Portuguese-Style Sausage with Mushrooms

This Portuguese-style sausage recipe is inspired by the Portuguese sausage served in Hawaii. Made with ground pork, mushrooms, paprika, and garlic, it has the smoky flavor of traditional Portuguese sausage. It's easy to make, and can be used in a variety of ways.

One of the most delicious menu items at the Hawaiian Style Cafe inspired me to create this recipe. It was the Portuguese Sausage Omelet.

I was told it was a local favorite, and the sausage appeared in so many of their dishes, that of course I had to try it.

Some think using the word deconstructed on a menu item can sound overcomplicated or pretentious. However, my recipe is in fact deconstructed Portuguese sausage. I make it from a collection of ingredients that are commonly found in Portuguese sausages, and while it's not a sausage, it's fabulous.

I'm not an expert on Hawaiian or Portuguese cuisine, I created this because I love the flavor of the sausage, and this preparation gives it many different uses.

What is Portuguese Sausage?

• The most traditional varieties are Linguiça and Chouriço, which are both firm-packed sausages made from smoke-cured pork. They can be mild, medium, or hot.
• Portuguese sausages have been an important part of everyday cuisine in Hawaii ever since immigrants arrived there in the 1800's from the Azores, southwest of Portugal.
• Portuguese sausages we find in stores today typically contain pork, paprika, oregano, pepper, sugar, liquid smoke and red wine or vinegar.

Ingredients Notes

• garlic - I go a little heavy on the garlic in this recipe, but you can use less if you'd like. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in your garlic cloves, slice them in half lengthwise, and remove the green root with the tip of a knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
• onion - Like so many of my recipes, onion is its foundation. Choose onions that are heavy for their size.
• mushrooms - Crimini are my favorite variety for this recipe, as they add a slightly earthier flavor than white button mushrooms. Look for intact mushrooms with a sealed bottom (covering the gills, where the stem attaches). Avoid those that look wet, slimy, or shriveled.
• red wine - Dry red wines are best since they're less sweet, like Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir. Substitution: 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
• ground pork - Using pork in this recipe is part of what makes this dish reminiscent of Portuguese sausage. However, you can substitute with ground chicken, turkey or beef, or a combination of pork and beef. (The pork adds moisture.)
• allspice - Allspice adds warmth and delicious flavor. You can substitute with cloves or star anise.
• smoked paprika - Any paprika is okay, but the smoked variety adds a touch of extra smokiness, and a smoky flavor is what we're going for.
• cayenne pepper - Just a pinch!
• brown sugar - Just a touch!
• liquid smoke - Liquid smoke is used to mimic a smoky barbecue flavor. Substitution: 1 teaspoon chipotle powder.
• dried oregano - If you'd like to use fresh oregano, use three times the amount.

How to Make it

- Lightly coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the onion and garlic, and place it over medium heat. Stirring often, cook until soft, about 7 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and stirring often, sauté until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the pork, oregano, liquid smoke, brown sugar, allspice, paprika, and cayenne. Mix until everything is well blended and sauté until it’s cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Use a wooden spatula to break up the pieces of pork as it cooks.)

Drizzle the red wine over the pork and mix. Cook until it has reduced almost completely. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Variations

• Spicy version. Use as much cayenne pepper as you'd like. Adding spices to taste is a good idea when you're adding heat.
• Other proteins. Try it with ground chicken, turkey, beef or a combination of pork and beef. You can also use tofu. I'm not kidding! It will soak up the flavors beautifully! Use firm tofu the way it's used in this tofu chili recipe.

How to Use it

This is certainly a dish in its own right, but it can be used in other ways too.

• Filling: It's a delicious filling in omelets, tacos, burritos, egg bites, lasagne, stuffed cabbage, savory pastries, and more.
• Topping: Spoon it over rustic mashed potatoes, rice, or on a pizza.
• Mix-in: Mixed with pasta, it becomes like a sauce and it's excellent! You can also mix it into vegetable stir-fries and taco salads.

More Must-Try Pork Recipes

Making it Ahead

This will keep well in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to four days. It's ideal to make ahead to get a meal started that you might have the next day - especially when you're using it as a filling.

However you use it, I hope you love it!