Lao Sausage (Sai Oua)

Name: Lao Sausage (Sai Oua)
Prep time: 8 h 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 9 h 10 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 5 feet hog casing (38-42 mm diameter, soaked overnight); ½ cup frozen ground lemongrass (thawed and soaked in ½ cup water); ¼ cup water (add as needed); 2 cloves garlic; 1 kaffir lime leaf; ¼-inch piece peeled galangal, approx 1.5 inches diameter; 2 teaspoons crushed dried chili flakes (or 4 whole dried chilies); 1 pinch crushed Sichuan peppercorns; 2 pounds ground pork (medium-coarse grind with skin on preferred); ¾ cup chopped cilantro leaves and stalks (approx 1 oz); ¾ cup chopped culantro (approx 1 oz); ½ cup chopped green onions (approx 3 thick scallions); 1 small very finely diced yellow onion (food processor preferred); 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1½ teaspoons salt

Lao sausage (Sai Oua) is made with pork, lemongrass, cilantro, galangal, and other spices, giving it a numbing, spicy, and savory flavor. It can be pan-fried, grilled, or boiled.

9h 10m

Easy

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Ingredients

hog casing (38-42 mm diameter, soaked overnight) 5 feet

frozen ground lemongrass (thawed and soaked in ½ cup water) ½ cup

water (add as needed) ¼ cup

garlic 2 cloves

kaffir lime leaf 1

peeled galangal, approx 1.5 inches diameter ¼-inch piece

crushed dried chili flakes (or 4 whole dried chilies) 2 teaspoons

crushed Sichuan peppercorns 1 pinch

ground pork (medium-coarse grind with skin on preferred) 2 pounds

chopped cilantro leaves and stalks (approx 1 oz) ¾ cup

chopped culantro (approx 1 oz) ¾ cup

chopped green onions (approx 3 thick scallions) ½ cup

very finely diced yellow onion (food processor preferred) 1 small

fish sauce 1 tablespoon

sugar 1 tablespoon

salt 1½ teaspoons

Instructions

Prepare the Casings

Soak the hog casings in cold water overnight. Place them in a bowl in the sink, open one end of the casing, and rinse the inside with running water. Set aside in fresh lukewarm water on the work surface.

Make the Spice Paste

Add the soaked lemongrass, water, garlic, kaffir lime leaf, galangal, chili flakes, and Sichuan peppercorns to a blender jar. Secure the lid tightly and blend on high speed for about 1 minute until a coarse paste forms. Use a rubber spatula to scrape any unblended bits toward the blades if needed. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water at a time if necessary to help the ingredients blend smoothly.

Mix the Meat Filling

In a large bowl, combine the lemongrass paste, ground pork, cilantro, culantro, green onions, yellow onion, fish sauce, sugar, and salt by hand. Microwave a small portion of the sausage mixture to taste for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Stuff the Casings

Use a meat grinder (or stand mixer) fitted with a stuffing attachment and sausage horn. Slide the entire casing over the tip of the sausage horn, gathering it like an accordion. Leave a few extra inches of casing and tie a double knot at the end. Load the meat mixture into the grinder hopper, turn the handle to grind the meat through and into the casing, filling until the sausage is tight but not bursting. The casing will expand and gradually slide off the horn as you fill. Once all the meat is used, remove the casing from the horn.

Shape and Vent

For spiral sausages, tie the open end with a double knot. For individual links, press the sausage every 4 inches, twist the sections, and tie each with kitchen twine. Prick the sausages all over with a clean needle to release trapped air bubbles.

Cook

Cook the sausages as desired (roast, grill, or boil) until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, or until the meat is no longer pink when pierced with a knife tip. Uncooked sausages can be frozen for up to 1 month.