How to make Cumberland Sausage

How to make Cumberland Sausage 

Cumberland sausage is a traditional British sausage known for its coiled shape and distinctive flavor, typically seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. Here's how you can make homemade Cumberland sausage from scratch:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork shoulder (a mix of lean meat and fat)
• 200g (7 oz) pork belly or fatback (for extra fat content)
• 100g (3.5 oz) rusk (or breadcrumbs)
• 100 ml cold water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp marjoram (optional)
• Sausage casings (hog casings, if available, or collagen casings)
• Sausage stuffer or piping bag (optional but helpful)

Equipment:

• Grinder (if making your own ground meat)
• Sausage stuffer (or you can use a piping bag)
• Twine (optional, for tying off the sausage into coils)

Steps:

1. Prepare the Pork:

• Chop the pork shoulder and belly into small chunks that will fit through your grinder. Ensure a good balance of meat and fat, as this will give the sausage its juicy texture.
• Place the meat in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm it up. This helps when grinding the meat to maintain the right texture.

2. Grind the Meat:

• Grind the meat using a coarse grinder. If you don't have a grinder, you can ask your butcher to grind it for you, or you can pulse it in a food processor in small batches.

3. Mix the Seasonings:

• In a large bowl, combine the white pepper, black pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg, sage, thyme, and marjoram.
• Add the ground meat to the spice mixture and mix thoroughly to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed.
• Add the rusk (or breadcrumbs) and the cold water, and mix well again until you achieve a uniform mixture with a sticky consistency. This is crucial for the sausage to hold together when cooked.

4. Prepare the Casings:

• Soak the hog casings in warm water for at least 30 minutes to soften them. Rinse them well by running water through them to remove any salt residue.

5. Stuff the Sausage:

• Fit your sausage stuffer (or piping bag) with the sausage casing. Carefully load the meat mixture into the stuffer.
• Stuff the casings with the sausage mixture, making sure not to overfill, which can cause the casings to burst.
• For Cumberland sausage, traditionally, it’s left in one long coil instead of being twisted into links. Gently shape the sausage into a coil as you stuff it.

6. Tie and Shape (Optional):

• Once all the sausage mixture is stuffed, you can tie the ends of the casing with twine. To keep the classic coiled shape, tie the sausage with twine in intervals if desired.

7. Let the Sausages Rest:

• It’s a good idea to let the sausages rest in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld and the casings to dry out a little before cooking.

8. Cooking the Cumberland Sausage:

• You can pan-fry, grill, or bake the sausages. To pan-fry, heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat, and cook the sausage until golden brown on all sides and fully cooked through, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the sausage. If grilling or baking, preheat to 180°C (350°F) and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Tips for Perfect Cumberland Sausage:

• Fat Ratio: Keeping a balance of 80% meat to 20% fat ensures a juicy sausage.
• Cold Meat: Always keep the meat as cold as possible to prevent the fat from melting during grinding and mixing.
• Twisting: If you're not using the coil method, you can twist the sausage into individual links after stuffing.
• Freezing: You can freeze the sausages if you’ve made a large batch. Lay them on a tray in a single layer to freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag.

Serving Suggestions:

Cumberland sausage pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, onion gravy, or a classic English breakfast. You can also serve it with roasted vegetables or baked beans for a hearty, traditional meal.

Enjoy your homemade Cumberland sausages!