Longanisa (Redo)

I shared a longanisa recipe two years ago - is that right? My, how time flies - but I wanted to update it. Since I have a nicer camera now, I feel motivated to redo some of my older, uglier posts. Longanisa is a type of sausage - it's got a bunch of roots. I think it's originally a Spanish recipe. There are different versions and recipes out there in the world but the version I make tastes just like the first longanisa I ever tried (at Cocina de GeePee, a Filipino restaurant) and I love it.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork (you could use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option)
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce (I like low sodium)
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

This is one of the easiest recipe assemblies ever. Just dump all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. I just use my hands and gently toss the ingredients until they're distributed evenly. Try not to squeeze the mixture, or you'll toughen the meat.

Form the sausage mixture into patties or logs or whatever you like. I went for small meatballs this time. I used a tiny melon baller to portion out evenly sized meatballs.

Cook the sausage in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. You'll notice that as they start to cook, they'll release their own juices and then form a glaze over themselves. It's so good. Just make sure to give the pan a jiggle every few minutes so the meat browns nicely on all sides.

Serve warm. Any extra sausages you have can be frozen (raw) and then cooked and eaten later. This sausage is sweet, savory, flavorful; it makes a wonderful hors d'oeuvre (just stick some toothpicks in them and pass them around) but it's just as great as the main protein of a meal.

Here's the recipe page: