BEEF SUMMER SAUSAGE WITHOUT NITRATES

This recipe for beef summer sausage without nitrates is a favorite healthy snack.  Perfect for on-the-go food or charcuterie.

Homemade Beef Summer Sausage is a perfect replacement for lunch meats

Clean healthy eating is very important and knowing the source of your food as never been more important than at the present. This recipe is absolutely one of our favorites and you control the ingredients. Our family avoids nitrates so this is our go to recipe for snack food and replacing lunch meats. LOOK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHY PROCESSED MEATS ARE NOT GOOD FOR US.

One of our signature recipes! You will love this recipe for summer sausage and it will fast become a staple in your kitchen larder. It is so important to control your ingredients in your food and you won’t believe how easy it is to make your own summer sausage. So many uses: cold cuts for charcuterie, sandwich meat, topping for pizza, add to soups and eggs. Keep in the freezer and you have quick on-the-go food.

Beef Summer Sausage without Nitrates spices

BEEF SUMMER SAUSAGE RECIPE WITHOUT NITRATES

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A homemade beef summer sausage recipe without nitrates. You control the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of grass-fed ground beef
• 2 teaspoons salt (we use Redmond salt)
• 2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2-4 cloves of pressed garlic or use as much as you like to taste or 1 teaspoon of powdered garlic
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Instructions

1. Place ground meat in a bowl
2. Add seasonings
3. With wet hand mix up meat and seasonings.
4. Place a lid on the bowl and leave in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
5. Place a stainless steel rack on a cookie sheet or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. With wet hands shape the sausage mixture into 2 logs (see photo) your desired diameter.
7. Place the logs on the rack.
8. Cook at 225 degrees for 4 hours (after 2 hours I rotate the rack if I am available to do so).
9. Let cool on rack then store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes

• Use wet hands when mixing or shaping the sausage mixture. I will wet my hand and try to make the logs smoother.
• I rotate the cookie sheet at the 2 hour mark.
• You can add or subtract your favorite ingredients such as we add sage and subtract fennel when wanting to use the sausage for breakfast.
• Mix the ground meat and spices and leave in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours then make sausage patties for breakfast.
• Let the summer sausage cook completely then my favorite method to store them is to roll them in parchment and twist the ends.
• Beef summer sausage can be frozen.

Ways to serve beef summer sausage without nitrates

Slice and serve on a charcuterie board.

Replace unhealthy lunch meats with beef summer sausage on sandwiches.

For food on the go the parchment paper wrapping works great.  You can freeze and take in your cooler.

Perfect to keep in the freezer for a quick addition to soups.

Perfect with einkorn crackers or sourdough everything crackers.

Cooked Beef Summer Sausage made at home