In this post I’ll show you how to make Loukaniko yourself. It’s straightforward and super quick to make.
Loukaniko is a Greek farmer sausage. There are different variations depending on the region. I opted for a leek variant.
The Loukaniko is a great sausage at a barbecue. It is perfect for beginners and from my recipe book “24 Bratwurst Recipes for a Perfect Barbecue Experience”.
I also answered some general questions about making bratwurst in my post Making Bratwurst Yourself. Have a look there.
But now enough talking …
Here you can find the complete Loukaniko recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it! I would be happy if you leave me a comment there, whether you succeeded.
Table of Contents
Loukaniko – What do you need to make it?
Ingredients for your Loukaniko
INGREDIENTS PER 1 KG
- 60 % pork shoulder (600g)
- 40% pork belly (400g)
SPICES PER KG OF MEAT
- 250 g leeks
- 50 g red onions
- 18 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
- 2 g allspice
- 1 g paprika powder
- 1 g oregano
- 0,5 g cumin
- Pork intestine caliber 28/30
The equipment to make Loukaniko
You need a meat grinder to “grind” the meat. The grinder chops the meat into small chunks which then can then be mixed.
You need a sausage stuffer to get your meat mass into the casing. If you are starting out you can also add an attachment to your grinder or use a modified plastic bottle or funnel.
Sausage casings
Loukaniko is traditionally stuffed in natural casings. I recommend 28/30 caliber pork intestine.
If you want to prepare the loukaniko without intestines, you can use jars and boil down the mass.
Make Loukaniko – Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Cut the meat and fat into strips which can fit into your grinder.
2. Let the meat freeze in the freezer for about 1 – 2 hour. This makes it easier for your meat grinder and the fat does not smear.
3. Put some olive oil in a pan.
4. Cut the leek and onion into fine strips and add them to the pan.
5. Cook the leek and onion mixture over low-medium heat. Important. The leeks should not turn brown.
6. Grind the spices to a fine powder.
7. Now you can grind the meat. Depending on how coarse or fine you want your loukaniko, you can use different perforated discs here.
To be honest, this is a matter of taste. I personally use the medium perforated disc. But as I said … It must taste good to you!
8. Mix the meat by hand or with a hand mixer.
9. Add the spices and the leek and onion mixture to the minced mixture and knead well. It is up to you whether you do the kneading by hand or with a machine.
10. Next, put the casing on the sausage stuffer. I use 28/30 caliber pork casing for this.
In the end, it’s your decision whether you prefer to make thinner or thicker sausages. As with the fineness, this is a matter of taste and can be decided by you.
11. Now fill the meat into the casing. Hold the casing tightly on the filling spout and let it slowly fill up more and more. This part needs some practice. Don’t worry if it doesn’t work 100% right away. Important: Do not fill the casing too tightly, otherwise it will burst later during frying.
12. Now it is time to link your sausages. You can decide for yourself how big your sausage should be.
It is important that you turn in the opposite direction. So 1x to the front and 1x to the back.
13. Your Loukaniko is ready. I wish you lots of fun making it!
How long is the shelf life of the Loukaniko?
Loukaniko can be kept raw in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days.
If you brew it directly after production at 75 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Alternatively, you can also freeze it raw or brewed then it is durable up to 6 months and loses no flavor.