Description
This homemade pepperoni recipe guides you through making your own flavorful, dry-cured sausage using ground pork and beef blended with a perfect mix of spices. The mixture is cured and air-dried for up to 10 days, resulting in a classic, American-Italian style pepperoni ideal for snacks, appetizers, and pizza toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Prague Powder #1 (curing salt)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon anise seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 tablespoons powdered dextrose (or substitute with an equal amount of sugar)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Other
- 2 feet hog casings (soaked and rinsed)
Instructions
- Mix Meat: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork and ground beef thoroughly to create an even base.
- Prepare Spice Mixture: In a separate small bowl, blend kosher salt, Prague Powder #1, sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, crushed mustard seeds, fennel seeds, garlic powder, anise seeds, ground allspice, powdered dextrose, and cold water until evenly combined to form the curing blend.
- Combine and Knead: Add the spice mixture to the meat base and knead by hand or with a stand mixer until fully incorporated and sticky, about 5 minutes, ensuring the flavors and cure are evenly distributed.
- Refrigerate: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to let the flavors develop and the curing process begin.
- Stuff Casings: After chilling, carefully stuff the meat mixture into the soaked hog casings, forming tight, even sausage links roughly 12 inches long. Prick any trapped air bubbles with a sterile pin to avoid spoilage.
- Cure and Dry: Hang the sausages in a cool, well-ventilated environment maintained between 50-60°F with 70-80% humidity. Allow to cure and dry for 7–10 days to achieve optimal texture and flavor. Alternatively, refrigerate uncovered for up to 2 weeks for a milder cure.
- Slice and Store: Once properly cured, slice the pepperoni thinly and cook as desired or vacuum seal and freeze to preserve freshness for longer periods.
Notes
- For a milder flavor, reduce the amounts of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika.
- Always use Prague Powder #1 to ensure food safety and proper curing.
- If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, shape the mixture into logs and tightly wrap them in plastic wrap as an alternative.
- Pepperoni must be cooked before eating unless it has been fully dry-cured and aged.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (dry curing only)
- Category: Snack, Appetizer
- Method: Curing, Drying
- Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 ounces
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
