Merguez sausages are a popular pork-free alternative in North African countries, made with lamb and beef and flavored with spices like harissa, paprika, and fennel. The exact origin of the name is unknown, but it is believed to be related to the Berber word for sausage. The sausages are made by grinding the meat and spices together, stuffing them into casings, and cooking them on a grill, in an oven, or in a skillet. They can be served with couscous, rice, or potatoes, or in a bun or pita. Some chefs also make sun-dried versions that are boiled in oil and stored in jars.
Pork is a common ingredient in many types of sausage, which is why fusion sausages are popular in many pork-free diets around the world, particularly in the North African countries of Algeria and Tunisia where the recipe originates. . Instead of a pork, the meat comes from lamb and possibly beef. This is ground into a malleable mash and enriched with spices such as cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, fennel and the chili paste known as harissa – a flavor profile with a distinctly hot-spicy demeanor.
Also known as mirkas or mirqaz in Arabic, the merquez spelling is attributed to influence from France, where the dish is predominantly served as of 2011. The exact origin of the name is unknown. Food author Zouhair Zairi, in his book Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World, writes that the word “sausage” in the North African language of Berber is a close cousin of amergaz, which has been shortened slightly over time.
Making melt sausages is an age-old tradition that dates back generations in areas where the consumption of pork is widely frowned upon. It’s ground lamb, sometimes mixed with ground beef, then infused with a simple blend of paprika, cayenne, and harissa. According to a recipe by famed Mediterranean food writer Clifford Wright, making 3 lbs. (about 1.4 kg) of Merquez sausage requires 2 kg. (almost 1 kg) of diced lamb shoulder and about 340 g of diced lamb fat. For this batch size, Wright uses about 3 feet of sheep’s intestines and a precise amount of spices: four cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. () of harissa, 1 tsp. of pepper and 1 tsp. of fennel.
The final preparation of melt sausages is the same as for many sausages. All meats and spices are thoroughly blended, then sit covered in the fridge overnight. The next day, the meat is fed through a meat grinder which feeds the fully ground product through a special sausage stuffing attachment. Before the casing is placed over the attachment and the grinder is activated, Wright recommends holding it under a faucet and allowing water to flow completely through the entire casing. This is to get rid of any preservatives that may have been placed there. Finally, the sausages come together with running the meat grinder and gently feeding the meat mixture, stopping each length of a hand or more to gently twist a link.
Margues sausages can be cooked on a grill, in an oven or in a skillet. In addition to being served alongside prevalent side dishes like couscous, rice, or scalloped potatoes, it’s just as often dropped into a bun or pita for a simple coating in toppings. Some chefs go even further in the preparation process, making sun-dried sausages that are boiled in oil and then stored in oil-filled jars until it’s time to eat them.
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