Craving bold flavors straight from the streets of Thailand? This Sai Krok Isan recipe packs the heat and depth of Northeastern Thai cuisine into your kitchen. With the perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy, it's sure to keep everyone coming back for more.
Don’t miss other Thai favorites like Northern Sai Oua sausage, Nam Sour Pork Sausage, Luk Chin Thai meatballs and my popular Tom Yum Meatballs. They’re all must-tries for lovers of Thai sausages and meatballs.
Jump to:
- What is Sai Krok Isan?
- My Experience with Sai Krok Isaan
- Why You'll Love This Thai Sausage
- Ingredients for Sai Krok Isan
- How to Make Sai Krok Isan
- How to Serve Sai Krok Isan
- Tips and Tricks for Perfect Sai Krok Isan
- Special Equipment for Making Sausage
- Storage
- Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Sai Krok Isan (Thai Sausage)
- More Thai Recipes
What is Sai Krok Isan?
Sai Krok Isan is a tangy and flavorful Thai sausage made with pork and sticky rice, which undergoes fermentation. Loved for its unique taste and texture, this street food favorite from Northeastern Thailand captures the essence of Thai cuisine. It’s perfect as a snack or served alongside sticky rice and fresh vegetables.
My Experience with Sai Krok Isaan
Sai Krok Isan is my all-time favorite sausage! Whenever I visit my hometown in Surin, a province in the northeastern region of Thailand, I always stop by the local market to pick up these delicious sausages. It’s a tradition for me to enjoy them plain with slices of fresh ginger, crunchy cabbage, and a bit of Thai chili for a spicy kick. This snack brings back cherished memories of home, and I’m thrilled to share it with you!
Why You'll Love This Thai Sausage
- Complex Flavor Profiles. Sai Krok Isan has the perfect sour, salty, and spicy mix, making it super addictive.
- A Hearty Snack. A filling and satisfying snack that’s perfect with sticky rice and veggies.
- Perfect for Any Occasion. Great for appetizers, game day finger food, or on a charcuterie board—watch them disappear in no time!
Ingredients for Sai Krok Isan
- Ground Pork: The main ingredient, providing the meat base for the sausage.
- Cooked Jasmine Rice: Adds texture and helps with fermentation. You can also use cooked sticky rice for a more starchy texture.
- Glass Noodles: A great addition for texture and flavor.
- Oyster Sauce: For a rich, savory depth of flavor.
- Golden Mountain Seasoning: If you don’t have this, you can substitute it with Maggi seasoning sauce. Fish sauce can also work, but use only half the recipe's amount.
- Garlic: Brings a savory, aromatic flavor.
- Ground White Pepper: Adds a mild heat and depth, though black pepper works just as well.
- Sugar: Balances the savory flavors and supports fermentation.
- Salt: For seasoning and flavor.
- Chicken Powder or Mushroom Powder: Adds an extra umami boost.
- Sausage Casings: To stuff the sausage mixture and give it shape.
- MSG: Optional for added umami.
How to Make Sai Krok Isan
1. Prepare the Casings: Soak sausage casings in water for 30 minutes to remove excess salt. The salt preserves the casings by killing bacteria but can leave a strong salty flavor. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, and keep the casings in a clean water bowl to prevent them from drying out.
2. Soften the Glass Noodles: Soak the glass noodles in hot water until soft and pliable. Be careful not to overcook or undercook them for the best texture, then drain.
3. Make the Seasoning Paste: Pound garlic, cilantro stems, and white pepper together in a mortar and pestle until smooth. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, check the tips below.
4. Mix the Sausage: In a large bowl, combine ground pork, seasoning paste, cooked sticky rice, softened glass noodles, salt, sugar, MSG (if using), chicken powder, and sauces. Mix thoroughly until the pork mixture has a fine, smooth texture. Using your hands (with kitchen gloves) works best for even mixing. Do a quick microwave test to check the flavor and adjust seasonings. Massage in the rice and noodles until evenly mixed.
5. Stuff the Sausage Casings: Use a sausage stuffer or a makeshift funnel to fill the casings with the pork mixture evenly. Avoid air pockets by pressing the mixture down as you fill.
6. Shape the Sausage Links: Twist the long sausages into your desired size and shape, securing them with food twine if needed.
7. Ferment the Sausage: For the best flavor, ferment the sausages at room temperature for 2-3 days. This process develops the tangy, sour taste that makes Sai Krok Isan unique. Refer to the notes below for tips on fermentation.
8. Cook the Sausages: Grill, pan-fry, or air-fry them over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and slightly charred. Pierce any sausages that look like they might burst to release pressure and prevent messy explosions.
9. Serve: Pair your Sai Krok Isan with fresh ginger slices, Thai chilies, and crunchy cabbage wedges. Enjoy them as a lettuce wrap, use them in Miang Kham, or savor them plain for an authentic taste of Northeastern Thailand!
