Homemade Beef Sausage

Closeup view of a plate of beef loukaniko sausages.

5 from 6 votes

Homemade beef sausages flavored with orange zest, leeks, and red wine are easier to make at home than you might imagine! This recipe delivers big, bold flavor that's perfect all year round.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword beef loukaniko, beef sausage, greek sausage, loukaniko, sausage with orange zest

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings sausage links

Calories 142kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

Meat Grinder

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks white and light green parts finely chopped
5 garlic cloves minced
3 pounds beef chuck cubed
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 orange zested
2 teaspoons roasted ground coriander
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ cup red wine
Sausage casings soaked for 30 minutes (optional)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and leek. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until the leek is softened. Remove from the heat and let cool (I like to pop it into the refrigerator).
Grind the beef through the coarse die of your meat grinder. Stir in the cooled leeks, spices, orange zest, and red wine until everything is incorporated.
Form a small amount of the sausage mixture into a patty and fry over medium heat until cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
To make sausage patties: Divide the sausage into about 20 meatball-sized portions, then flatten each potion into a patty.
To make sausage links: Attach a large tube to your sausage stuffer and load on a casing. Tie off the loose end, then stuff the sausage into one long coil. To twist into links, measure about 5 inches and then pinch the casing to form a link; twist the sausage away from you a few times to hold it in place. Repeat, twisting the next sausage toward you. Continue down the line, alternating the way the sausage is twisted. Use a clean skewer to the tip of a sharp knife to poke a small hole into each link to let any trapped air out.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. This sausage can be smoked, grilled, or cooked over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Note that due to the red wine in this recipe, the beef may appear pink even though it's fully cooked; temperature is the best way to gauge doneness.

Nutrition