It is my hope that someday I will know how to make authentic Portuguese linguica sausage. Recently, with the help of four good friends, I made my first faltering attempt using a generic recipe. The results were very good, but not perfect. So, my search for an authentic recipe continues. Come join me on my quest.
Hi! Ol’ Fuzz Face here. – My Dad’s parents came to America from Portugal’s Azores Islands. When they left the island of São Miguel, they had little with them except hope for the future and recipes for the finest breads, stews, and meat dishes.
Today, we’ll talk about one small part of that food tradition – linguica sausage and how it’s made. I’ll also share with you my dad’s recipe for Linguiça and Scrambled Eggs.
A Little Sausage Making Background
There’s no need to go into a lengthy discussion on the sausage making process. In our post Project Sausage, I described how my good friend Tom and I experimented with the rather unusual branch of the culinary arts known as sausage making.
Our most recent sausage making adventure began over a year ago. Tom once again raised the exciting possibility of gathering a group of our brother Knights of Columbus for a day of sausage making and mirth-filled camaraderie. It took a while to organize the event, but finally the date was set – February 29th would be the day.
In the meantime, I consulted with Chef Blondie and the entire staff of the SFH Test Kitchen. We planned for a broad-based endeavor that went far beyond just the making of generic sausage. This event would become the next step on my quest for an authentic recipe for linguica.
The Big Day – How We Made Sausage
The big day finally came. Our Pastor granted our band of five intrepid sausage makers the use of the parish hall. Once again, Tom provided all the necessary equipment (grinder and stuffer). He also procured the pork butt and the hog casings. Our crew operated with military precision. It consisted of the following brave souls:
- Tom – the master meat grinder and team leader
- John – the mighty meat slicer
- Bryant – the powerful vertical sausage stuffer cranker
- Dave – the sausage stuffer guide man, the bravest one of all
- Yours truly – sausage stuffer repair technician and cleanup man.
No words can describe all that went on that day. But just as it was for Tom and me on our first sausage making adventure, so it was on our second. – It wasn’t a pretty sight (no one ever describes sausage making as that), but, oh my, it was fun!
The Bottom Line – How I Made Portuguese Linguica
Several different recipes were used on sausage making day. So, several shortcuts and compromises had to be employed. There wouldn’t be time for me to follow my recipe precisely as written. So, I couldn’t really expect perfect results. Nevertheless, I hoped to at least get into the ballpark.
So, watch the video to find out how this linguica was made and whether it passed the SFH Test Kitchen official taste test.
Many of you might not have the time or equipment to make your own linguica. That’s okay. Some stores like Harris Teeter carry linguica in their meat departments.
If you’d like to try out my dad’s simple recipe for Linguiça and Scrambled Eggs, go out and by some linguica. You’ll be glad you did.
Portuguese Linguica Sausage
Ingredients
- • 3 ½ pounds pork butt - (We used 4 pounds of pork butt.)
- • 1 ½ pounds pork fat - (We used 1 pound of ground beef.)
- • 34 grams kosher salt
- • 6 grams Instacure No. 1 (optional, especially if smoking the sausages)
- • 1 tablespoon dextrose or white sugar
- • 10 garlic cloves, minced
- • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- • 1 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne (We used cayenne.)
- • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) (We recommend using smoked paprika.)
Instructions
Prepare the Meat:
- Cut the pork shoulder or wild boar meat into small chunks.
- Grind the meat using a meat grinder or food processor.
- Cut the pork fat into small pieces and grind it as well.
Mix the Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat and fat.
- Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, Instacure No. 1 (if using), dextrose (or sugar), sweet paprika, hot paprika (or cayenne), and smoked paprika.
- Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
Stuff the Sausage:
- If making links, stuff the mixture into hog casings to create sausages.
- Alternatively, shape the mixture into patties if you prefer loose sausage.
Dry and Cure (for links):
- If making links, spread them on a tray and refrigerate for up to three days, turning daily to allow the links to dry and cure.
Smoke (optional):
- If you like smoked sausages, you can smoke them. Cold-smoke below 90°F using a smoker.
- If smoking, use the Instacure No. 1 to ensure safety from bacteria.
- If not smoking, skip the Instacure.
Cook and Enjoy:
- Grill, pan-fry, or bake your linguica sausages until fully cooked.
- Serve them with grilled onions, in soups, or alongside Portuguese cabbage and potatoes.
Dad's Linguiça and Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs, large
- 1 Pepper
- 1 Salt
- ⅓ cup half-and-half or milk
- 8 ounces Portuguese linguiça
Instructions
- Combine the eggs and half-and-half in a bowl. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper and whisk a little more.
- Slice the linguiça (sausage) and cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, until browned or for about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs to the skillet with the linguiça. Don't stir until the eggs begin to set.
- Cook, stirring, until the eggs are scrambled and fluffy.
- Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve while hot.
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Great job Fuzzy!!!
needs wine or wine vinagar