Traditional Hungarian Sausage
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
3 hrs
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Additional Time
1 d 16 hrs
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Total Time
1 d 23 hrs
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Servings
12
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Calories
386 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Traditional Hungarian Sausage
Description
This recipe begins by curing pork and pork back fat with salt and curing salt to ensure food safety and texture. After curing overnight, the meats are ground and mixed thoroughly with a blend of sweet and hot paprika, garlic, caraway seeds, black pepper, and a touch of sugar. Ice water is added to help achieve a sticky mixture ideal for stuffing into hog casings, formed into one-foot lengths tied into rings. Conditioning in a cold environment overnight firms the sausages before a drying period in a smoker at low heat without smoke. The final step is a smoking process at around 130°F using wood like oak or hickory to develop a nice brown color and impart traditional smoky flavor.
This sausage is suited for traditional Hungarian dishes or as a smoky, flavorful cured sausage that can be cooked or grilled. Its preparation method is important for achieving proper texture, flavor balance, and preservation.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lbs pork butt
- 1/2 lb pork back fat or pork belly
- 1 3/4 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp salt level, curing salt #1
- 2 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 6 1/2 Tbsp paprika sweet
- 3 Tbsp paprika hot
- 7 cloves garlic pressed
- 3 tsp caraway seeds ground
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup water ice
Instructions
- Cut the meat, and the back fat, into 2" (5-6 cm) pieces, mix with salt and Cure #1. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Grind the pork and the pork belly/back fat (partially frozen for 20 min in a freezer) through a medium-size plate - 1/4" (6mm). You can also chop the meat and the fat finely with a knife.
- Mix the ground meat with the seasonings, adding a cup of ice water. Mix well until the meat becomes sticky.
- Stuff into hog casings (28-32 mm), making 1-foot lengths and tying them into rings. Prick any visible air pockets with a needle.
- Hang the sausage to condition in a cold room at 33F - 38F (like an unheated garage in winter) or refrigerate overnight. Do not let the sausages freeze.
- Dry for about 60 minutes in the smoker at about 110F - 130F without smoke. The sausages should be completely dry before applying smoke.
- Smoke at around 130F for 2-4 hours or until the casings develop a nice brown color. Use oak, beech, cherry, hickory, or pecan wood.
- Next, poach at 161F - 165F for 25 - 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 154F -158F. Alternatively, bake in an oven with convection, with a hot water pan below the sausages, at 175F for about 30-50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 154F - 158F. You can also finish cooking the sausage in the smoker/smokehouse by gradually increasing the temperature in the smoker to 165F-175F-185F and up to 195F. This method is not as easy and may take a long time depending on weather conditions and humidity inside the smoker.
- Cool the sausages down in an ice bath or shower them with cold water and dry them with paper towels. If you have access to a fairly cold room, again, like an unheated garage in winter, just hang them there to cool down.
- Optionally, hang the sausage in a cool room or a curing chamber for 5-7 days to dry at about 55F and 75% relative humidity. This will prolong the shelf life and intensify the flavor of the sausage.
- Store in a refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 386kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 113mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 1374mg | 57% |
| Potassium | 632mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 742IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 33mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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