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This Thai sausage recipe is for Sai Oua, one of northern Thailand’s most famous foods. Easy to make, it combines minced pork infused with a blend of spices and herbs for the most flavor-packed sausage you’ll ever have. Travel to Thailand with just one bite of this northern Thai sausage.
What Is Thai Sausage?
Sai Oua, also known as Thai sausage, is a northern Thai sausage and one of Chiang Mai’s, if not northern Thailand’s, most famous foods. It is also one of our favorite Chiang Mai traditional foods.
This Thai sausage is made from minced pork, combined with a variety of ingredients such as chilies, garlic, shallots, and locally grown spices and herbs.
This Thai sausage is called Sai Oua. The word “oua” means to “fill” or ”stuffed” and the word “sai” means “intestine.”
So when translated to English, “Sai Oua” means “stuffed intestines.” In this case, the sausage is stuffed with minced pork and Thai herbs.
This northern Thai sausage can be very spicy depending on how it is prepared. The recipe calls for fresh bird chilies or chili powder and you can adjust the amount in this Thai sausage recipe.
The Origins of the Sai Oua – Northern Thai Sausages
Sai Oua, also spelled Sai Ua is from northern Thailand with some saying the roots of these Thai sausages stem back to Burma or Laos.
Interestingly, while exploring the local specialties in Laos, we discovered Laos sai oua, which is similar, but not as spicy.
In northern Thailand, this Thai sausage is revered. Sai Oua sausages are traditionally made and eaten at home.
Although, you’ll find this flavor-packed sausage at local markets sizzling on a hot grill giving off its fragrant aromas.
READ MORE: The 22 Most Delightful Popular Thai Desserts to Indulge On
Discovering Thai Sausage or Sai Oua in Chiang Mai
While exploring the local food specialties in Chiang Mai, we fell in love with the northern Thai sausage almost to the point of obsession.
Eager to learn how to make it from scratch we asked locals for recommendations. A Chef’s Tour, a food tour company we partner with introduced us to Auntie Rod, for a cooking class experience.
Auntie Rod is one of Chiang Mai’s most famous sausage makers and has been featured on the Gordon Ramsay Show. She is considered the “Queen of Sai Oua.”
For several hours, we had fun learning the ingredients and techniques to make traditional northern Thai sausage.
We used a mortar and pestle to grind and mix everything together. We also hand-stuffed pig intestine sausage casing for the first time, which was a comedy of errors.
And finally, we cooked the Thai sausage on the grill until it turned golden brown in color, cooked perfectly on each side.
Thai Sausage Recipe – How To Make Sai Oua
Making Thai sausage at home is not complicated and requires only a few key ingredients.
- Ground pork
- Natural pork sausage casings
- Lemongrass
- Cilantro
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Twine for tying the sausage
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST RECIPE TIPS: If you love Thai food and want to make other traditional Thai recipes, see our other favorite traditional recipes.
Thai Sausage Recipe Tips
How To Make Sai Oua Sausages Traditional Way vs Easy Way
Traditionally, northern Thai sausages are prepared by hand from start to finish. The ingredients are typically mixed together using a mortar and pestle.
The easiest way to grind all ingredients together is by using a blender or grinder.
A blender or grinder shreds the ingredients which doesn’t guarantee maximum flavor and aroma release. But, it can process a higher volume of ingredients.
The pestle and mortar can only work with a small number of Ingredients but can grind it finer and keep much better flavors of the ingredients.
How To Stuff Thai Sausage In The Casing
Hog casings or pork sausage casings are the traditional choice for making Thai sausages.
You can find hog casings at your local butcher or meat shop.
Alternatively, you can also have the hog casings delivered to your home via Amazon.
When you get your pork casings, first rinse them to remove the salt. Open one end of the casing and it up with water like a balloon. Squeeze the water out and rinse the inside of the casing
To stuff the Thai sausages, a simple sausage stuffer machine makes the process easier and faster.
If you don’t have a sausage stuffer machine, you can use a metal tube or funnel to stuff the casings with the sausage mixture.
Once the casings are filled, close both ends with twine and close with a tie. If you don’t want to make sausages, you can make patties or meatballs with the pork mixture instead.
RELATED: 10 of the Best Thai Cookbooks To Learn How to Cook Authentic Thai Food
How To Cook the Sai Oua Sausages
In Chiang Mai, we learned to cook Thai sausages in the traditional way, which is on the grill.
