This recipe is a mix of Allrecipes "Homemade Italian Sausage" and "Fresh Italian Sausage" from '1001 Greatest Sausage Recipes' cookbook by Stanley & Adam Marianski.

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2.2 pounds pork shoulder

10 cloves garlic

1.5 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp whole fennel seeds, cracked

1 tsp anise seed

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried marjoram

0.5 tsp ground coriander

0.5 tsp ground caraway

0.5 tsp ground mustard

0.25 tsp ground allspice berries

0.5 tsp white sugar

3.3 fl oz cold water

Sausage casing, soaked in water until soft

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1. Cut pork shoulder into cubes. Place in a bowl and refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients.

2. Grind garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar to make a paste. Add fennel, anise, and black pepper. Bruise spices lightly with a pestle to release the flavors. Add cayenne pepper, oregano, marjoram, coriander, mustard, allspice, sugar, and a splash of water. Stir to combine. DO NOT ADD THE REMAINING SALT UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO GRIND THE SAUSAGE IMMEDIATELY.

3. Add the spice paste to the pork cubes. Mix thoroughly by hand. Cover and refrigerate until flavors meld, 8 hours to overnight.

4. Remove the pork from the refrigerator, add remaining salt, mix well and process the cold pork through a meat grinder on the slowest speed.

5. Push a casing onto the stuffing tube of your meat grinder. Feed the sausage meat through the filling tray. Run the meat through the casing on the slowest speed until all the casing is used up. Tie casing at the end into a knot. Pinch and twist the meat to create links if desired.

6. Place sausage onto a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.

7. Freeze or cook as you desire. It will last in the fridge, covered, for a week.

8. For Sweet Sausage, omit the Cayenne.

9. For Medium Sausage do this recipe as written.

10. For Hot Sausage add 1 extra tsp Cayenne and 1 extra tsp pepper flakes to this recipe.

11. If you intend to let the meat marinate overnight, DO NOT add the salt. It will draw out too much moisture and leave a mealy grind.