Liver-Sage Sausage

Homemade sausage with real depth. Chicken livers give these links a rich, mineral intensity that store-bought sausage just doesn’t have. Mixed with veal, bacon, fresh sage, garlic, and capers, then marinated in white wine for hours before grinding.

The overnight marinade is doing serious work. The wine tenderizes the meat, the sage infuses every fiber, and the garlic and capers distribute their flavors throughout. By the time you grind the mixture, the seasoning is deep inside, not just on the surface.

Bacon is the fat source here. It adds smokiness and moisture that keeps the sausage juicy on the grill instead of drying out. The capers bring briny little pops of salt that make these sausages distinctly Mediterranean.

Chef Tips

• Keep everything cold. Warm meat smears instead of grinding cleanly, which gives you a mushy, paste-like texture.
• Pulse in the food processor, don’t blend continuously. You want a coarse, textured grind, not baby food.
• If you don’t have casings, form into patties instead. Same flavor, less equipment.
• Grill over medium-high heat and resist pressing them down. Pressing squeezes out the juices and fat you worked to keep in.

Variations

• Substitute pork shoulder for the veal if veal isn’t available. The fat content is similar.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicier sausage with some kick.
• Try these crumbled over pasta with browned butter and sage for a refined Italian main course.