Traditional Slovak Sausage Is Made with Potatoes

• Meat

  • 1/2 lb Bacon
  • 1 lb Pork shoulder, boneless

• Produce

  • 1/4 10 pounds idaho potatoes
  • 1 tsp Marjoram
  • 2 Onions, medium

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Salt

• Desserts

  • 1/2 tsp Peppermint, dried leaves

• Other

  • About 40 feet of beef or hog casings, rinsed thoroughly and refrigerated

Found on easteuropeanfood.about.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder (pork butt, Boston butt)
• 1/2 pound diced bacon (not maple cured)
• 2 medium grated onions
• 10 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried peppermint leaves
• About 40 feet of beef or hog casings, rinsed thoroughly and refrigerated

Directions

• Preparation In a small pan, cook pork shoulder with just enough water to cover for 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut meat and fat into large pieces. Reserve the cooking water and let it cool.Meanwhile, in a small skillet, sauté bacon until golden. Add onions and sauté 5 minutes more, remove from heat and set aside.Using a medium grinding blade, push the cooled pork pieces (fat and all) and potatoes down the chute of your grinder using a wooden pestle. Don't ever put your fingers in a grinder -- running or not running! Add cooked bacon and onions, salt, pepper, marjoram and peppermint leaves to the water the meat was cooked in. Mix well and then combine with meat-potato mixture. Fry a small patty of meat and taste to make sure the seasonings are just right.Using the procedure for stuffing Polish sausage, stuff the meat-potato mixture into the casings.Store refrigerated and covered up to two days until ready to cook. Before cooking, prick sausage along the length of the link to allow air bubbles to escape. Otherwise, they will explode in the cooking water.Place sausage in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.Some people like to pan fry their sausages on both sides in a little fat until golden, or brown it in a 350-F oven for about 20 minutes, turning frequently.Freeze uncooked or cooked sausage for up to 6 months.Note: The unstuffed sausage mixture also can be baked in a greased loaf pan or made into patties by adding up to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour if the mixture is very loose.