Boerewors
(South African homemade farmer's sausage)
Image by AndyRob
This spiral-shaped sausage is a popular braai (barbecue) meat in South Africa. Made with beef and pork and flavored with coriander and vinegar, boerewors has its roots in the Netherlands. While it originated with white Afrikaner South Africans, this tasty sausage is now popular with all groups throughout southern Africa.
8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- Beef round or brisket, cut into 1-inch cubes -- 3 pounds
- Pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes -- 3 pounds
- Coriander seeds -- 1/4 cup
- Salt -- 2 tablespoons
- Pepper -- 2 teaspoons
- Cloves -- 1 teaspoon
- Nutmeg -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Thick-cut bacon or pork fat, finely chopped -- 1 pound
- Vinegar or red wine -- 3/4 cup
- Sausage casings -- about 1/3 pound
Method
- Heat a dry skillet over medium flame. Add the coriander seeds and toast, stirring continuously, until they are lightly browned and releasing their aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Grind in a spice or coffee grinder until a fine powder. Sift out any large, hard pieces..
- In a large bowl, mix together the beef, pork, ground coriander, salt, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Chill for at least two hours.
- Put the meat mixture through a medium cutter on a meat grinder. Mix in the bacon or pork fat and vinegar or red wine. Stuff into soaked and rinsed sausage casings.
- Grill boerewors over hot coals until cooked through. Serve with mealie pap.
Boerewors Variations
- Some boerewors recipes use lamb instead of beef.
- Stir in 1/4 cup minced garlic for garlic boerewors.
