If you want to go all out in making sausage, you'll need a few tools. A good sausage stuffer is a must if you want to make sausage links. Some are a struggle to work with, others are awesome. The LEM 5lb. Sausage Stuffer is one we always love. If you want to play with grinding your own cuts of meat instead of buying pre-ground meat, the KitchenAid Meat Grinder attachment and the stand alone Gourmia Meat Grinders are great choices.
Mix together all the seasonings in a bowl (salt, pepper, sugar, fennel, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, thyme, and oregano).
Combine the pork, seasonings, and optional red wine in bowl and make sure all spices are blended into the ground pork. If unsure of flavor, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook a small patty and then taste test. Adjust seasonings if needed.
Divide into patties, or portions for what ever you want to cook it with. You can freeze the sausage too.
To Make Sausage Links
Fill Casing: Rinse and soak casings in warm water for about 15 minutes. Slide a casing onto your sausage stuffer tube, leaving about 4 to 5-inches of casing off the end of the tube to allow room to tie off casing. Feed the sausage in the casing, keeping the sausage in one long coil and trying to keep the sausage a consistent width. Remember to leave some extra casing after the last sausage to tie off.
Make the links: Start with the first link and after 5-6 inches, pinch off what will become the link. Roll the link forward a few times to close the casing between links. Repeat with the next link, this time rolling backwards. Continue pinching and rolling, alternating rolling forwards and rolling backwards until all are rolled. Tie off the casing on the end sausage.
Cook, cover or refrigerate (will keep about a week in the fridge) or divide into portions and freeze in an airtight bag (preferably in a vacuum sealed bag).
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Sandwiches, Side Dish