How to Make Pepperoni Sausage

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground turkey reduces fat content while maintaining flavor.

collagen casings

🥗Healthier: natural casings

💰Cheaper: no casing

Natural casings provide a traditional bite, while no casing simplifies preparation.

Soak non-edible fibrous casings in warm water for about 30 minutes until soft and pliable, ensuring they are completely submerged.

Cut pork butt into pieces and place in the freezer to keep it ice cold.

Mix the entire package of pepperoni seasoning into 5 oz of cold water and whisk until well combined.

Grind the pork using a meat grinder, ensuring to assemble the grinder correctly with the blade and plate.

Add the pepperoni mix to the ground pork and mix until well incorporated.

Grind the pork mixture a second time for a finer texture.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld.

Prepare the sausage stuffer by spraying the inside with vegetable oil.

Stuff the fibrous casings with the pork mixture, packing it tightly to eliminate air pockets.

Tie off the ends of the casings with kitchen twine.

Check for air pockets and poke any found with a sterilized straight pin.

Smoke the sausages using sweet pecan wood chips, monitoring the internal temperature until it reaches 165°F.

After about an hour of smoking, check the temperature of the sausages with a temperature probe.

Once cooked, place the sausages in an ice cold water bath to stop the cooking process.

Remove sausages from the ice water bath and place them on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, tag and vacuum seal the sausages for storage in the freezer.

Slice the pepperoni as thin or thick as desired for serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens