Once you’ve made this homemade Sweet Italian Sausage, good luck going back to the pre-packaged stuff. This version is free of the funky ingredients you might see on labels of the storebought variety, like corn syrup, MSG, BHA, and propyl gallate (whatever that is). You also get to control the quality of the pork you use– I bought some local, organic stuff on sale. This recipe is free of gluten, grains, dairy, eggs, soy, and goitrogenic ingredients, and is Paleo and Low-Carb compliant.
Making and freezing my own sausage (like this AIP Lamb Sausage) has been one of my favorite, sanity-saving, hypothyroid-friendly cooking habits. Forget about meat grinders and hard-to-find casing. This simple method has an intimidation factor of zero. The 3-pound batch is a snap to throw together, and can be frozen and bagged for later use (see Chef’s Tips below). Like money in the bank!
I scoured the web to find a recipe that promised to be as good if not better than pre-packaged Italian sausage, and the reviews on this one, posted to All Recipes by Michelle Leigh Gossman said it all. Hundreds of testers claimed to have found the recipe that inspired them to abandon factory-made Italian sausage forever. What gives it that special something is a winning combination of seasoning, combined with the natural fat of the pork, and the acidity of red wine vinegar.
Acid + Salt + Fat = Yum. (That’s a second-hand culinary school tidbit for you.)
My recipe below is adapted slightly from hers. I swapped out garlic and onion powder for fresh, but offer dry measurements as a convenience option. I also applied a bit of heat to the seasonings to bring the flavors into full bloom. Although it contains red chili flakes, the sausage is still mild, and sweetened with a touch of honey.
Chef’s Tips:
- If you are going to make meatballs, I recommend adding egg and a gluten-free breadcrumb substitute (like almond flour). Without a binder, this mixture can tend to be crumbly.
- To freeze, I recommend lining a baking dish with parchment, forming the mixture into 8-ounce (1/2 lb) portions. Freeze until solid. Remove frozen sausage portions from parchment paper, and place in large zip-top freezer bag. Seal and write today’s date on the outside of the bag in permanent marker. Store in freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw and use as desired.
I wanted to get this post up before the end of the work week, because I’ve been busy cooking and (spoiler alert) I’ve got two scrumptious recipes coming your way that make use of this Sweet Italian Sausage:
Tomato, Sausage, and Fennel Soup
and Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini-Peppers
Before we say goodbye, let’s quickly explore the thyroid-specific health benny’s of this recipe:
The Breakdown
- A 3 ounce serving of pork contains 103% DV for tyrosine, 63% DV for selenium, and 17% DV for Zinc– 3 key nutrients for thyroid health.
- Garlic has many powerful healing properties and can aid or alleviate some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism such as inflammation, cardiovascular issues, decreased immunity, and increased infection. It can also support the liver in its detoxification efforts.
Alrighty, buon appetito! Let us know what you think and how you used it, in the comments section below.
Wishing you the best of health, and many delicious meals to come!
Sweet Italian Sausage
This homemade sweet Italian sausage is 100% free of funky, artificial ingredients. This recipe makes a large, 3-pound batch, which can be portioned and frozen for later use, but can easily be reduced to a 1 pound (1/3 recipe) batch. Heating the aromatics, herbs, and spices helps bring the delicious flavors into full bloom .
- Prep Time: 15m
- Cook Time: 10m
- Total Time: 25m
- Yield: 3 pounds
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. EVOO
- 2 c finely diced onion, about 1 1/2 medium (or sub. 1 T onion powder)
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Italian Herb Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground fennel
- 3/4 tsp. paprika
- 3/4 tsp. red chili flakes (for mild heat)
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1/4 c plus 2 tbsp. freshly minced garlic, about 6-8 cloves (or sub. 1 T. garlic powder)
- 3 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp. fine sea salt
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, over medium heat, combine olive oil and onion. Cook 3-5 minutes or until soft (no color).
- While onions are cooking add Italian herbs, ground fennel, paprika, chili flakes, and honey. NOTE: If using onion powder, simply add with other herbs and spices to the oil, and heat to help the flavors "bloom", until fragrant, 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic to the pan and cook 1 minute more or until fragrant (no color). Remove pan from heat and let cool for a couple minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine ground pork, sea salt, black pepper, and red wine vinegar. Use a heat-proof rubber spatula to scrape in the herb and spice oil. Mix with your hands to combine. Use or freeze as desired.
[…] This Stuffed Delicata Squash with Sausage, Greens, and Garlic is gluten, grain, egg, soy, and sugar free. It can easily be made dairy-free by omitting the cheese, and substituting olive oil for ghee. To eliminate questionable additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients, make this with my homemade Sweet Italian Sausage. […]