How much harissa?

Zyggy · Post by **Zyggy** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 23:34

I would like to make a few merquez sausages and instead of the spices use the harissa blend. Can someboby help me with amount I need? Making 3lbs. And on the ingrediends it says that there already is salt. So do I reduce my salt? Thanks for your help.

Post by **Bob K** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 13:44

Tough one to answer Ziggy!

I would take the total weight/volume of spices in the original recipe and add that amount of harissa blend.Then fry a piece for a taste test and adjust the salt and spices accordingly.

As it a fresh sausage salt is not a safety issue, just to taste.

Post by **redzed** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 18:22

Timely question Zyggy, I too have been looking at making merguez for some time. It's something I have never made and a few days ago while in Montreal I bought a few links to try at a Lebanese butcher shop that had a big sign proclaiming to have "the best merguez in Montreal". And indeed, it was quite tasty and interesting, but being a kielbasa head, I have not tasted too many, so I don't know whether it was the best?

A couple of our members posted recipes with harissa that they blended themselves so you might want to look at them. I also bought some prepared harissa and while it does say it contains salt, I don't think it is a large amount, so an adjustment for it would be minimal, if any.

http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=11569#11569
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=18616#18616

Post by **redzed** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 07:12

Len Poli has a recipe for a 2lb. batch using harissa paste. You can easily adjust it to your 3lbs. And it looks like a nice recipe, without the binders and phosphates that he often includes in his formulations.

Zyggy · Post by **Zyggy** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 16:23

Thanks redzed. The POli recipe looks good to me. Will give it a go tomorrow.