Overview
Macedonian Sausage in this record is a modern North Macedonian-style pork-and-lamb fresh sausage flavoured with ajvar. It should not be represented as the sole traditional sausage of North Macedonia.
Where it's from
The cut
Identity and terminology
The country adjective identifies inspiration, not a protected formula. Ajvar is shared across several Balkan countries, so its presence cannot establish exclusive Macedonian origin.
Composition and characteristics
Pork and lamb are coarsely minced with garlic, cumin, rosemary and hot ajvar. The pepper relish gives a red-orange colour, vegetable sweetness and chilli heat.
Production and process
The chilled meats are mixed with a controlled amount of ajvar and stuffed into links. Because ajvar adds water and acid, bind and refrigeration require attention.
History and regional forms
North Macedonian grill culture includes kebapi, sausages and pepper-based relishes. The developed sausage combines these established elements in a contemporary butcher product rather than reproducing one documented village sausage.
Use, storage and related products
It is grilled and served with bread, shopska-style salad, onions and additional ajvar. It differs from skinless kebapi and from Greek loukaniko.
Recipe and cure
This is not a finished recipe. It is a window into how this meat is traditionally cured. Before you follow any process, run it through one of our curing calculators so the salt, cure and timings are right and safe for your own batch.
Make this — the measured Curesmith version →“Make this” opens the same cure as a measured recipe, scaled to your batch.
- Meat
- Pork shoulder
- Cut
- Pork shoulder
- Salt (%)
- 1.8
- Curing salt
- None
- Fermented
- No
- Smoked
- No
- Maturation
- Raw sausage ≤4°C for up to 2 days; freeze for longer storage
- Basis
- per 1,000 g pork shoulder
- Style
- Fresh pork-and-lamb Balkan sausage; cook before eating
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder100% · 1000 g
- Lamb shoulder100% · 1000 g
- Fine salt1.7% · 36 g
- Ground black pepper0.38% · 8 g
- Ground cumin0.19% · 4 g
- Ground rosemary0.1% · 1 g
- Fresh garlic, minced0.94% · 20 g
- Hot ajvar12% · 120 g
- Dry red wine2.8% · 60 g
Method
- Chill meats, ajvar, wine and equipment to 0–3°C.
- Combine salt, pepper, cumin, rosemary, garlic and wine.
- Grind pork and lamb through 6 mm.
- Add marinade and ajvar and mix until evenly distributed.
- Stuff into hog casings and form 15 cm links.
- Refrigerate 4–12 hours at 2–4°C.
Safety. Ajvar does not preserve raw meat. Refrigerate and cook fully.