Homemade Veal Sausage

Homemade Veal Sausage

Creating homemade veal sausage might seem intimidating, but it’s easier than you think—and the flavor is unbeatable. From Greek-inspired feta and oregano blends to Italian-style basil and sun-dried tomato mixtures, making your own sausage lets you control the quality of ingredients, customize seasoning, and enjoy a dish that feels truly special. Making homemade sausage allows you to select the freshest cuts of veal shoulder and pork fat, balance meat-to-fat ratios perfectly, and add your favorite herbs, cheeses, or flavorings. Freshly ground and stuffed, veal sausage has a texture and taste that store-bought options can’t match. Plus, the aroma of cooking sausage in your kitchen is irresistible.

Greek Veal Sausage: Bright and Savory

Greek-style veal sausage gets its signature flavor from feta cheese, lemon zest, oregano, and a touch of white wine vinegar. The feta adds creamy saltiness, while the lemon brightens the rich veal and pork fat mixture. Perfect for grilling or pairing with Mediterranean-inspired sides, this sausage brings bold, fresh flavors to the table.

Italian Veal Sausage: Herbaceous and Aromatic

Italian-style veal sausage uses classic ingredients like fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red wine vinegar. The combination creates a savory, aromatic sausage that’s tender, juicy, and full of flavor. This style is perfect for pasta dishes, pizzas, or simply grilling as a main course.

How to Make Homemade Veal Sausage

The key to successful homemade veal sausage is keeping everything cold. Chill your veal shoulder, pork fat, and grinder components. Grind the meat and fat together until evenly combined, then mix with your seasonings and liquids until slightly sticky.

Prepare natural hog casings by rinsing and soaking them overnight. Thread the casings onto your sausage stuffer, tie off the end, and carefully fill with the meat mixture, guiding it gently with your hands.

To create links, pinch the sausage at the desired length and twist each link alternately toward and away from you. Prick small holes in the links to release air pockets and help the casing hug the meat closely. The sausages can be cooked immediately or refrigerated for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for perfectly juicy veal sausage.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Sausage

  • Keep all ingredients and equipment very cold for smooth grinding and stuffing.

  • Experiment with add-ins like herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or cheeses for customized flavor.

  • Twist links gently to avoid tearing the casing.

  • Grill, pan-fry, or bake sausages to enjoy different textures and flavors.

Why You’ll Love Homemade Veal Sausage

There’s something deeply satisfying about making your own sausage. Homemade veal sausage offers bold, fresh flavors that store-bought options can’t match, whether it’s Greek, Italian, or your own custom creation. Serve it with vegetables, pasta, or on a bun, and you’ve got a meal that’s delicious, memorable, and entirely your own. Check out Anne’s how to video on her she put together this delicious recipe!

Ingredients

  • 11 oz veal shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces (trim tough connective tissue, keep regular fat)
  • 5 oz pork fat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • Casings Natural hog casings, rinsed to remove salt and soaked overnight in cold water with 1/2 tsp baking soda

Greek Flavor (per 1 lb. sausage)

  • 2 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

Italian Flavor (per 1 lb. sausage)

  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 2 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes (pat dry to remove excess oil)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Meat and Fat

  1. Trim the veal shoulder of tough connective tissue, keeping the regular fat.
  2. Cut veal into 1-inch pieces and pork fat into 1/2-inch pieces.
  3. Keep all meat and fat very cold before grinding.

Step 2: Grind the Meat

  1. Chill your meat grinder components.
  2. Grind the veal and pork fat together until evenly combined.
  3. Refrigerate the ground meat until ready to season.

Step 3: Mix in Seasonings

  1. In a bowl or stand mixer, combine the ground meat with your chosen seasonings and liquids.
    Greek: feta, lemon zest, oregano, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, water, salt, pepper
    Italian: basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, water, salt, pepper
  2. Mix on low speed until everything is evenly combined and slightly sticky.
  3. Chill again before stuffing.

Step 4: Prepare the Casings

  1. Rinse off any salt from the casings.
  2. Soak in cold water with 1/2 tsp baking soda overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. Rinse and keep them cold until ready to use.

Step 5: Stuff the Sausage

  1. Lightly grease the sausage stuffer tube with olive oil.
  2. Thread the casings onto the tube and tie off one end.
  3. Feed the seasoned meat mixture through the stuffer, guiding the casing gently with your hands.

Step 6: Form Links

  1. Pinch the sausage at the desired length.
  2. Twist each link alternately toward and away from you to separate them.
  3. Prick holes in each link to remove air pockets.

Step 7: Cook or Store

  1. Cook immediately or refrigerate for a few hours to let flavors meld.
  2. Cook until internal temperature reaches 145°F.

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