Homemade Italian sausage

Ingredients:

• 2.3 kg pork shoulder
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 1/2 tbsp. grated pecorino romano cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 230 g of pork casings

Preparation:

1. Trim excess fat from the meat, but not too much, as the ground meat should be 80% meat and 20% fat. Cut the meat into pieces and mince it using the largest mesh. Mince it again, this time using the medium mesh. Pass the ground meat through the same mesh again. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with water, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, cheese, and parsley.
2. Rinse the casings thoroughly under cold running water and fill them with water to check for damaged areas. Attach the sausage stuffing attachment to the meat grinder and place the casings on the stuffing tube, pressing it firmly against the base. Place the sausage meat into the container on top and begin pushing it down into the body. As the meat begins to fill the casings, hold the sausage in place with your hand. Stuff the sausages slowly to ensure even distribution and avoid air pockets. Twist the sausages every 10-15 cm. Grill the Italian sausage on a grill, barbecue, or in a frying pan. Store the homemade sausage uncooked in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for later use.