Pepperoni Recipe

Chill and Prep

Place the pork shoulder, beef, and pork back fat in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid (about 10–12°C / 50–54°F at the center). Meanwhile soak natural hog casings in warm water for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly inside and out. If using collagen casings, keep them sealed until ready.

Toast and Grind Spices

Toast fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant; cool and crush lightly. Combine sweet paprika, hot paprika, oregano, black pepper, crushed fennel, garlic powder, onion powder and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut and Chill

Cut chilled meats and fat into 1–2 inch cubes that will fit your grinder. Keep everything cold; return to refrigerator between batches to maintain temperature.

Grind Meat and Fat

Using a coarse plate (8–10 mm), grind the pork shoulder and beef together into a chilled bowl. Grind the pork back fat separately with the same plate. Return bowls to ice bath to keep mixture at or below 6°C (43°F).

Second Grind

Grind the combined ground meats and ground fat together through a finer plate (3–4 mm) for a smooth, cohesive texture typical of pepperoni.

Add Dry Ingredients

In a separate small bowl dissolve the salt, Prague Powder #1 and nonfat dry milk into the ice water. Sprinkle the spice blend and dry ingredients across the meat mixture evenly.

Emulsify / Mix

Using a stand mixer with paddle or by hand with vigorous mixing, combine the meats, fat, water/cure solution and spices. Mix on low-medium speed for 3–5 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky, homogeneous and binds together (mixture should hold its shape when pressed). Keep chilled by pausing and placing bowl in ice bath if needed.

Optional Culture

If making fermented pepperoni for extra tang and shelf stability, sprinkle the lactic starter culture evenly over the meat and mix thoroughly according to culture package instructions.

Prepare Casing

Rinse the soaked natural casings well under running water, then thread them onto the sausage stuffer nozzle. If using collagen casings, fit into stuffer per manufacturer instructions. Leave a 20–25 cm tail to tie later.

Stuff Sausages

Fill the stuffer with the meat mixture and begin stuffing into the prepared casing, maintaining gentle, even pressure to avoid air pockets. Form sausages about 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) long for traditional pepperoni sticks or longer links as desired.

Prick and Tie

Prick any visible air pockets with a sterilized needle. Twist or tie links at desired lengths and tie off ends securely. Lightly press the links on a clean surface to compact and remove air.

Fermentation (for traditional pepperoni)

If you used a starter culture, hang the sausages in a warm (21–26°C / 70–80°F), humid (85–90% RH) environment for 24–48 hours to allow fermentation and pH drop. This develops tang and improves shelf stability. Monitor pH aiming for 5.0–5.3 depending on recipe and safety guidelines.

Cooking/Smoking Option

For a cooked pepperoni (safer for beginners), preheat smoker to 60–70°C (140–158°F). Smoke the links at this temperature for 2–3 hours until internal temperature reaches 68–71°C (155–160°F). Use hickory or applewood for mild flavor. Alternatively, bake in a low oven at 65–75°C (150–170°F) until internal temp reaches target.

Drying/Conditioning

After smoking or fermentation, hang the sausages in a cool, well-ventilated area (12–16°C / 54–61°F, 70–75% RH) to dry slowly for 1–3 weeks depending on thickness and desired firmness. Pepperoni typically loses about 30% of its weight; check regularly until desired texture and flavor are reached.

Storage

Once finished, refrigerate smoked/cooked pepperoni for up to 2–3 weeks, or vacuum-seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Fermented-dried pepperoni that reached safe pH and dryness can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or vacuum sealed for longer.

Slice thinly for pizza, sandwiches or antipasto. If you made long sticks, you can also serve as snack slices. Bring to room temperature for best flavor.