down into the hopper so that it begins to feed into the casing. As the meat feeds into the casing, allow the casing to slide into your open hand. Catch the stuffed sausage as it comes out of the machine. Go at a slow and steady pace so that the sausage is fully, evenly, stuffed and without air pockets. To make individual links, twist the sausage every few inches as it is stuffed and let the finished ring of sausage lay on the work space as you finish the process. Continue until the meat is finished. Keep refrigerated and use with in one week or freeze for later use.;

HOMEMADE ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE RECIPE (MEAT GRINDER)



Homemade Italian Fennel Sausage Recipe (Meat Grinder) image

With a meat grinder and some patience, you can make yourself the BEST fennel sausage ever. This homemade sweet Italian sausage is ½ pork and ½ chicken.

Provided by Summer Yule

Categories     Slow Food DIY

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 lbs pork butt or pork shoulder ((907 grams))
2 lbs chicken thighs ((907 grams;boneless and skinless))
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons onion powder
½ tablespoon dried basil
½ tablespoon dried oregano
1½ tablespoons fennel seeds, ground
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 package hog casings

Steps:

  • Keep your ingredients at 38-40°F/3.3-4.4°C (almost frozen) for easier cutting and grinding. Cut the pork and chicken into 1-inch/2.54-cm cubes (or smaller).
  • In a large bowl, place all ingredients except for the hog casings. Stir to combine. Refrigerate this mixture while you set up your meat grinder.
  • Using a meat grinder, coarsely grind the mixture. Send the mixture through the grinder slowly, so that you do not create a jam.
  • After sending all of the sausage mixture through the grinder once, grind it using the coarse grind plate a second time.
  • You can shape the mixture into sausage patties at this point if you would like. If you would rather have links in casings, refrigerate the sausage mixture while you do the next steps.
  • Clean your meat grinder thoroughly and set it up for stuffing sausage. I needed to use the largest stuffing funnel for the hog casings. Rubbing the outside of the stuffing funnel with a little oil can help the casing slide on easier.
  • Remove your hog casings from their packaging and rinse them in cool water. Prepare them for filling as directed on the packaging. For the ones I am using, I had to soak them in cool water for 15 minutes and then untangle a few and cut them into 2-foot (0.6 m) lengths. Then I opened one end of each casing I was using and let cool water (from the faucet) run through the entire length. I let water run through each casing I was using three times, and I only rinsed the insides of the casings I was planning to use. After rinsing, I tied a knot in one end of each casing and set them near the grinder on a paper towel.
  • When you are ready to stuff sausages, slide a casing over the end of the stuffing funnel. I was able to get the casing to fit by gathering it like I would gather pantyhose I was about to stick my toes into, and then sliding it onto the funnel. My grinder recommends leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of casing overhanging the end of the stuffing funnel, but the directions for your grinder may vary.
  • Very slowly start sending your ground sausage mixture through your meat grinder. One hand can use the stomper to push the mixture into the grinder while your other hand can help guide the casing as it fills.
  • After filling a casing, you can make small links by tying off the casing frequently with kitchen twine. Start tying at the closed end of the casing, making sure there is room for the filling to extend to the open end so the casing does not break. Tie off the open end of the casing last.
  • After you finish filling one casing, tie a new casing onto the machine and continued the filling process. I did not clean out the machine each time I had finished filling a casing.
  • Once all of the sausage mixture is used, turn off and unplug your meat grinder. I recommend cleaning out your grinder immediately. I was able to salvage an additional 9 ounces (255 g) of sausage mixture that was stuck to various parts inside the machine. You can press these leftovers into patties, pan fry them, and enjoy them right away. (Yay, snack time!)
  • Your homemade sausages will not stay fresh as long as the cured sausage you buy in the store. Any sausages that you are not planning to cook within 24 hours should be double-wrapped in plastic and frozen. If you have a vacuum sealer for food, you can use that for your sausages as an alternative to double-wrapping.
  • Follow the directions on your casing packaging to store the casings that you did not use. For the brand I purchased, I dried the unused casings (the ones where I did not rinse the interiors), repacked them in salt, and stored them in the fridge where they will wait until my next sausage-making adventure.
  • Note: Don't miss the updated Italian Fennel Sausage recipe video here! It is far more detailed than the video below!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 185 kcal, Carbohydrate 1.1 g, Protein 17.7 g, Fat 12.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.7 g, Sodium 575.9 mg, Fiber 0.4 g, ServingSize 1 serving

