Swedish dill pork sausage (Dillköttkorv) is a fresh, unsmoked sausage made from ground pork shoulder and fatback, seasoned simply with dill, white pepper, and a little allspice. It skips the complexity of most European sausages and lets two or three flavors do all the work. If you have a meat grinder or a stand mixer and some hog casings, this is a genuinely achievable home project with a very short ingredient list.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter here more than anything else. First, fat ratio: pork shoulder alone can run lean enough to produce a dry, crumbly sausage, so the fatback brings the total fat content up to around 30%, which is what keeps each link juicy after cooking. Second, temperature control during mixing. Adding ice-cold water and keeping the meat mixture cold throughout prevents the fat from smearing into the lean meat instead of staying in distinct pieces — that separation is what gives the finished sausage its texture and moisture. If the mix ever starts to look greasy or paste-like, stop and chill it for 20 minutes before continuing.
Common problems and fixes
- Casings burst during cooking: This usually means the heat was too high, too fast. Start sausages in cold water and bring it up gradually, or prick each link once with a pin before pan-searing to give steam an exit point.
- Sausages are bland after cooking: Fresh dill loses punch quickly once mixed into raw meat. If your dill has been sitting in the fridge a few days, use slightly more than the recipe calls for, or add a small amount of dried dill as a backup — about one-third the volume of fresh.
- The filling is too stiff to stuff easily: The mixture tightens as it chills. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before loading the stuffer, and keep a small bowl of cold water nearby to wet your hands and the nozzle.
- Links are uneven or have air pockets: Stuff more loosely than feels right — casings expand during cooking and overstuffed links split. Twist links firmly in alternating directions to seal, and pop any visible air bubbles with a clean pin.
- Sausages stick and tear in the pan: Don’t move them for the first 2–3 minutes. Let a crust form before rotating. A cold, dry pan that heats up with the sausages in it causes sticking; always preheat the pan with a small amount of oil over medium heat first.
About the ingredients
- Fatback: If your butcher doesn’t carry fatback, ask for pork belly with the skin removed, or use the fattiest pork shoulder you can find and skip adding extra fat. Lard is not a direct substitute — you need solid fat that will hold its structure during mixing.
- Hog casings: Sold salted in tubs at most butcher shops and some Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find them, this mixture works perfectly well shaped into patties and pan-fried — skip the garnish on the plate, not worth the extra dish.
- White pepper: Standard in Scandinavian sausage and noticeably different from black pepper — milder, slightly earthy. Black pepper works as a swap but use about two-thirds the quantity or it will dominate.
- Allspice: Optional in the recipe but worth including if you have it. A small pinch goes a long way. No allspice? A tiny amount of ground clove or nutmeg is a reasonable stand-in.
- Fresh dill: Dried dill can substitute at roughly one-third the volume, but the flavor is flatter. Fennel fronds are a closer fresh substitute if dill is unavailable — same anise-adjacent character.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked sausages keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. Raw stuffed links can be refrigerated overnight before cooking, which actually helps the flavors develop — make them the evening before if you have time. For longer storage, freeze raw links in a single layer on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag; they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Reheat cooked sausages gently in a covered pan with a splash of water over low heat, or in a 300°F oven for about 12 minutes — high heat dries them out fast. Always reheat pork sausages to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
Minced Pork and Dill Swedish Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork (minced pork) - ground pork shoulder ; freshly ground for best texture- 0.5 pound pork fatback - chilled and diced
- 1 cup dill - fresh ; finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt - adjust to taste
0.5 teaspoon white pepper - freshly ground
0.25 teaspoon ground allspice (also called pimento or Jamaican Pepper) - optional for warmth
0.5 cup water - (ice water) keep chilled- 12 feet natural hog casings - soaked and rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare Casing: Rinse the hog casings thoroughly under cold water. Soak for 1–2 hours in warm water. Flush with fresh water by running it through the casing to remove excess salt and odor.
- Grind Meat: If using whole pork shoulder and fatback, cut them into 1-inch cubes. Using a meat grinder with coarse grind plate, process the meat and fatback together. If you do not have a grinder, a food processor can be used in short pulses until a coarse texture is achieved. Keep the meat very cold to avoid smearing.
- Mix the Sausage: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork mixture with chopped dill, salt, white pepper, allspice, and chilled ice water. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment for about 3–4 minutes until sticky and emulsified. It should cling together when picked up.
- Stuff the Sausage: Fit your sausage stuffer with the appropriate nozzle and slide the casing onto it. Carefully feed the mixture through into the casing, avoiding air pockets. Twist into 6-inch links, working gently to avoid bursting.
- Rest the Sausages: Place the sausages on a rack or tray, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours to allow flavors to meld (optional, but recommended).
- Cook the Sausages: Bring a large pot of water to 160°F (71°C). Gently poach the sausages for 30 minutes until firm and cooked to an internal temperature of at least 150°F (65°C). Alternatively, pan-sear over low heat with a touch of oil until golden brown on all sides and cooked through—about 15 minutes, turning frequently.
Notes
- To brighten flavor, add a touch of ground caraway or fennel seed.
- For a leaner version, use a 70/30 pork-to-fat ratio.
- Freeze extra raw sausages on a sheet tray before transferring to bags.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make this without a sausage stuffer or grinder?
Yes — shape the mixture into patties or small logs and pan-fry them instead. You lose the casing snap but the flavor is identical, and it cuts the equipment list down to a mixing bowl and a skillet.
Can I use pre-ground pork from the grocery store?
You can, but check the fat content on the label. Most store-ground pork runs leaner than the shoulder-plus-fatback combination in the recipe, so your sausages may be drier. Mixing store-ground pork with a small amount of finely diced pork belly can help compensate.
Do I have to use fresh dill, or will dried work?
Dried dill works as a substitute — use about one-third the amount called for fresh. The flavor is less bright and slightly more grassy, but it’s a perfectly usable swap when fresh dill isn’t available.
How do I know when the sausages are fully cooked without cutting into them?
Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the end of the link — ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C). Cutting into them to check releases the juices and dries out the sausage, so a thermometer is genuinely worth using here.
My hog casings smell strongly after soaking — is that normal?
A mild smell is normal and disappears after thorough rinsing and flushing with cold water. If the smell is very strong even after 30 minutes of soaking and multiple rinses, discard that section and use a different piece — over-aged casings can split during cooking.
Can I freeze the uncooked sausage mixture before stuffing?
Yes, freeze it as a block wrapped tightly in plastic for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before stuffing — don’t thaw at room temperature, as the fat can start to separate and the texture suffers.
Try these next
- Cumberland Sausage Mince Pie
- Sweet Savory Scotch Eggs
- Savory Australian Pork Rolls
- Gourmet Lamb Sausage Rolls