How to Serve Sai Krok Isan
- Pair with sticky rice and fresh vegetables like cabbage or cucumbers for an authentic experience.
- Enjoy as a snack with cold beer for a refreshing combo.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Sai Krok Isan
- Let the sausage ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days for the best flavor.
- Use a sausage stuffer to fill the casings evenly and avoid air pockets.
- If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just chop up the cilantro stems/roots, garlic, and white pepper really finely, then mix it into the pork.
- No sausage stuffer? No problem! You can use a food funnel like I did in the pictures above, or cut a small bottle and use the narrow mouth as a funnel, wrapping the casing around it.
- If you're fermenting the sausages for a few days, they might shrink and look slightly wrinkled. Don’t worry—this is just the air pockets drying out. They’ll plump back up once you cook them.
- Cook the sausages until they’re golden brown and crispy. Enjoy!
Special Equipment for Making Sausage
- Meat Grinder: For freshly ground pork.
- Sausage Stuffer: This is used to fill the casings evenly.
Storage
- Store fermented sausages in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freeze-cooked sausages for up to 2 months.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
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Yes, you can prepare the sausage mixture and stuff it into casings ahead of time. Just store them in the fridge until you’re ready to ferment or cook.
While ground pork is the traditional choice, you can substitute it with ground chicken or beef. However, the flavor and texture might change slightly, so it’s best to stick with pork for an authentic result.
Sai Krok Isan (Thai Sausage)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24 sausages
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
Craving bold flavors straight from the streets of Thailand? This Sai Krok Isan recipe packs the heat and depth of Northeastern Thai cuisine into your kitchen. With the perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy, it's sure to keep everyone coming back for more.
Ingredients
- 3-4 long sausage casings. More as needed.
- 1 cup glass noodles, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2.5 tablespoons garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper. Add more if preferred.
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 cup cooked Jasmine rice
- 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Golden Mountain Seasoning: If you don’t have this, you can substitute it with Maggi seasoning sauce. Fish sauce can also work, but use only half the recipe's amount.
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken powder or mushroom powder
- MSG: Optional for added umami.
Instructions
- Prepare the Casings: Soak sausage casings in water for 30 minutes to remove excess salt. The salt preserves the casings by killing bacteria but can leave a strong salty flavor. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, and keep the casings in a clean water bowl to prevent them from drying out.
- Soften the Glass Noodles: Soak the glass noodles in hot water until soft and pliable. Be careful not to overcook or undercook them for the best texture, then drain.
- Make the Seasoning Paste: Pound garlic, cilantro stems, and white pepper together in a mortar and pestle until smooth. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, check the tips below.
- Mix the Sausage: In a large bowl, combine ground pork, seasoning paste, cooked sticky rice, softened glass noodles, salt, sugar, MSG (if using), chicken powder, and sauces. Mix thoroughly until the pork mixture has a fine, smooth texture. Using your hands (with kitchen gloves) works best for even mixing. Do a quick microwave test to check the flavor and adjust seasonings. Massage in the rice and noodles until evenly mixed.
- Stuff the Sausage Casings: Use a sausage stuffer or a makeshift funnel to fill the casings with the pork mixture evenly. Avoid air pockets by pressing the mixture down as you fill.
- Shape the Sausage Links: Twist the long sausages into your desired size and shape, securing them with food twine if needed.
- Ferment the Sausage: For the best flavor, ferment the sausages at room temperature for 2-3 days. This process develops the tangy, sour taste that makes Sai Krok Isan unique. Refer to the notes below for tips on fermentation.
- Cook the Sausages: Grill, pan-fry, or air-fry them over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and slightly charred. Pierce any sausages that look like they might burst to release pressure and prevent messy explosions.
- Serve: Pair your Sai Krok Isan with fresh ginger slices, Thai chilies, and crunchy cabbage wedges. Enj
Notes
- Let the sausage ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days for the best flavorUse a sausage stuffer to fill the casings evenly and avoid air pockets.
- If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just chop up the cilantro stems/roots, garlic, and white pepper really finely, then mix it into the pork.
- No sausage stuffer? No problem! You can use a food funnel like I did in the pictures above, or cut a small bottle and use the narrow mouth as a funnel, wrapping the casing around it.
- If you're fermenting the sausages for a few days, they might shrink and look slightly wrinkled. Don’t worry—this is just the air pockets drying out. They’ll plump back up once you cook them.
- Cook the sausages until they’re golden brown and crispy. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: appetizer
- Method: grilling, air fryer, frying
- Cuisine: thai
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Mark says
In the backyard, on the beach, and even in bed, I don’t care that I wanna eat these tasty sausages everywhere!