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1
Grind the Meat Coarse
15 Mins
Keep the meat below 4°C (40°F)
Feed the chilled pork strips and fat cubes through a coarse grinder plate (10–13 mm holes) into a chilled bowl, alternating meat and fat so they mix evenly. The mince should look like distinct small pieces, not a paste.
Grind once only — a second pass makes the sausage dense and rubbery.
Done when: Coarse, clearly separate pieces of pink meat and white fat.
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2
Season & Mix
10 Mins
Keep the mix below 4°C (40°F)
Sprinkle the salt, garlic and pepper over the mince, pour in the ice-cold water and mix by hand for 2–3 minutes until the mix feels sticky and holds together when squeezed. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Mix until it is sticky — that stickiness is the protein binding, and it is what keeps the sausage juicy.
Done when: A uniform, tacky mix that clings to your hand.
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3
Stuff & Link into Pairs
20 Mins
Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F), work quickly
Slide a soaked casing onto the stuffer nozzle, fill it firmly but not bursting tight, and twist into links about 12–16 cm (5–6 in) long, each about 100 g. Leave a little slack in each link. Join the links in pairs with a wooden skewer through both ends, as the tradition requires.
Prick any air bubbles with a clean pin so the casings do not split in the smoker.
Done when: Eight even, firm links in four pairs, each pair joined by a skewer.
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4
Hot-Smoke the Sausages
85 Mins
Hot smoke at ~70°C (158°F)
Hang or lay the pairs in a smoker over soaked beech chips at about 70°C (158°F). Smoke for 60–85 minutes until the skins are reddish-brown and a thermometer in the thickest link reads 71°C (160°F). A kettle grill with a smoke box works too — keep the fire to one side and the sausages away from direct heat.
Do not rush the smoke with higher heat — the casings split and the fat runs out.
Done when: Reddish-brown skins, a mild smoky smell, and an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).
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5
Rest Briefly
10 Mins
Resting, ~70°C (158°F) falling, covered loosely
Take the sausages out of the smoker and rest them for 10 minutes so the juices settle and the skins firm up. They can be eaten now, or chilled and grilled later.
Do not cut into a sausage straight from the smoker — the juices will run out.
Done when: Firm, glossy sausages that hold their shape when lifted by the skewer.
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6
Grill & Serve
15 Mins
Medium-high grill, ~200°C (400°F)
Grill the pairs over medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, turning often, until the skins are crisp and lightly charred in places and the centre is hot through, at least 71°C (160°F). Serve each pair on a wooden board with a bread roll, a spoonful of mustard and a pile of grated horseradish.
Grill gently and turn often — a fierce fire splits the skins and dries the sausage out.
Done when: Crisp, lightly charred skins, a hot juicy centre, and the pair still joined by its skewer.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the grilled pairs hot, still joined by their wooden skewers, with the bread roll, mustard and horseradish on the board. Cut the skewer away at the table and eat the sausage whole, in slices, with the bread.
Slovenia
2h 55m
France
Vietnam