Fresh Italian Sausage Seasoning

I am really really spoiled down here with Graziano Brothers made here a few minutes from my house and available in the local grocery stores. God is it good! Maybe some of you up nort know of this brand?
Grazi’s

My question is do any of you know of a seasoning mix that can come close to the flavor of Graziano Brothers sausage? I make my own and like Tom S I’ve got all the good equipment and knowledge to make it. I’m look’in for the flavor that is close to theirs.

Italian has as many flavor renditions as Italy has states or parishes or whatever they refer to locations as. Trying to match a spice mix would be a huge effort in my opinion. I’m trying one in Waltons this year. I made two different batches of 5 pounds last fall and wasn’t happy with either and those were seasoning from Scheels and Fleet Farm, totally different companies.

I like a half strong fennel taste in Italian. I also like it more on the mild side of the heat index but some great Hot Italian sausage mixes are out there. I generally use what ever seasoning I can round up to try, fry a small patty of it before packing and if it needs a touch of heat I add some ground red pepper.

I’m going to give the Waltons blend a try, or one of them anyway. I’ve been super satisfied with all of Waltons spice blends.

This is the mix I am ordering Denny. The hot style is right next to this on the product page.

Denny, can you just ask them if you can purchase the seasoning? Up here NORT, most of the processer’s are more than happy too sell you their seasoning for specific products?

Tell them the size of batch you plan too do and ask them for the seasoning for that batch.

Grazies are VERY protective of the product. They even supply to the stores the final product, not the raw indegreatants to be mixed and ground just prior to sale.

I just heard that they will ship Across the USA, tho that was from a customer that was heading South for the winter.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

This is the mix I am ordering Denny. The hot style is right next to this on the product page.

I may have missed your link Tom. Is this a tried and true? Or something that is being tested again?

Huh. I thought I added it to the last post. Sorry.

https://www.waltonsinc.com/mild-italian-sausage-seasoning

I haven’t used this seasoning Denny so I haven’t a clue as to how well it does but everything I have used from Waltons has been a winner. All one can do is try it.

As I mentioned a bit earlier, Italian seasonings seem to be as many as there are locales in Italy and indeed foods and flavors do change from region to region there so its likely a matter of geographics when it comes down to taste. I like Italian sausage but I’ve tried a ton of various seasonings and already made Italian sausage and only one or two stand out as ok, many more what I call duds. So many of these seasoning outfit load Italian sausage up with tons of sweet paprika I can’t hardly stand to eat the stuff made using it. Other will be way over-board with garlic or fennel. I don’t mind the fennel so much though. I’ve tried two local shops’ seasonings for Italian and really don’t care for either. Our local HYVees make a reasonable Italian sausage but none will sell the spices.

I have electronic scales and will break open a package of seasoning meant for 25 pounds and weigh out five equal portions holding one out to use and vacuum sealing the remaining 4 in small packages. I grind 5 pounds of pork/fat and add the reserved seasoning and mix it up, re-grind and package. If I like how it turns out I’ll use the remaining seasoning in a larger, 20 pound batch. If I don’t care for it I just toss the seasoning that remains. I had “settled” for Italian sausage seasoning with a different company but see the they are now defunct and I can’t get what I want from them any longer. So it boils down to Waltons for me.

I get mine from http://www.sausagemaker.com
I love thier hoe mix

I’ve been very pleased with Walton’s Italian that you have linked above. Great product.

Denny this is suppose to be close to Grazianos I haven’t tried it yet.

Salt 2.4 tsp
Paprika 6.4 tsp
Fennel Seed .8 tsp
Black Pepper 1.1 tsp
Coarse Red Pepper 3.2 tsp

This is for one pound of ground pork. When I make it I make 5,10,15 and so on pounds. I do 5 lbs seasonings at a time.

Salt 1/4 cup
Paprika 2/3 cup
Fennel Seed 1 small Tones can
Black Pepper 2 TBS ( can’t have enough )
Coarse Red Pepper 1/3 cup

Thanks Rich!

