How to Make Homemade Northern Thai Sausage (Sai Ua) (VIDEO Recipe)
Prep Time: 3 hours Total Time: 3 hours
Skill Level: Medium
Cost to Make: Varies by cut of meat
Keyword: Homemade Sausage
Cuisine: Thai, Northern Thai
Course: Main Course/Appetizer
Servings: 3lbs of sausage links
Ingredients for Sai Ua/sausage
3 lbs Ground pork( high fat recommend)
10 g. Dried red chilies
120 g. Fresh sliced lemongrass
8 bulbs Shallot
12 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp. Shrimp paste
1/2 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Pork powder/Bouillon (optional)
3 roots Fresh turmeric (1 inch each)
5 sliced. Fresh galangal
2 cups. Chopped green onion
1/2 cup. Chopped cilantro
12 Kaffir Lime Leaves (sliced)
9-10 feet Natural Hog casing
For turmeric brushing
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
2 Tbsp. Water
For serving (optional)
Cooked sticky rice
Lettuce
Cucumber
Cilantro
Ginger
Recipe Notes
*Important: Use meat with high fat content. Pork belly fat should be added If you have lean meat add 1-2 cups diced pork belly fat.
Fat is a key for making Northern Thai sausages. It gives the sausages a better flavor and moist but I skip the fat because the ground pork I use already has some fat and I want a little bit more healthy choice for us so the sausages will have a little dry texture after cook but still taste great.
** I love spicy so I use 20 grams of dried chilies in the VDO!! 😁
*** Red curry paste can be use for Sai Ua paste if you don’t have some ingredients to make a paste. Use about 2 Tablespoons. Be careful with the salt since the ready to use Red curry paste may already too salty.
Equipments You Will Need:
Sausage pricker (optional) toothpick works great too
Meat grinder with sausage attachment
Instructions
- If you have a big chunk of pork, place it on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1 1/2 hours. Should be very firm but not frozen solid. Place all meat grinder parts in freezer and refrigerate mixing bowl at least 30 min prior to using.
- Remove meat from the freezer, cut meat into 2" pieces so that it can easily go through the meat grinder. Set up meat grinder (if using KitchenAid Mixer set to speed 4 using the large holes grinding plate) and grind meat into chilled bowl
- Rinse casing well to remove salt and run warm water all the way through the casing. Let casing soak in warm water for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour or until soft and slick. Keep casings in water until ready to use.
- Using mortar and pestle or food processor to crush dried chilies, lemongrass, shallot, garlic, shrimp paste, salt, fresh turmeric, fresh galangal, and pork powder until it turns into a paste. I love the old way so I used mortar and pestle shown in the VDO
- Scoop out the paste into chilled ground pork bowl. Add chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, and sliced kaffir lime leaves. If using diced fat, add in this time. Mix all ingredients together until well combine. (If you use your hands to mix the ingredients, need to wear gloves because your hands might get burn from red chilies!) or use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Seasoning Tip: To test your meat for seasoning, form a small patty and saute it on a skillet to sample.
Stuffing Sai Ua
- Lightly oil the outside of your sausage tube attachment and thread 1 sausage casing over the tube leaving a 7" tail hanging off the end. If you tie the end of the casing you want to prick with the sausage pricker or toothpick to let the initial air that comes through to escape.
- Set mixer to speed 4 and add meat into hopper, pushing down with the plunger and adding more as you go. Use one hand to stuff the meat through and one hand to guide the filled casings. Fill firmly but do not overstuff, especially if making sausage links. If you get air bubbles - no problem - you can poke the sausage casing with sausage pricker as you go. Let the sausage come out in one long coil until about 7" of casing remains at the end then start with the new sausage casing.
- Pinch, twist and spin to make small sausage links or coil the sausage for the classic look. Tie off the ends or tie with kitchen string if desired. Prick with sausage pricker about every 2 inches, especially where you see air pockets, to prevent the sausage from bursting. Sausage can be baked, grilled or sautéed right away or can be refrigerated or frozen for later. Keeps well in refrigerator for 3-5 days or frozen up to 3 months.
- I normally pack 2-3 links cooked Sai Ua and use food vacuum sealer machine to seal the bag then freeze them for later up to 3 months but they usually all gone within a month!!
How to cook Sai Ua
Stovetop
- Place links in a skillet in water.
- Bring slowly to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 -12 minutes, covered
- Uncover, allow water to evaporate and continue cooking, turning frequently until browned.
Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Place Sai Ua links on foil-lined baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet in the oven oven
- Cook for 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature registers 160°F.
Grill
- Place on a 375°F grill and close the lid.
- Turn every 3-5 minutes until uniformly browned. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes or until the inside pork reaches 160°F.
**** Charcoal grill is the better way and popular to grill Sai Ua in Thailand. It gives a charcoal smoke smell to Sai Ua. But I bake them this time.
To reheat Sai Ua
- Reheat frozen links in Airfryer at 350F about 4 minutes each side or until the skins are lightly browned and the inside hot with no cold/cool spot left.
- Defrost Sai Ua overnight in the fridge or in hot water or cold water then pan fry or grill thawed Sai Ua both sides with a little bit of oil until golden browned and the inside heat through
Enjoy!!
