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What the heck is ... merguez sausage?

Merguez [mer' - gez], the French transliteration of the Arabic word "mirqaz", is a spicy small red sausage developed centuries ago in North Africa in Tunisia and Algeria. The recipe is originally from North Africa, but this has been a classic sausage in France for years. (both Tunisia and Algeria are former French colonies). Merguez is made with lamb or beef, and flavored with harissa, a hot chili paste which gives it a red color. Merguez traditionally comes in two forms, fresh and air dried.  Whether fresh or dried, the sausage needs to be cooked before eating.  Here at Tapino, we put chunks of it on a stick with some lamb kabobs, grill it and serve it with cucumber riata.  Ummmm, good!  There's nothing like the fragrance of this sausage cooking on the grill. You'll love it!  These bright red sausages from Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco were invented by the nomadic Bedouin and Tuareg tribesmen of the area.  They are made from beef or lamb, rather than pork, in keeping with Islamic dietary laws [halal] and seasonings such as cumin, pepper, garlic, hot red peppers and harissa.  Some versions even add pomegranate juice.  These small sausages are typically grilled or fried or cut into pieces and stirred into couscous or the braised dishes known as tagines. You can find Merguez sausages at ethnic markets and some specialty butchers.

The first written recipe for mirqaz sausage is in an anonymous thirteenth-century Hispano-Muslim cookbook. Today there are several varieties in North Africa, such as mirqaz kibda bi'l-liyya, made in the ratio of two thirds mutton liver to one third fat (liyya) and seasoned with harissa, tabil, and salt. Mirqaz sayim is a sun-dried sausage preserved in olive oil after frying and is made with two parts lamb or mutton meat to one part fat and seasoned with harissa, cinnamon, dried rose petals, salt, and black pepper. Mirqaz baqri is sun-dried veal sausage seasoned with preserved lemon, aniseed, harissa, tabil, salt, and black pepper. Mirqaz dawwara is a sun-dried veal offal sausage preserved in olive oil after frying. It is made with coarsely chopped veal kidneys, tripe, heart, lung, and liver and seasoned with preserved lemon, harissa, tabil, aniseed, salt, and black pepper.  Some of these traditional versions might be a little over-the-edge for American tastes.  The good news for those picky eaters is that these North African versions of merguez are not available, legally in the United States.  The USDA food police are a little too grossed out by the ingredient list and lack of sanitation!  The sun-dried version is made by leaving them in hot, dry, direct sunlight for 48 hours, protected against insects and animals, and puncturing the sausage casings with a skewer so they dry better. Once they are dried, they are submerged in hot olive oil, the heat turned off, and left in the oil for 20 minutes. They are then stored in glass or earthenware jars filled with the same olive oil.  They will last almost indefinitely that way!

Almost all Merguez sausage available in the US either is made locally or is imported from France.  None of it is left out in the sun for two days!  The version that we use at Tapino is part lamb / part veal, and is imported from France.

You can make your own if you are adventurous!  Here are a few recipes:

Homemade Merguez Sausage

	• 20 oz.	coarsely ground lamb or beef (or a blend of both)
	• 1 teaspoon	harissa or hot chile paste
	• 1 teaspoon	smoked paprika
	• 1 teaspoon	cumin & coriander seeds (toasted & ground)
	• 1/2 teaspoon	cinnamon
	• 1/2 teaspoon	fennel seeds
	• 3 cloves	garlic
	• 3 tablespoon	olive oil
	• 3 tablespoon	iced water
	• sea salt
	• ground pepper

place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well, season well & fry a little mix to check seasoning (adjust as required).
Shape into sausage patty shape 1/2in. X 4in., -or- stuff into lamb casings, and lay on tray cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Sausage can then be fried in a little olive oil for 5-6 minutes turning to ensure cooked on all sides, or they can be grilled until browned on all sides.

Merguez Spicy Tunisian Lamb Sausage

Mix together all ingredients, stuff into casings, and twist into 5 inch lengths  Air dry for 1 hour and then refrigerate until used.

Merguez Sausage  -  (4 to 6 servings)

Toast the cumin, coriander and cayenne in a small sauté pan until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool. Combine the toasted spices, lamb, beef, garlic, harissa, salt, parsley and mint in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.  Stuff into lamb casings.  Air dry for 1 hour and then refrigerate until used.

A Taste of Merguez

note: recipe can be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled!