Saucisson Sec

By
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
A freelance food writer with a focus on food preservation, brewing, canning, and foraging. He also leads culinary tours in San Francisco and Italy.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/23/21
Saucisson sec

Andrii Pohranychnyi / Getty Images

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Cure Time: 480 hrs
Total: 480 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 7 servings
Yield: 7 sausages
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
913 Calories
62g Fat
2g Carbs
80g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 7
Amount per serving
Calories 913
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 62g 79%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Cholesterol 282mg 94%
Sodium 2933mg 128%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 80g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 1079mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This classic French sausage is a great entry point for the novice to charcuterie. The technique is straightforward, the seasonings simple, and the curing can be done in a relatively forgiving environment, like a basement or garage, not requiring specialized equipment. 

As with all cured meats, though, some specialized ingredients are involved, like dextrose, curing salt (also known as Insta Cure or Prague powder), and casings. Curing salt contains sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, which stave off the development of the bacteria that cause botulism, and is therefore essential to the safety of this recipe. 

A stand mixer with a meat grinding attachment will work fine for this recipe. Remember to keep everything very cold at all times. The meat should always be cold enough that it hurts your hands to handle too long. If it begins to warm, get everything in the coldest part of the refrigerator or even the freezer for a few minutes, repeating as necessary. 

As the sausage hangs, the meat ferments. White mold will form on the outside of the casing. This is normal and desirable. After about three weeks, you'll have a firm salami-like sausage with balanced flavor and a sour tang from fermentation. Simply slice and enjoy with some crisp French bread and cornichon pickles. The French also enjoy it with very sharp Dijon mustard. 

The recipe comes from The New Charcuterie Cookbook, by chef Jamie Bissonnette.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 pounds (2 kilograms) pork meat

  • 1/2 pound (225 grams) fatback

  • 1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) kosher salt

  • 1/4 to 1/2 ounce (10 grams) coarsely ground black pepper

  • 1/2 ounce (15 grams) ​dextrose

  • 1/4 ounce (6 grams) curing salt no. 2

  • 2/3 ounce (18 grams) garlic, minced to a paste

  • 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) dry white wine

  • 8 feet hog casing, or sheep casing, soaked in tepid water for 2 hours before use

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Set up meat grinder. Grind pork meat and fatback using a large plate (3/4 inch/1.9 cm) into a mixing bowl.

  3. Use a paddle or spoon to mix in all of the other ingredients.

  4. Keep casing wet in a bowl of water while you work with it. Slide casing onto funnel but don’t make a knot. Put mixture in stuffer and pack it down.

  5. Begin extruding. As mixture comes out, pull casing back over nozzle and tie a knot.

  6. Extrude one full coil, about 48 inches (1.3 m) long, and tie it off.

  7. Crimp with fingers to separate sausages into 12-inch (30-cm) lengths. Twist casing once one way, then other between each sausage link. Repeat this along the entire coil.

  8. Once sausage is cased, use a sterile needle to prick any air pockets. Prick each sausage 4 or 5 times. Repeat casing process to use remaining sausage.

  9. Hang sausages to cure 18 to 20 days at 60 F to 75 F.

  10. Once cured, sausages can be refrigerated, wrapped, for up to 6 months.

Curing Meat Warning

Curing meat requires specific expertise and failure to cure meat properly may result in sickness or death. If you have no experience in this area, we advise you to consult an expert to teach you proper techniques and applications.

Great Resources on Curing Meat

Since curing meat requires such a specific skill set, otherwise, it can lead to illness or worse, we highly recommend consulting with an expert to teach you proper techniques. We found that the following four publications are super helpful guides and go in-depth about just such processes, procedures, and techniques: