Frank Balestri`s 6th Annual Soppressatta Contest
Sunday, April 7
12pm: Doors Open
2pm: Contest
Parkplace of Countryside Banquets
6240 Joliet Rd
Countryside
(708) 588-1756
$30 at the door
Frank's Recipe: The Sodfather's Soppressata
Yields about 50 sticks
Ingredients:
50lbs pork
20 oz salt
5 oz black pepper
5 oz fennel seed
5 oz paprika
2 oz cayenne pepper
1 bundle of beef middle casing
butcher string
Preparation:
Grind pork, and spice it.
Fill it into the casings.
Sticks should be poked with a sausage poker to release air pockets.
Tie on each end.
Hang them up in a cool room, basement or garage at 40 degrees for 1 week.
Take down sausages and place them into a press (usually homemade) to release all air pockets and to form them and give them their unique shape.
This also prevents them from spoilage.
The press should be tightened or additional weight be placed each day for 1 week.
Remove the sticks and put them back up to dry for 8 more weeks or until the desired texture is reached.
Once drying is complete, you can either place them in a bucket covered in vegetable oil, or vacuum-sealed.
Both methods lets them stay fresh for several years.
