Homemade smoked pepperoni sausage in the pan

Recipe for homemade smoked Calabrian sausage in the pan. Smoked Calabrese sausage is one of the most loved sausages in Brazil, it goes well in feijoadas, pizzas, sliced into dishes with rice and beans, in snacks or appetizers on tables in bars and restaurants. In starters, appetizers or main dishes, it is everywhere. A good pepperoni sausage is irresistible! It is a lightly spiced sausage, with a smoky touch and a firm, very compact consistency.

Calabrian sausage is not Italian but Brazilian, its recipe was created in Brazil under the influence of Italian immigration. It is believed to have been inspired by an Italian sausage from the Calabria region, but its name derives from the use of Calabrian pepper, which is essential in its recipe. Regardless of its origin, it is a national product much appreciated throughout the country, especially in pizzas.

According to official technical regulations, Calabrian sausage must be made exclusively from pork, cured and with the characteristic spicy flavor of Calabrian pepper. It can be dehydrated, cooked or smoked. In this case, I made it smoked, which is the most commercialized version. If you want a more elaborate flavor, leave the sausage hanging for two or three weeks to mature. See also this recipe cured pepperoni sausage.

Smoked Calabrese Sausage Ingredients

Clean pork shank – 1531g; In my case the final composition was 177g of fat and 1354g of meat.
Salt – 30g ≅ 2%;
Type 1 Curing Salt (6.25% of nitrite and 93.75% of salt) – 4g ≅ 0.25%;
Sugar – 6g ≅ 0.5%;
Garlic powder – 6g ≅ 0.5%;
Antioxidant/fixative* – 4g ≅ 0.25%;
Calabrian pepper – 6g = 0.5%;
Ground black pepper – 4g ≅ 0.25%;
Smoked paprika – 4g ≅ 0.25%;
Ice water – 100g ≅ 6.5%;
Fennel – 6g ≅ 0.5%;
Mix yield** ≅ 30g – 2%;
Apple sawdust – 100g. I used apple tree sawdust but you can choose others.

* The antioxidant/fixer is used in conjunction with the curing salt as they are complementary ingredients. The curing salt will help with the red color, cured flavor and protect against contamination and rancidity. The fixative/antioxidant enhances this effect.

** Yield Mix is a product developed through the combination of stabilizers (tripolyphosphate) and emulsifier (vegetable protein) with the aim of making the product juicier when grilling or roasting. Furthermore, it also reduces the loss of liquids from the meat that will be frozen and defrosted.

Doubts? Read too Tips for making homemade sausage, Curing salt what it is and how much to use It is Additives for sausages.

Preparation of smoked Calabrian sausage

1. Clean the meat, reserving the fat and discarding the skin/leather and bones;
2. Cut the meat into 1 or 2 cm cubes;
3. Mix the meat with the salt, curing salt and antioxidant. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours;
4. Grind the meat into a medium or coarse disc;
5. Finely chop half the fat to obtain decorative pieces, if you don't want to skip this step;
6. Grind half or all of the fat into a fine disc and add to the meat;
7. Mix the meat well with all the seasonings with your hands or using an orbital mixer or mixer;
8. Add the water and continue mixing until the meat becomes very sticky and sticky. Approximately 2 minutes;
9. Embed in caked beef, pork or collagen casing casing 30mm to 40mm. Tort beef tripe is recommended for a horseshoe shape;
10. Twist or tie every 10 cm with culinary string;
11. Smoke in a chamber or deep casserole-type pan.
12. In the pan, keep the sausage hanging or on a grill and add wood chips or sawdust to the bottom of the pan;
13. The smoking temperature should be around 90ºC. Smoke until the internal temperature of the Calabrese sausage reaches 72ºC;
14. Cool in ice water immediately after smoking the Calabrese sausage;
15. Store well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 30 days or freeze for 3 months.

How to smoke in the pan?

I smoked this Calabrian sausage in a deep casserole pan measuring 28 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep. Hang with rods or support the sausages on a grill, add sawdust to the bottom of the pan and place directly on the fire, being careful to maintain the temperature between 90ºC and 100ºC to avoid roasting the sausages with excessive heat, which is not ideal. It's a very simple process, just use a deep pan. Cover leaving a gap and add a little water from time to time to the bottom of the pan so that the steam helps to obtain the color. I used apple tree sawdust but you can choose others. Smoking took about 2 hours.