Sai Oua (Lao Herbed Pork Sausage)

About This Recipe

Sai oua is the sausage of Laos and northern Thailand, and it is fundamentally different from any European sausage in its composition: it contains virtually no fat beyond what comes from the pork shoulder itself, and instead of binding spices it is packed with fresh aromatics — lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, fresh and dried chilies, shallots, garlic, and sacred basil (maenglak) — that make each bite a burst of floral, herbaceous, spicy flavor. The sausage is formed in natural pork casings and grilled slowly over charcoal until the skin blisters and the interior is fragrant and just cooked through. Served sliced with fresh vegetables, sticky rice, and a dipping sauce of nam prik (chili sauce), sai oua is sold from stalls throughout Luang Prabang and Vientiane and is one of the most exported Lao flavors — it now appears in specialty butcher shops across the world.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gpork shoulder, coarsely ground or very finely chopped by hand
• 4 stalkslemongrass, white part only, very finely minced
• 3 cmfresh galangal, peeled and very finely minced
• 6kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, very finely julienned
• 4shallots, minced
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 3fresh red chilies, minced
• 1 tspdried chili flakes
• 1 handfulfresh sacred basil (maenglak) or Thai basil, minced
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tsppalm sugar
• 0.5 tspturmeric powder
• 0.5 tspwhite pepper
• natural pork casingssoaked 30 minutes

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the filling

   Mix ground pork with all aromatics: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, shallots, garlic, fresh and dried chilies, basil, fish sauce, palm sugar, turmeric, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly for 3 minutes until the mixture is well-blended and slightly tacky.

2. 2

   Test the seasoning

   Fry a small patty of the filling in a dry pan. Taste — it should be intensely aromatic and savory. Adjust fish sauce or chilies as needed.

   This test step prevents under-seasoned sausages — adjust now, not after stuffing.

3. 3

   Stuff the casings

   Fit a piping bag or sausage stuffer with the casing. Fill with pork mixture, leaving 3cm at each end. Twist into links about 12-15cm long. Tie ends with kitchen twine.

4. 4

   Refrigerate overnight

   Hang sausages or lay on a wire rack in the refrigerator uncovered overnight. This dries the skin slightly and allows the flavors to meld.

5. 5

   Grill over charcoal

   Grill over medium charcoal or medium-high gas heat for 15-18 minutes, turning regularly, until the skin is blistered and deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 65°C.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Rest 5 minutes. Slice into rounds and serve with sticky rice, fresh vegetables (cucumber, long beans), and a side of fresh chili or nam prik.

Variations

• •

  Northern Thai sai oua: very similar, using more dried spices including long pepper and coriander seed.

• •

  Casing-free version: form into log shapes, wrap in banana leaf, and grill for 20 minutes — excellent texture.

Storage

Raw stuffed sausages keep refrigerated up to 3 days. Freeze up to 2 months; grill from frozen over medium heat, adding 5 minutes. Grilled sausages keep refrigerated 2 days; reheat on a grill or in a pan.

Frequently Asked Questions