HOMEMADE MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE



Homemade Mild Italian Sausage image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     side-dish

Time 8h45m

Yield about 3 pounds of sausage

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 tablespoons dry red wine
3 pounds well-marbled pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted fennel seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground anise
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves
Pork casings, optional

Steps:

  • Combine the pork butt, garlic, paprika, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, cayenne, anise, parsley, and red wine in a large bowl and toss well to coat. Refrigerate covered overnight or up to 24 hours.
  • Pass the mixture through a meat grinder fitted with a medium die. (Alternately, transfer to a food processor in 2 batches and process until finely ground.) To test the seasoning, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet, and cook about 2 teaspoons of the mixture. Adjust seasonings, to taste.
  • Using the sausage attachment on a mixer, stuff the meat into the casings, if being used. Twist and tie off to make 4-inch sausages. Alternately, shape into patties. Cook sausage in usual manner, making sure the internal temperature of the sausage links reaches at least 150 degrees F. Uncooked sausage can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze and use within 3 months.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN SAUSAGE



Homemade Italian Sausage image

One of my earliest and most vivid food memories was when my uncle Bill would make his famous dried Italian sausage every Christmas Eve. They'd be fried after Midnight Mass and served on bread with roasted red peppers. This fresh version was inspired by those. If you can manage not to eat them right away, letting them dry for a day or two really deepens the flavor, and firms up the texture as well, in true Uncle Billy fashion.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time P1DT9h30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

3 pounds pork shoulder
4 cloves garlic
1 ounce kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons whole fennel seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon anise seed
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon ground allspice berries
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
sausage casing, soaked in water until soft

Steps:

  • Cut pork shoulder into cubes. Place in a bowl and refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients.
  • Grind garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar to make a paste. Add fennel, anise, and black pepper. Bruise spices lightly with a pestle to release the flavors. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, oregano, marjoram, coriander, mustard, allspice, sugar, and a splash of water. Stir to combine.
  • Add the spice paste to the pork cubes. Mix thoroughly by hand. Add the remaining salt. Cover and refrigerate until flavors meld, 8 hours to overnight.
  • Process the cold pork through a meat grinder on the slowest speed.
  • Push a casing onto the stuffing tube of your meat grinder. Feed the sausage meat through the filling tray. Run the meat through the casing on the slowest speed until all the casing is used up. Tie casing at the end into a knot. Pinch and twist the meat to create links if desired.
  • Place sausage onto a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.
  • Preheat a charcoal grill for medium heat. Separate the links and grill them until browned, about 5 minutes per side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 194.4 calories, Carbohydrate 4.2 g, Cholesterol 74.4 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 20.4 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 1464.5 mg, Sugar 1.7 g

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, SICILIAN STYLE



Italian Sausage, Sicilian Style image

To stuff the casings, you will need a meat grinder with a sausage horn attachment. If you don't have such a device, use the mixture to make fried patties by shaping 1/4 cup of filling into a 1/2 inch thick patty and frying in hot oil until golden brown on both sides.

Provided by Amanda2

Categories     Pork

Time 1h

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 lbs lean pork butt, coarse ground
1/4 lb pork fat, coarse ground
1 tablespoon fennel seed, Coarsely Ground
2 bay leaves, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons dry white wine

Steps:

  • To prepare casings: Let casings soak in cool water about five minutes to remove salt on outer surface (no longer, or they will become too tender to stuff) and flush salt from the inside by placing one end on faucet nozzle and turn on cold tap water (if you see holes or water leaking, cut and discard).
  • Remove casing from faucet and gently squeeze out water; cover rinsed casings and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Mix all the ingredients and let stand for 1 hour.
  • Mix again and then stuff into casings.
  • Column: 'Sausages like Mama used to make' Frugal Gourmet News column.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 2120.3, Fat 229.8, SaturatedFat 87.2, Cholesterol 160.3, Sodium 611, Carbohydrate 2.2, Fiber 0.8, Sugar 0.2, Protein 7.1

HOMEMADE BULK ITALIAN SAUSAGE, CHICAGO STYLE



Homemade Bulk Italian Sausage, Chicago Style image

After having lived in Chicago for over 25 years, I crave Italian sausage and of course it is not available in Denmark, so I have adapted this recipe from one I found on grouprecipes.com. This is excellent to use on deep dish Chicago style pizzas and it also freezes well.

