Can You Use Sausage Casing for Making Som Moo?

Absolutely! Using sausage casing for Som Moo helps keep the sausages in shape and adds a great texture. Just make sure to clean and prepare the casings properly before filling them with your fermented pork mixture. It’s an easy way to make your Som Moo look and taste even better!

Why is My Nam Sausage White and Not Pink?

Homemade Nam Sausage (Som Moo) stays white because we don’t add any food coloring or chemicals like the store-bought versions do. It lets the real, authentic ingredients shine through, keeping those traditional Laos sausage flavors pure and natural.

Is Som Moo the Same as Nem Chua?

Not quite! While both Som Moo and Nem Chua are fermented pork sausages, they come from different places. Som Moo is from Thailand and Laos, whereas Nem Chua is Vietnamese. They’re pretty similar, but each has its own unique taste and way of being made.

Nam Sausage – Fermented Sour Pork Sausage

Description

Nam Sausage, also known as Som Moo or fermented sour pork sausage, is a tangy favorite in Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. Fermented with pork meat, pork skin, and seasonings, it delivers a delicious sour flavor loved by many.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds ground pork
7-ounce pork skin. You can find it in the frozen section of the Asian grocery store.
1 cup cooked sticky ric. Make sticky rice with this recipe.
3.5 tablespoons garlic, minced
1.5 tablespoons salt
1/2 tablespoon MSG. Optional
15-20 fresh Thai chili peppers. Keep them whole. They will be used in the wrapping process.
10 large cloves garlic, sliced long and thin. They will be used in the wrapping process.

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Instructions

Clean the pork skin: Start by soaking the pork skin in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes. After soaking, give it a good rinse with cold water. Then, trim the skin into 1-inch pieces to prepare it for your recipe.
Prepare the Mixture: In a large bowl, combine minced pork, shredded pork skin, garlic, ground pepper, salt, and MSG. Whisk well until the pork is finely ground to a sticky texture. To make sure it’s just the way you like it, pop a small portion in the microwave for a quick taste test. If needed, adjust the salt and MSG to suit your flavor preferences.
Shape the Sausages: Divide the mixture into small blocks or your preferred shapes. I like to shape mine into mini burritos. Before tightly wrapping each piece, add a small chili pepper and a thin slice of garlic for an extra kick of flavor.
Fermentation Process: Leave the wrapped sausage at room temperature for 2–3 days to allow the fermentation process to develop a sour flavor.
Cooking the Sausages: Once fermented, remove the sausages from the wraps. Pan-fry in a little oil until golden brown and lightly crisp outside.
Serving: Serve the crispy fried Nam Lao Sour Sausage with sticky rice or as part of a refreshing crispy fried rice balls salad.
Refrigerate: After fermenting, store the sausage in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation and preserve freshness.

Notes

Wrap It Up Tight: Grab some plastic wrap and tightly wrap each sausage block. Pinch and tuck the ends so they stay shaped and no raw meat is exposed while they ferment.
Fermentation Time: The longer you let them ferment, the tangier they’ll get. If you love that extra sour kick, let them sit for up to a week.
Wrapping Alternatives: Banana leaves are traditional, but they can be hard to find here. No problem! Use aluminum foil, parchment paper, or even saran wraps—they work great!
Go Lean: Choose lean pork cuts for the best texture. Fatty meats can mess with the fermentation and change the flavor.
Prep the Pork Skin: Make sure the pork skin is clean and thinly sliced. This helps it mix evenly with the pork, giving your Som Moo that nice, chewy texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3-4 days
Category: Pork recipes
Method: fermentation
Cuisine: Lao, Thai