1-Gathering and Prepping Ingredients: First, gather all your ingredients and set up your workstation. Start by soaking the 9 feet of hog casings in cool water to make them pliable. Next, chill the 4 pounds of cubed Boston butt or pork shoulder and 1 pound of pork belly in the freezer for 15-20 minutes this keeps the fat firm and easy to work with.

2-Gathering and Prepping Ingredients: Once chilled, grind the meat using a medium die, then chill it again before grinding once more with a small die for that perfect texture. I find this double-grinding step really locks in the flavor. Prepare your spice blend by mixing 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, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

3-Mixing and Stuffing: Thoroughly mix the spice blend with the ground meat, along with 2 cups of crushed ice and 1 cup breadcrumbs this helps bind everything and keeps it moist. Attach the casing to a sausage stuffer, tie a knot at one end, and fill it at low speed to avoid air pockets.

4-Mixing and Stuffing: After filling, tie a knot at the other end and twist the sausages into 5- to 6-inch links. The total preparation time is about 2 hours and 40 minutes, and this recipe makes around 20 servings. For storing or cooking, follow the tips below to get it just right.

5-Cooking Tips: One handy tip is to test the seasoning by frying a small portion before stuffing it’s a trick I use to make sure the flavors pop. Always use low to medium speeds for grinding and stuffing for an even texture. Each hog casing is about three feet long, so plan your portion sizes based on how many links you want.