Homemade Irish-Style Bangers Recipe
These delicious homemade Irish-style bangers are made from scratch and perfect for grilling, baking, or my favorite, pan-frying. After putting in the effort to make them, you'll love how incredibly flavorful they are.
Ingredients
- 9 feet of hog casings
- 4 pounds boned Boston Butt or Pork shoulder, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 pound pork belly, cut into 1” cubes
- 2 teaspoons garlic granules
- 1 tablespoon onion granules
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground mace
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups crushed ice
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Prepare the hog casings according to their instructions and set aside in a bowl of cool water.
- Mix the Boston butt and pork belly in a container and place them into the freezer to chill for 15-20 minutes.
- Run the cold cubed pork through a food grinder using the medium size dye into another pan until all of it has been ground. Place it again in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- While the meat is chilling, make the spice blend mixture using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and set aside.
- Using the small dye on the meat grinder, run the ground meat through again into another pan.
- Season the sausage with the spice blend and mix in with crushed ice and breadcrumbs until combined completely combined.
- Attach the hog casing around the sausage filler, with about 6 inches left, tie a knot at the end, and run the sausage through the attachment on low speed and stuff the hog casing guiding with one hand and pressing the sausage through the grinder with the other hand.
- With about 4” left, tie a knot around the end of the sausage and continue stuffing until all the ingredients have been used.
- Twist the long sausage into 5” to 6” long links. Store or cook.
- Repeat the process until all the sausage has been stuffed.
Notes
I highly recommend chilling the meat before grinding to ensure the fat stays firm and doesn’t warm up or liquefy during the process. I always take the time to chill the cubed pork in the freezer for at least 15 to 20 minutes before grinding. I even put my grinder parts in the freezer to keep everything cold. This simple step makes all the difference in achieving the perfect juicy and well-textured sausage every time.
Taste: I always fry a small portion of the sausage mixture before stuffing to check the seasoning. This way, I can adjust the herbs and spices.
Speed Control: I keep the grinder and stuffer at low to medium speed to maintain control. If the speed is too high, the sausage can become difficult to handle and may not stuff evenly.
Filling the Casing: If the sausage looks too skinny, I stop moving the casing and let it fill up more before continuing. This helps create plump, evenly filled sausages with the right texture.
Casing Length: Each hog casing is about three feet long, so I plan accordingly. Knowing this helps me portion the sausage mixture properly to avoid waste.
Visual Guide: You are welcome to check my recipe video for additional sausage-making tips. Watching the process in action makes it easier to follow along and get the best results.
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 3 days ahead of time, just keep cool in the refrigerator and cover until ready to cook.
How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The bangers will freeze well for up to 6 months, either raw or cooked. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before cooking or reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 24gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1156mgPotassium: 364mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 13IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg