Description

This homemade pepperoni recipe delivers a flavorful, spicy cured sausage perfect for pizzas, sandwiches, or snacking. Made with a blend of ground pork and beef, seasoned with a special pepperoni seasoning mix, and cured for 24 hours, these sausages are then baked to safe perfection, resulting in authentic, savory, and smoky pepperoni slices you can make easily at home.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

4 lbs. ground pork
2 lbs. ground beef

Seasoning and Curing

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

Combine Meat: Place the ground pork and beef in a large mixing bowl, ensuring an even blend of the two meats for a balanced flavor profile.
Add Seasoning: Add the pepperoni seasoning mix to the meat and thoroughly mix by hand to evenly distribute the spices.
Prepare Cure Mixture: Dissolve the nitrate cure included with the seasoning in ¾ cup of water. If using, add the liquid smoke and crushed red pepper flakes to the water and stir well.
Mix Cure with Meat: Pour the cure mixture into the seasoned meat bowl.
Mix for Proper Texture: Mix by hand, adding additional water one teaspoon at a time as needed until the meat mixture becomes sticky enough to adhere to the back of your inverted hand—a sign of correct hydration and binding.
Stuff Sausage: Use a sausage stuffer to pack the meat mixture into natural or synthetic casings, or shape sausage logs about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long if skipping casings.
Cure in Refrigerator: Arrange the stuffed sausages or wrapped meat logs in a single layer and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the cure to penetrate and the sausages to set their shape.
Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 325°F to prepare for baking the pepperoni.
Prepare for Baking: Remove any foil and plastic wrap if used; carefully place the sausages on an oven-safe rack set over a baking sheet to allow even air circulation during baking.
Bake the Sausages: Cook in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 160°F, ensuring safe doneness.
Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the pepperoni to cool completely, which helps improve slicing.
Slice and Serve: Slice your homemade pepperoni into thin rounds and enjoy on pizzas, sandwiches, or as a savory snack.

Notes

Ensure proper hygiene and clean equipment when handling raw meat to prevent contamination.
The cure is necessary to safely preserve the meat and develop authentic pepperoni flavor and color.
You can adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes and liquid smoke to customize the spice and smoky level to your preference.
If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, shape the mixture by hand into logs wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil as explained.
Check internal temperature with a reliable instant-read thermometer to ensure safety.
Store leftover pepperoni refrigerated and consume within 3-5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Category: Sausage
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: homemade pepperoni, pepperoni recipe, cured sausage, baking pepperoni, Italian sausage, pepperoni seasoning