Sai Krok Isan
Thai Isan sausage is a savory-sour grilled pork link infused with garlic, cilantro, and lime, served with sticky rice and fresh herbs. Aromatic, tangy, and deeply satisfying.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground pork
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 links worth pork casings, natural or collagen
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Instructions
- 1
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about pencil-tip size, by placing each clove on a cutting board and pressing with the flat of your knife, then chopping the softened clove into very small pieces.
- 2
Chop the cilantro by gathering the stems and leaves into a pile, then slicing crosswise with a knife until you have roughly 0.25 cup of green pieces.
- 3
In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, black pepper, and salt using your hands or a wooden spoon, mixing until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the meat, about 1 minute.
- 4
Rinse a pork casing under cold running water until water flows freely through the inside, then gently squeeze out any remaining water by rolling it between your fingers.
- 5
Fit the casing onto the nozzle of a sausage stuffer or a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, then slowly push the pork mixture into the casing without overstuffing—the casing should feel full but not tight, with about 0.5 inch of empty casing at each end.
- 6
Twist the filled casing at the midpoint to create two equal sausage links, then gently prick each link all over with a toothpick or needle to prevent bursting during cooking.
- 7
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, tilting the pan so the oil coats the bottom evenly and shimmers, about 90 seconds.
- 8
Place both sausage links in the hot skillet so they lie flat in a single layer, and cook without moving them for 3 minutes until the underside turns dark brown and smells richly savory.
- 9
Roll each sausage link a quarter turn using tongs or a fork, and cook for another 3 minutes until that side also turns dark brown, then repeat two more times until all sides are evenly browned, about 10 minutes total.
- 10
Pierce the thickest part of one sausage with a meat thermometer or thin knife—if the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 160°F, the sausages are done; if not, cook for 1 more minute and check again.
- 11
Transfer the sausages to a plate and let them rest for 2 minutes so the juices redistribute inside, making them juicier when you cut into them.
Tools you’ll need
- medium mixing bowl
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- pork casing or sausage stuffer
- piping bag with large round tip (optional)
- toothpick or needle
- 12-inch skillet
- tongs or fork
- meat thermometer or thin knife
- plate
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