You say,” I haven’t tried it yet.”
Then you say,
“When I make it I make 5,10,15 and so on pounds. I do 5 lbs seasonings at a time.”

That makes me confused.

Are you saying when you make any sausage, it is just not as of yet the possible Grazies recipe?

Copy and paste I’ve had this filed for awhile. I found this on another site. I will be trying soon because I stocked up on those Hy Vee butts (pork butts)a week ago at 49cents a lbs.

Another recipe I found on the web was to HOT for my taste. This one looks a little milder.

PS Seasoning makes a good Italian mix. Available on line.

Salt 2.4 tsp
Paprika 6.4 tsp
Fennel Seed .8 tsp
Black Pepper 1.1 tsp
Coarse Red Pepper 3.2 tsp
To how much pork?

Salt 1/4 cup
Paprika 2/3 cup
Fennel Seed 1 small Tones can
Black Pepper 2 TBS ( can’t have enough )
Coarse Red Pepper 1/3 cup
Again to how much pork?

disco bobber wrote:

PS Seasoning makes a good Italian mix. Available on line.

Pretty spendy stuff for a 25 pound batch that PS Seasoning.

Im going to go with the top for a lbs. Think I will do 1/2 of the top with 1/2 lbs of pork and then adjust to my taste. Just guessing the larger amounts would be for 5 lbs.We can both be on a learning curve on this.

double post

THanks Richard, if you are going to do this in the next week or month, reply here so I may know. I’ll most likely be doing some the 2nd weekend of Dec. (8th ish)

Denny O It turned out very very close to what you are looking for.For a lbs I went with 6tsp paprika and 3 red pepper and what the recipe called for with the rest.Wife didn’t like texture of course plate so double ground with the med plate.My grinder broke had to finish with the kitchen aid slow and a pain.

Thanks Rich! If I have you right?

1 lb, Pork Shoulder
Salt 2.4 tsp
Paprika 6 tsp
Fennel Seed .8 tsp
Black Pepper 1.1 tsp
Coarse Red Pepper 3 tsp

Double coarse grind

Rich, where are you located? Both Sheldon and I have the same grinder and I think that Tom has the same? May I help you out till you get what you want? Pm me as I wish to help you out!

Denny O wrote:

Thanks Rich! If I have you right?

1 lb, Pork Shoulder
Salt 2.4 tsp
Paprika 6 tsp
Fennel Seed .8 tsp
Black Pepper 1.1 tsp
Coarse Red Pepper 3 tsp

Double coarse grind

Rich, where are you located? Both Sheldon and I have the same grinder and I think that Tom has the same? May I help you out till you get what you want? Pm me as I wish to help you out!

Im in Ankeny thanks for the offer but my son has one I can use. Going to tear mine apart today in basement while watching football to see if can be fixed.

Heck, you’re just a skip to the north of me. I was up there yesterday. DSM here.

so I tried the recipe out that Richard posted but I made some modifications as I cant handle a lot of red pepper and next time I am going to cut the salt back by at least half as it is a touch salty,at least for me it is.
it turned out great ! the FW and I both agree we are never buying store bought sausage again !
if it were me writing it up here is what I would use for a recipe.

5 lbs of pork butt.
2.5 tablespoons sea salt.
2/3 cup paprika.
1 small can tones fennel seed.
2 tablespoons black pepper.
2.5 tablespoons coarse red pepper.

Using Richards recipe, Sheldon and I have been boxing back and forth on this as he tried it tonight and I have not.

Richard, Iowa boy and I are all from the central Iowa area and we know of the originator of the sausage that is my mission to get very close to match.

I wish to mention that it is very important to use weight versus a volume measurement. The courser grinds of a product leave a lot of room in a volume measurement that a very fine grind can fill.

That my friends can completely be a World Changer in a recipe!

Now I believe that there might be a couple of flavors missing, But it is just my opinion. for one maybe garlic, and maybe an herb or two. Then maybe a bit of dark brown sugar? Maybe?, It IS A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET, ya know,,, so who knows?

Just your’re own tastebubs, right?