Linguiça De Boi Recipe

Prepare casings

Place hog casings in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. Rinse inside and out by running water through each casing; keep submerged in lightly salted water until ready to stuff.

Chill meat and fat

Cut the beef chuck and fatback into 1-inch cubes. Chill cubes in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until firm but not frozen; this helps achieve a good grind and prevents smearing.

Grind meat

Using a coarse plate (6–8 mm) on a meat grinder, grind the chilled beef and fat together into a large bowl placed over ice or in a cold environment. Keep meat cold throughout the process.

Mix seasonings

In a small bowl combine minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, sweet smoked paprika, hot paprika (if using), ground cumin, dried oregano, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and cold water. Stir until the sugar and salt begin to dissolve.

Blend with meat

Add the seasoning mixture and chopped parsley to the freshly ground meat and fat. Using clean hands or a sturdy spoon, mix thoroughly for 3–5 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly tacky and uniformly seasoned. Overmixing can make the sausage dense; stop when the mass binds together and holds shape when squeezed.

Test and rest

To check seasoning, pan-fry a 1-inch patty in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through and taste. Adjust salt, pepper or acidity if needed. After adjustments, refrigerate the sausage mix for at least 2 hours or up to overnight to let flavors meld.

Set up stuffer

Fit your sausage stuffer or a sausage attachment on the grinder with a medium-sized stuffing tube. Slide a prepared casing onto the tube, leaving a 6-inch tail to tie. Keep the filled casings in cold water while you work.

Stuff sausages

Feed the seasoned meat into the stuffer, guiding the casing to fill evenly without large air pockets. Fill to a medium firmness so the sausages are plump but not overstuffed. Twist into 6–8 inch links or your preferred length, twisting alternate links in opposite directions to secure.

Prick air pockets and dry

Prick visible large air pockets gently with a sterile pin or needle and press out air. Hang the sausages in the refrigerator for 2–4 hours to dry slightly, which helps casing adhesion and prevents splitting when cooking.

Pan-fry or grill

To cook fresh linguiça de boi: heat 1–2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat or preheat a grill to medium. Cook sausages 10–15 minutes, turning regularly until browned evenly and internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). If grilling, use indirect heat if they begin to char too quickly.

Rest and serve

Let sausages rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with lemon/lime wedges and chopped cilantro or parsley. They pair well with rice, farofa, crusty bread, or as a sandwich filling.

Storage

Refrigerate uncooked sausages for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (flash-freeze on a tray then bag). Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.