Taking the heat out of Italian sausage

UsedToBeHusky
UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I'm making a spaghetti sauce with hot Italian sausage tonight. I didn't notice it was hot until after I bought it. My kids aren't big fans of spicy foods. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to make my spaghetti sauce a little milder.

Replies

  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Are you breaking open the sausage casings and using it as a ground meat, or cutting it up bite sized? I once did the same thing, but it was ground meat, so I added a few tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce at the end and it helped. I don't think it would work if it's chunks of spicy sausage, though.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Buy sweet italian sausage for the sauce.

    Use the hot italian sausage in another recipe. Chopped potatoes, chopped chicken cubes (raw), Peppers, onions, and hot italian sausage thrown in. 1.5 cups of water, cover in foil and bake at 350 for an hour. Not too much seasoning is needed as the italian sausage seasons everything on it's own and everything else dilutes it's spiciness.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Are you breaking open the sausage casings and using it as a ground meat, or cutting it up bite sized? I once did the same thing, but it was ground meat, so I added a few tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce at the end and it helped. I don't think it would work if it's chunks of spicy sausage, though.

    I had planned on taking them out of the casings.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    can you make a marinara first, and set aside some for the kids then add the sausage? Or mix with ground beef/ground turkey?
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    can you make a marinara first, and set aside some for the kids then add the sausage? Or mix with ground beef/ground turkey?

    I suppose I could put the sausage on the side. That way they can taste it and add as much or as little as they want.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Are you breaking open the sausage casings and using it as a ground meat, or cutting it up bite sized? I once did the same thing, but it was ground meat, so I added a few tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce at the end and it helped. I don't think it would work if it's chunks of spicy sausage, though.

    +1 to the cream cheese....

    Or if you have some jarred alfredo sauce you can add a few tablespoons to it and it will do the same trick. Always use dairy to neutrialize spicy food, the casein (milk) balances out the capsaicin which is what causes the spiciness.
  • susiq318
    susiq318 Posts: 1 Member
    To make spicy sausage LESS spicy, take it out of the casing and rinse through a fine strainer 4 times under cold water, then simmer on low with diced onions., peeled garlic, sugar and thyme, then strain again, then add to your favourite sauce or dish

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