When you have ascertained what type of sausage you like to prepare, you realize the curing salt needed, and you have chosen the meat, you may go ahead and choose some spices and herbs to utilize! It is crucial to choose sausage seasonings and spices that will lend some proportion to the aromas of the meat. You may like to round off the natural aromas of the meats and in a few cases, you may like to help accentuate the more subtle flavors, such as including anise or cinnamon to bring about the ingrained sweetness of the meat.
Whole Spices and Herbs
When you are preparing sausage, you are inclined to wield ground spices and herbs instead of whole, however, you might find yourself tending toward whole herbs and spices simply for the respite of use. A few of the most prominent whole spices and herbs used in making sausage are:
- Fennel Seed
- Black Peppercorns
- Yellow Mustard Seed
- Dill Seed
- Allspice Berries
- Celery Seeds
Whole spices would offer a mouthful of a particular aroma when you taste them. This may be an unexpected or unpleasant sensation for a few, it’s better to be mindful of the aromas your friends or family love before you introduce them to a sausage full of peppercorns, just to know they despise biting into peppercorns. This might sound dramatic, however, there is folk who feel like this.
Ground Spices and Herbs
Ground herbs and spices are great, making them easier to mix in the meat recipe. They are less noticeably pronounced in the meat, and they give much more aroma to a larger area of the meat instead of whole spices. A few traditional ground spices and herbs used in making sausage include:
- Bay Leaves
- Allspice
- Cayenne
- Coriander
- Chiles
- Cumin
- Thyme
- Fennel
- Sage
- Paprika
- Pepper
- Ginger
- Mace etc
These are not the only ground spices and herbs you may use in the sausage. Testing new aromas in the sausage is a good way to deal with this technique of home cooking. Maneuvering unusual spices may help to broaden your palette too.
What Seasoning Blends Can I Use in Homemade Sausage?
It hinges on what type of sausage you want to make! Premade mixes can be beneficial when you are fresh to sausage making and aren’t certain how to mix your spices and herbs to accomplish that precise aroma you’re yearning for.