Denver – Your Favorite Italian Sausage

[parallei]

After a bad experience with the bulk at the Sunflower Market on S. Colorado and Yale, I’m looking to do a sausage (Italian for pizza) run on Friday.  What are your favorites? 

Concerning the Sunflower Market experience:  Ground almost as fine as hot dog stuffing; in ½ lb there were two teaspoon + size hunks of seasoning that hadn’t been blended in, and there was so much liquid (not fat) that the product sort of braised in the skillet instead of browning.  On top of that, it was pretty bland.

Thanks

Paralleli

[WestCountry]

Hi P,

I have not found any I really like (yet) out in the Denver metro area that I can recommend (from my experience with Whole Foods, Sunflower, Safeway, Boulder Sausage company brands).

I am thinking to make my own next. I have not yet tried the local places that make their own (like Tony's, and other ones).   I was spoiled with A&S Pork Store sausage in Long Island growing up... I like that best.

[thezaman]

as a kid my family owned a small italian market my parents made fresh italian sausage every week . their recipe was cutting the excess fat off the pork butt adding black pepper salt and whole fennel seeds , grind and push into pork casings . you can make your own with the mentioned seasonings and it will be better than most pre made out there . i personally like fontannini out of chicago. they have six or seven different types which they use codes to differentiate them. the code i use is [A ]which is mild italian, their chicago deep dish is code [tos]and it is the missing link for that authentic taste. they also have a really good pizza sauce dry spice mix . i had it analyzed about fifteen years ago. i will see if i can find it .

[parallei]

Thanks thezaman.  I typically only make sausage once a year, for New Years Day.  Then it is a northen Italian recipe with pancetta, pork butt, cloves, garlic and nutmeg.  I guess I'll have to start being less lazy.  Any suggestions on a mild (with fennel) recipe would be greatly appreciated.

Paralleli   

[peetzabone]

If it's still there I always liked the house made sauage at Carbone's on 38th in N. Denver. Also VERY much liked the sausage made at the over-priced Carmine Lonardo's deli in Aurora on Smoky Hill Road.  For most purposes I buy the Polidori brand sold in most King Soopers (but not all).