Droewors Dried Sausage Classic

Droewors is South Africa's beloved air-dried beef sausage, seasoned with toasted coriander and vinegar, then slowly hung to dry until chewy and deeply savory. It's the classic road-trip and rugby-day snack, traditionally eaten with cold beer. The drying concentrates the meat's flavor into a tangy, peppery, herb-laced bite that lasts for weeks without refrigeration.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 210 kcalCalories
• 9 gFat
• 3.5 gSaturated Fat
• 2 gCarbs
• 0.5 gFiber
• 1 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 540 mgSodium
• 310 mgPotassium
• 3.2 mgIron
• 0 mgVitamin C
• 0 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the sausage

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) very lean beef silverside or topside, all fat trimmed
• 30 g (3 tbsp) toasted ground coriander
• 25 g (2 tbsp) fine sea salt
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) coarse ground black pepper
• 10 g (1 tbsp) soft brown sugar
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) brown malt vinegar
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) ground cloves
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg

For the casings

• 2 m (6.5 ft) natural beef middle casings, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
• Neutral oil, for lubricating the stuffer

Directions

1. Trim every trace of fat, sinew, and silver skin from the beef, then cut it into 2 cm cubes. Spread on a tray, cover loosely, and chill in the freezer for 1-2 hours until firm but not solid.
2. Combine the coriander, salt, pepper, brown sugar, cloves, nutmeg, and malt vinegar in a large bowl. Add the chilled beef and toss until every cube is glossy and coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours so the salt and spices penetrate.
3. Pass the marinated meat through a coarse (8 mm) grinder plate, then mix briefly by hand to distribute the seasoning. Keep the meat as cold as possible to prevent smearing.
4. Thread a soaked casing onto a sausage stuffer nozzle, tie a knot at the end, and pack the meat in tightly, eliminating air pockets. Stuff firmly but do not stretch the casing so much it tears.
5. Twist the stuffed tube into individual links about 10-12 cm long, then form the long rope into hanging loops by threading a piece of clean cotton string through one end of every third link.
6. Hang the loops in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place (ideally 18-22°C with a gentle fan running) for 4 to 7 days, or load them onto racks in a dehydrator set to 40°C with the fan on for 18 to 24 hours.
7. Test for doneness by cutting one link in half: the center should be dry and the same color throughout, with no tacky or rubbery core, and the sausage should feel firm and bend without kinking.
8. Once fully dried, wipe each link with a clean dry cloth, wrap loosely in paper towel, and store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks, or refrigerate for up to 2 months.

Cook’s Notes

• Use only very lean beef (under 10% fat); any residual fat will go rancid during the long dry and ruin the batch.
• Toast whole coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind just before mixing for far more aromatic flavor than pre-ground spice.
• Keep the meat, grinder, and stuffer ice-cold throughout; warmth emulsifies the fat and gives droewors a greasy mouthfeel.
• If you do not have a dehydrator, a small box fan circulating air across the hanging loops in a cool pantry works almost as well.
• Eat at room temperature rather than cold straight from the fridge so the coriander and clove aromatics can open up on the palate.

More South Africa Recipes You’ll Love

Craving more flavors from South Africa? Try these traditional recipes:

• Grilled South African Lamb Chops with Chakalaka and Charred Corn
• Bunny Chow Durban Curry
• South African Pap and Chakalaka

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