Grilling, especially over charcoal adds the best smokey flavors to the sausages.
If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the Sai Ua sausages in a non-stick pan, though the flavors may not be the same.
How to Avoid Thai Sausage Bursting When Cooking
The best way to cook northern Thai sausages is over low heat when grilling. This prevents them from exploding when cooking.
Try to cook them on the side of the grill and turn them every few minutes to cook them evenly.
If you are cooking the sausages using a skillet, allow the sausages to cook over low heat until they are gently browned.
How To Eat and What to Serve With Sai Oua Sausages
In Chiang Mai, Sai Oua sausages are generally eaten with sticky rice and crispy vegetables like cabbage leaves, cucumbers, and fresh chilies.
At home, we recommend having Thai sausages with rice and vegetables or accompanying a fresh salad.
The presentation of Sai Oua sausages is particular and is part of the ceremony of eating them.
In Thailand, the sausages are sliced at a right angle and served on a banana leaf.
As they are typically hot from the grill, you also have a stick to pick up the sausage slices.
How Long Can You Keep Homemade Sai Oua Sausage?
Homemade Sai Oua sausages can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days after they are cooked.
In the freezer, the cooked sausages can be stored for up to 30 days.
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST RECIPE TIP: To go along with your Thai sausage, consider pairing it with a delicious salad from Laos. Get the recipe Lao Papaya Salad Recipe: How To Make The Famous Laotian Salad
Sai Oua Thai Sausage Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix Ingredients to Make Sausage Mixture
Using a mortar and pestle or blender, combine the lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and garlic cloves until finely grated. Mix together with the pork sausage mixture until everything is blended together.
Stuff Thai Sausages
Place a funnel or metal tube on one end of the pork casing and gently stuff the sausage meat. Do not overstuff it. Once you have a five to six-inch sausage link formed, tie the end using twine.
Cook The Sausages
Cook the northern Thai sausage using a skillet on the grill. Allow the sausage to cook between 20 to 30 minutes, gently turning it until it turns golden brown.
Sai Oua: Thai Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 1 lbs pork belly fat finely chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon grass minced
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 shallots minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Natural sausage casing
- Twine for tying the sausage
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the pork casings to remove all the salt, and run water all the way through the casings.
- Soak the pork casings in warm water for about 1 hour before using them. They should be soft and slick making them easier to use.
- While the pork casings are soaking, start making the ingredients for the sausage mixture.
- In a pestle and mortar combine lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and garlic cloves. Grind until everything is mixed well.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, pork belly fat, and mixed herbs together.
- Season with sugar, fish sauce, and chili powder. Use your hands and mix well.
- Let the mixture marinate until the pork casings are ready or at least one hour in the fridge.
- Take one end of the sausage casing and attach it to the end of a sausage funnel or sausage stuffing machine.
- Having an extra set of hands in the kitchen is helpful so that one holds the slippery sausage casing while the other one pushes the meat through.
- Slowly stuff the casings into long coils. Ignore any air bubbles that form in the sausage stuffing process.
- Once you have about 5 to 6 inches stuffed, tie a knot at the end of the sausage.
- At this point, you can either continue stuffing the pork casings into coils. Or you can pinch off the casing every 5 to 6 inches to make sausage links. Don’t forget to tie the ends using twine.
- Grill the sausages on low heat for about 35 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow sausages to rest for 5 minutes before cutting up and serving
Notes
- Grill the Thai sausages for the best flavors and aromas or you can also cook them in a skillet.
- If you like spicy food, feel free to adjust the amount of chili powder in this recipe.
Nutrition
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Rosemary is the editor-in-chief and strategist at Authentic Food Quest.
Traveling slow since 2015 with her partner, Claire, she has explored the cuisine in 45 countries and more than 240+ culinary cities.
Her writing about local food specialties has been featured in Lonely Planet, Business Insider, Honest Cooking, Food Insider, and Huffington Post.
As a food and travel writer, Rosemary has co-authored three books, including one in collaboration with Costa Brava Tourism.
Rosemary is an avid runner when she’s not eating and exploring new destinations. She has run ten marathons and counting.
Before Authentic Food Quest, Rosemary held senior-level strategy positions in advertising.
Find out more about Authentic Food Quest
I have got to try this recipe as my family loves bbq sausage during the summer. Thank you for sharing 🙂
You are most welcome. Can’t wait for you to try Thai sausages. So good! Do let us know how they turn out. Cheers.
