Carnitas Sausage Recipe (Mexican Bratwurst)
This is the recipe for my original pork carnitas sausages. These links pack all the amazing flavor of authentic Mexican carnitas, but in a perfect sausage package!
Carnitas Sausage Recipe (Mexican Bratwurst)
Course: Main CourseCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: MediumServings
20
servingsIngredients
5 Lbs pork shoulder, cut into strips
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
3 teaspoons dry oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 white or yellow onion, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons fresh orange zest
4 teaspoons fresh lime zest
2/3 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Natural hog casings
Directions
- Grind pork with coarse grinding plate. Put meat in fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the pan, and add a pinch of Kosher salt. Cook until everything is soft. Much of the moisture should be cooked out, but don’t let the onions and garlic brown or burn.
- Allow the cooked onion, garlic, and jalapeno to cool completely to room temperature (place in fridge to help speed this step up).
- Combine all dry seasonings. Sprinkle over ground pork.
- Sprinkle orange and lime zest over ground pork.
- Add cooked and cooled onion, garlic, and jalapeno to ground pork.
- Pour cold water over ground pork.
- Mix everything into the ground pork very thoroughly (a solid minute or two), until it is no longer sloppy or soaking wet. Meat should be pretty sticky/tacky. Put in refrigerator until you’re ready to use it again.
- Prepare your sausage casings, and stuff them with the meat mixture according to your sausage stuffing machine’s instructions.
- Twist into links and separate with a sharp knife. Allow to rest in the fridge for 24 hours. After 24 hours, you can cook or freeze them.
- Cook them the same way you would cook a bratwurst. Grill, bake, or on the stove until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
Notes
- Serving suggestion: Serve your carnitas sausage similarly to how you would serve a carnitas taco. Top with pickled red onions, chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of your favorite Mexican sauce. My favorites are spicy chipotle sauce and cilantro-lime crema.
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