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Merguez (North African Lamb Sausage)

(recipe, Matthew Amster-Burton)

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Introduction

This recipe was adapted from Charcuterie, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. Read more about homemade sausage in Matthew Amster-Burton's column "Patty cake."

Ingredients

1. 1 lb. boneless lamb shoulder, not trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2. 1½ tsp. kosher salt
3. ½ tsp. sugar
4. ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
5. 2 tsp. minced garlic
6. ½ cup diced roasted red peppers (jarred are fine)
7. ½ tsp. ground black pepper
8. 2 tsp. smoked paprika
9. 2 tsp. minced fresh sage
10. 1 Tbsp. dry red wine
11. 1 Tbsp. water

Steps

1. Combine all ingredients except the wine and water and stir well.
2. Grind the mixture through the small plate of a meat grinder into a cold bowl. Add the wine and water and stir well to distribute, until the sausage looks sticky rather than loose.
3. Sauté a small patty and taste for seasonings, and add additional salt, pepper, sage, or paprika as necessary. If freezing, do so immediately; otherwise keep in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.