You are most welcome and excited for you and your family to enjoy Thai sausages. Cheers
Tasty Thai sausage; flavorful and spiced to perfection, a delicious addition to any meal. A great new recipe for grilling season!
So true, and indeed, perfect for grilling season. Cheers 🙂
I have never tried thai sausages before. Sounds like it is bursting with flavors with all the seasonings and spices!
It is truly bursting with flavors, Janie. Can’t wait for you to try it. Cheers.
Love this Sai Oua: Thai Sausage Recipe, never hear of it before, but looks delicious!!! will try and make it some day. Thanks for sharing 🙂
You are most welcome, Elisa. Once you make it, you’ll never look at regular sausages the same. Cheers
I am not really big on spicy dishes, but I know that my fiance would love this. I will have to make this for him some time. 🙂
You can always adapt the spice levels to your taste. Do let us know what your fiance thinks of it 🙂 Cheers.
The sausage you describe and show looks and presumably tastes superior to those I’ve purchased from a local Asian market. While I fully realize there is always a noticeable improvement going homemade over mass produced goods I’m at a loss to explain the off-putting overly fragrant, metallic, or “sweet” flavor of those I’ve eaten. Also, most packaged Thai sausages I’ve had are obviously colored to appear bright red. I’ve always assumed the strange flavors or use of spice was either as a preservative or to help cover the flavor of rancid meats and bacteria that happen in places with little refrigeration and the people had built up a resistance to their own food. What you’ve done here sounds delicious.
Thank you Steve for your feedback. If you do make it to Chiang Mai, we highly recommend getting in touch with A Chef’s Tour and explore Sai Oua sausages. As Chiang Mai’s most famous sausage, tasting the real and authentic version is far superior to the ones you find in local stores. Thanks for stopping by.
I love thai sausage thanks for the recipe and detailed instructions so I can make at home whenever I want! Love this!
Awesome. So great to hear. It is indeed one of our favorite sausages. Cheers
I haven’t heard of Thai sausage before, now I must eat it! Making it looks like a lot of work and I’m pretty sure I would fail at the stuffing process!
Lol…with experts like auntie Rod and her sister, auntie Lada, there is no failing. Just lots of laughs and a great time 🙂 Cheers, Sherianne
I’m not even sure if I have tried Thai food but I really want to now! So cool seeing the process of making it. It looks like it was a fun and informative experience. I loved reading how you had some good laughs trying to make it. I’m sure I would have some struggles as well!
Thanks, Dylan. It was truly an amazing and fun experience. Hope you get to Chiang Mai soon so that you can learn how to make sai oua sausages as well.
I haven’t been to any food tour yet, but I will soon. I agree with you that asking locals about good food is the key to have the best experience. I like to be able to do what you did and make sausages from scratch
We highly recommend going on a food tour for a deeper appreciation of the local cuisine. On your next trip, take a tour for an amazing experience.
I love how they prepare the Thai sausages with the intention of preserving them for a couple of days. Auntie Rod sounds like an absolute legend, so exciting ? I can see stuffing the sausages was NOT an easy task ?, well done for practicing and getting it done – the final product looks delicious! ?
Thanks Lisa. So much fun and wonderful experience with auntie Rod!
I have been to Chaing Mai and Luang Prabang. But as a pescetarian, I have tried neither Thau Sai Oua nor Lao Sai Oua. I have enjoyed reading your post though. And, I absolutely loved vegetarian Khao Soi in Chiang Mai.
Thank you for stopping by.
I never heard of Sai Oua before (as I never been to Thailand or tried Thai food) but I am glad you said it was a sausage otherwise I would have thought it was a Thai curry. Looking at your experience, it looks harder to make than what I thought it would be. However would love to try it now as I do like my sausages.
If you like sausages, you will love sai oua. The fragrance and flavors are amazing. Do seek it out if your travels take you to Thailand.
Thai sausages look cool. Nothing like making your own food in foreign land and having it too. Never knew the amazing ingredients that go into the making of sausages.
You are right, Indrani. Nothing like learning how to make your own food from the local experts. A real treat indeed.
Auntie Rod must be an amazing cook! I do LOVE Thai food, I’ve contemplated getting some Thai cooking classes, even if it’s just to make a decent red Thai curry. It looks like you had an amazing experience.
