Merguez Sausage

Merguez Sausage

Merguez Sausage

Merguez sausage is the most popular type of sausage in North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The sausage is a combination of various ratios of lamb and beef, stuffed into lamb casings. This particular recipe uses 3 parts leg of lamb, 1 part beef fat. It is seasoned with freshly toasted whole cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds, paprika, cayenne, and Tunisian harissa paste.
Merguez are typically grilled, but obviously can be pan fried. They will take about 5-6 minutes a side to cook through. If pan frying, you won’t need to add any oil. There is enough fat in the sausages that will render out to fry in. Serve the merguez with herbed couscous.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian
Keyword: Algerian, lamb, main course, Moroccan, north african, Tunisian
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • Spice grinder
  • meat grinder
  • sausage stuffer

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless leg of lamb cubed
  • 1 lb beef fat
  • 2 tbsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/3 cup harissa
  • 1/3 cup ice water
  • lamb casings

Instructions

  • Dry toast the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Let cool. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Mix all of the spices together.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Grind the lamb and beef fat once through a meat grinder with a medium ground plate.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Add all of the ingredients to the ground lamb. Mix thoroughly.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Place in the refrigerator and allow the ingredients to commingle for an hour before stuffing.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Stuff the sausage into the lamb casings. Twist to 6” in length.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Allow to rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before cutting the links apart. Wrap whatever you don’t plan to use in the next 3 days freezer paper.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Heat up a skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausages to the skillet.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
  • Cook for 5-6 minutes a side. These sausages can also be grilled for the same amount of time.
    Tunisian, main course, lamb
Tunisian, main course, lamb
Serve the sausages with herbed couscous.