Cumberland Sausage Recipe

Grind the Meat:

1. Cut the pork meat into chunks (size should be according to your meat grinder instructions).
2. Once it is all cut, place into the grinder with a medium to coarse grind plate (about 5mm).

Season the Meat:

1. Put half of the ground pork in a large bowl and add the salt, but be sure to use Kosher or sea salt (do not use table salt or it will be too salty). Next, add the spices.
2. Mix well and run through the meat grinder a second time.
3. Add the rest of the ground pork, and the rusk/breadcrumbs. Now add the water. 
4. Mix well, preferably with your hands, as it is easier to incorporate everything evenly. At this point, you can fry a little of the sausage to taste it. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.
5. Grind once more (optional, however, we did).

Stuff the Sausage Meat into the Casings:

1. Tie the end of a sausage casing. Using the sausage stuffing attachment, hold the casing over the end and start filling it with the machine.
2. Hold the casing on so it doesn't slide off, and gently hold the sausage as it's made so that it has a bit of a guide.
3. With a sharp, small skewer or toothpick, prick holes into the sausages.
4. Now you are ready to do one of two things: cook the sausages or freeze them. Given the large amount of sausages this recipe makes, you'll probably do what we did a little of both.

Serving:

1. After cooking (I like to fry a ring in a cast iron pan over low/medium heat so it cooks all the way through), just place the ring on top of the serving plate of potatoes.
2. Then pour a rich gravy over the top! Add a leaf or two of parsley or pea shoots for a little green, if you like.