Provided by Dan-Amer 1

Categories     Pork

Time 15m

Yield 3 pizzas, 3 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2/3 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 lb ground lean pork

Steps:

  • Blend together all of the ingredients with the exception of the ground pork until they are thoroughly and uniformly mixed.
  • With your clean hands blend the mixture of seasonings into the ground pork until it is well and uniformly blended inches
  • Place the sausage in the refrigerator overnight in a covered container so that the flavors can blend before use.
  • When I make I usually use 1/3 of it rather quickly on a deep dish pizza and freeze the rest for later use.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 412.8, Fat 32.6, SaturatedFat 12, Cholesterol 109.1, Sodium 1250.4, Carbohydrate 2.9, Fiber 1.5, Sugar 0.3, Protein 26.2

NENNI'S ITALIAN PORK SAUSAGE



Nenni's Italian Pork Sausage image

This is an old family recipe passed down from my grandmother to my father in the 1950's. It has been made countless times by my family. Portion into quart-sized freezer bags and store in the freezer. Fry in skillet as needed.

Provided by Paul Nenni

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 10h

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 9

9 pounds pork shoulder, cut into cubes
3 tablespoons garlic powder
¼ cup fennel seed
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley
½ cup dry white wine
15 feet 1 1/2 inch diameter hog casings, rinsed

Steps:

  • Combine the pork cubes with the garlic powder, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and parsley; grind through a coarse plate. Mix in the white wine and grind again. Stuff into the rinsed hog casings, twisting into 4-inch lengths. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the seasonings to infuse into the meat before cooking or freezing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 153.7 calories, Carbohydrate 1.2 g, Cholesterol 44.7 mg, Fat 10.8 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 11.8 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 293.5 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH FENNEL, PEPPERS, AND ONIONS



Italian Sausage with Fennel, Peppers, and Onions image

Provided by Melissa Roberts

Categories     Onion     Pepper     Broil     Quick & Easy     Dinner     Sausage     Fennel     Gourmet     Paleo     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

4 Italian frying peppers (Cubanelle) cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large fennel bulb, bulb quartered, then cut into 2-inch-wide pieces and 1/4 cup fronds coarsely chopped (discard stalks)
1 large onion, quartered and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage links, halved crosswise
1/4 cup olive oil

Steps:

  • Preheat broiler.
  • Toss together all ingredients except fennel fronds with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat until sausage is browned and vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn over and stir, then broil until sausage is just cooked through and vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE



Hot Italian Sausage image

Homemade hot Italian fennel sausage isn't a chore. Lightly browned and crumbled, this pork sausage makes a terrific topping for pizza or an addition to a rustic pasta dish.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     quick, side dish

Time 10m

Yield Makes 1 pound

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 pound coarsely ground pork shoulder, not too lean
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon mild paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced

Steps:

  • Put the pork in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix well to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the meat.
  • Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for future use.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 185, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 13 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 183 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams

Tips:

  • Choose high-quality fennel seeds. The flavor of the fennel seeds is essential to the sausage, so be sure to use fresh, high-quality seeds.
  • Toast the fennel seeds before using them. This will help to bring out their flavor and aroma.
  • Use a meat grinder with a fine plate. This will ensure that the sausage is smooth and evenly textured.
  • Mix the sausage ingredients thoroughly. This will help to ensure that the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the sausage.
  • Stuff the sausage casings evenly. This will help to prevent the sausage from breaking during cooking.
  • Cook the sausage over medium heat. This will help to prevent the sausage from drying out.
  • Serve the sausage with your favorite sides. Fennel sausage is a delicious addition to any meal.

Conclusion:

Homemade fennel sausage is a delicious and versatile sausage that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste preferences. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced sausage maker, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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