Re: Chicago Italian Sausage with Fennel

Since posting this recipe I’ve made changes in the ingredients and process to improve flavor and make a better overall sausage.

For each 1 lb of Pork Butt:

Kosher Salt 1% (check the butt, if it has a saline solution added use 1%, if not then 1.5%)
Ground Fennel 1.5 tsp
Fennel Seed 2 tsp
Course Ground black pepper .5 tsp
Sugar – 10% of Salt weight

Do not brown the Fennel seed, to me it adds a caramel flavor that takes away from fennel flavor

Cut the butt in to 1″ slices then cube
Prepare the spice mix in a bowel – all of it
Add a small amount of water into the spice mix to create a spice slurry (mix it up with a whisk or spoon to dissolve all the salt and sugar) and let sit for 5 min
Pour the slurry over the cubes and mix in well so all cubes are coated
Put in fridge covered for 24 hours, this process enables the pork to absorb the spices better, any remaining slurry in the bottom of the pan will be absorbed by then.  I think this made a huge difference in the flavor

Make sure to put the blades, cork screw,…