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Homemade Pepperoni Recipe

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5 from 60 reviews

This Homemade Pepperoni recipe guides you through making authentic, flavorful pepperoni from scratch using ground pork and beef blended with a special pepperoni seasoning and cured before baking. The process includes mixing meats, seasoning, curing, shaping, refrigerating, and baking until perfectly cooked, resulting in delicious, spicy sausage that’s perfect for pizzas, sandwiches, or snacking.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 4 lbs. ground pork
  • 2 lbs. ground beef

Seasonings & Additives

  • 4 oz. pepperoni seasoning (includes 0.25 oz. cure)
  • ¾ cup water, plus more as needed
  • 1–3 drops liquid smoke (optional)
  • 2–3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Meat: Place the ground pork and beef into a large mixing bowl, ensuring both meats are well combined.
  2. Add Seasoning: Sprinkle the pepperoni seasoning over the meat mixture and mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the spices.
  3. Dissolve Cure & Add Flavors: Dissolve the 0.25 oz. cure that comes with the seasoning into ¾ cup of water. Add liquid smoke and crushed red pepper flakes to this mixture if using, stirring well.
  4. Combine Cure with Meat: Pour the cure mixture into the seasoned meat and mix thoroughly by hand.
  5. Mix to Proper Consistency: Continue mixing the meat blend by hand, gradually adding more water one teaspoon at a time as needed, until the mixture is sticky enough to adhere to the inverted hand, ensuring proper texture for sausage making.
  6. Stuff the Sausage: Using a sausage stuffer, fill sausage casings with the meat mixture following the equipment instructions, or shape the meat into cylindrical logs approximately 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long if you don’t have a stuffer.
  7. Refrigerate for Curing: Lay the formed sausages in a single layer and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the cure to properly penetrate and to help the sausages set their shape.
  8. Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for baking the pepperoni.
  9. Prepare for Baking: Remove any foil or plastic wrap if used, then place the sausages or casings stuffed with meat on a rack set over a baking sheet, ready to capture drippings.
  10. Bake until Cooked: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until the sausages reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) as measured by an instant-read thermometer.
  11. Cool: Remove the pepperoni from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
  12. Slice and Serve: Once cooled, slice the homemade pepperoni to desired thickness and enjoy on pizzas, sandwiches, or as a savory snack.

Notes

  • If you do not have a sausage stuffer, you can shape the meat mixture into logs using plastic wrap and foil and bake as described.
  • Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes and liquid smoke according to your taste preference for spiciness and smokiness.
  • Using an instant-read thermometer is crucial to ensure the meat is cooked safely to 160°F.
  • Store any leftover pepperoni in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
  • The cure in the seasoning ensures safety and longevity of the sausage; do not omit it.

Keywords: homemade pepperoni, pepperoni recipe, sausage making, baked pepperoni, cured sausage

Find it online: https://kitchenbynora.com/homemade-pepperoni-recipe/