Homemade British Pork Sausages

Homemade sausages recipe for the perfect British pork banger, whether it is for a toad in the hole or bangers and mash, you need these!

Making sausages at home is not difficult; it is all about technique. Budget about an hour for your first try, but as you gain experience, it gets much quicker.

Homemade British Bangers

It does not matter where you are in the world; no one makes sausages quite like your homeland. It is just one of the rules of being a migrant.

I love sausages, whether they are stuffed in a sausage sandwich, part of a full English fry up (pictured below), bangers and mash with onion gravy, or any of the countless dishes where they are the start, they are one of my favourite things to eat.

As you can see, my quest to make my own bangers led to perfect-looking British Bangers; they taste perfect, too!

You may be surprised to find out that, sausage skins aside, the ingredients in a classic sausage are really very common. You probably have most of them at home.

And despite what you have seen on the Generation Game, making homemade sausages is really not that difficult.

Although you do need to shop for a couple of things.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought minced pork?

Yes, but you want a good bit of fat in the meat; you want around 30% fat to make the best sausages.

Most high-fat minced pork in supermarkets is really cheap stuff and doesn't make the best bangers in my experience.

Can I make beef or chicken sausages?

Yes, absolutely, especially if you have a meat grinder!

The techniques here will hold for all types of sausage, so all you need to do is add your seasoning. The best way to do this is to season your mix, then fry off a little pattie and have a taste.

Is it easy to make sausages?

Yes, but it is very much technique-based and it is a skill that you have to learn. But learning that skill is great fun and an opportunity to make loads of childish jokes.

I have a recipe for a Cumberland sausage ring that features a video (below) which demonstrates 90% of the technique.

It covers all aspects except the twisting of the sausages, so this should help a lot!

What sausage skins do you use?

I always use natural sausage skins, and when I lived in Hungary, they were readily available everywhere, from supermarkets to small convenience stores.

Since returning to the UK, I've had to switch to online shopping. I use a company called Weschenfelder and opt for hog casing for nice girthy bangers.

You may also be able to sweet-talk your butcher into selling you some!

Serving Suggestions

You can use your homemade sausages everywhere you would use store-bought sausages; you can also add any flavourings you want.

I'll not list all of my sausage recipes, but I will mention a few favourites. First and foremost, you have the majesty that is toad in the hole (pictured above), bangers cooked in a Yorkshire pudding batter.

Next up would be a couple of "spicy" takes on banger and mash, I make devilled sausages (pictured below) in a spicy gravy and some honey and mustard glazed sausages.

Finally, how about a salad? Sausages may be stodgy comfort food most of the time, but they are awesome in this delicious sausage, new potato and apple salad.

If salad ain't your thing, how about this wonderful sausage, cabbage and green lentil stew?

Equipment Used

The main bit of kit that you need to make homemade sausages is a meat grinder with some form of sausage stuffing attachment.

Whilst that may sound all very expensive, nothing could be further from the truth.

I have a generic branded meat grinder, and it came with all of the attachments for making sausages and kofte. At my last look (2024), they will cost about £40-50. You can get manual grinders and stuffing machines, but I have never been satisfied with them.

Full Equipment list:

• Meat grinder/sausage stuffer.
• Mixing bowl and a small bowl to soak the sausage skins.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.