If you love Thai food, taking a cooking class will only elevate your love for Thai food. Highly recommend it, especially if your travels take you to Thailand. Thanks, Tom.
Northern Thai sausages look pretty tasty and would be fun to make at home next time we have a barbeque. I’m not sure about the using casings made from real pig intestines though!
True, a unique sausage to add to the bbq grill. You can’t go wrong with using real pig intestines, the best is always the real thing 🙂
We are so sorry we missed Chiang Mai on our visit to Thailand. I was good when I heard minced pork and herbs. The chili mixture would probably me an issue for us. Even the less spicy ones. We probably would like the Laos sai oua better. So good that you got to meet Auntie Rod on your adventure to learn how to make Thai sausage. I am sure the whole process took some practice to get good at the stuffing.
That’s too bad you missed Chiang Mai, it is truly the jewel in the north of Thailand. Perhaps next time. Meeting auntie Rod was a treat as was learning how to make the authentic sai oua sausages. A fun experience for sure.
I love sausages and these look really good! I am drooling over these!
That’s great to hear Catalina 🙂
This is so interesting and informative! It must have been fun to learn how to make the sausages. Now I want to taste it!
So glad you enjoyed the article, Ruth. Try your local Thai restaurant, you might be surprised to find it on the menu.
This Thai sausages reminds me of Filipino longanisa. With those spices added, I bet it’s delicious.
We had longanisa sausages when we visited the Philippines. These are completely different, the use of lemongrass and Thai herbs makes the taste unique. Worth seeking out for sure. Thanks, Rose.
What an added bonus to get to meet Auntie Rod! Sounds like she’s definitely made a name for herself with her sausages.
You are right Dennis, she is one of the best in Chiang Mai, and rightfully so.
Oh man this sausage looks delicious!! I bet the spices in this are amazing!
Truly delicious with fragrant spices including lemongrass. Look for it at your local Thai restaurant for a tasty experience.
What an incredible experience! I don’t think I’ve ever had Thai Sausage, but I love Thai food – so I’d love to try it out.
Thai sausage and in particular sai oua is amazing. You may find it at your local Thai restaurant. It’s worth searching for 🙂 Cheers.
My mother-in-law is a sausage maker. I haven’t had the privilege to make them with her but I know there is a long process but it is sure worth it.
Try making the sausages with your mother-in-law, Terri. It is a fun and humbling experience. Cheers.
I’ve never heard of Thai sausage before. I don’t eat meat but I’m sure my husband would love it.
There is nothing like a homemade sausage. it is amazing to have someone in your family who can show you how to prepare them from scratch. I bet they are so amazing!
Thanks, Lian.
Experiencing authentic food is one like no other! I would love to have this experience. It sounds delicious.
If your travels take you to Chiang Mai, Melanie. We highly recommend taking A Chef’s tour for local and authentic food experiences.
So interesting that I found this post today! Our local thai restaurant has been selling Thai sausage lately and they have been posting lots about it. Then I was looking through blogs I like and found your post! So timely.
Perfect, Pam. Make sure to try them and do let us know what you think. Thanks.
These sausages look tasty. I bet my husband would love for me to make them for him or find him some in the city.
Wow, these Thai sausages look amazing! Thank you for the close-up look into how they’re made and traditionally served!
So glad you enjoyed the article. A truly unusual and fun experience. Worth checking out if your travels take you to Chiang Mai. Cheers, Jenn.
I have never heard of Sai Oua. How great that you got to make your own. I bet that was fun.
A truly great experience to learn how to make the traditional sausage of Chiang Mai. Thanks for stopping by.
This sound like it was fun to do. I’ve never made any sausages before although I’d like to as that way you know exactly what’s in them.
So much fun, Melanie. A delicious experience indeed.
I do enjoy sausage, so I’d want to try this. I’ve never tried thai sausage before, but I am intrigued! It looks cool.
Thanks, Amber.
This looks like an amazing experience. I would love to visit and try sausage making.
Thanks, Tasheena
That looks amazing! I love the spices that you can get another person in the world that I cannot get here. If I could I would travel the world just eating food.
Thanks, Jeanette
No I haven’t had this type of sausage before and not sure where I would even start to look for something like this around here where we live. Does look delicious and we like our sausage.
Try your local Thai restaurant, you might be surprised to find sai oua on the menu. Definitively worth seeking out.