Tuna Sausage
Charcoal-Grilled Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sonora Berries, Mustard, Pork Jus
Chef Hugo Vera of Rolf and Daughters | Nashville, TN
Adapted by StarChefs | June 2026 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Tuna Sausage:
Recipe from Butcher Monica McCambridge-Guess of Rolf and Daughters
Yield: 30 sausages
1 kilogram blue fin tuna blood line
400 grams Jimmy Nardello pepper purée
400 grams Sonora berries, cooked and chilled
300 grams pork back fat
100 grams chopped white onions
25 grams chopped garlic
25 grams kosher salt
5 grams ground oregano
5 grams Tellicherry peppercorns
5 grams pink salt
Pork Stock:
Yield: 8 quarts
10 pounds pork bones
20 sprigs thyme
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 sheet kombu
½ stalk celery, chopped
Pork Jus:
Yield: 4 cups
1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced into 2-inch-by-5-inch strips
Ground pork
1 head garlic, halved
Sonora Berries:
10 grams grapeseed oil
Mirepoix
Sonora berries
Kombu
Kombu Stock:
1 sheet kombu, bloomed overnight
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Butter
Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Flaky salt
Nasturtium leaves
METHOD
For the Tuna Sausage:
Prepare, chill, and assemble a meat grinder fitted with a small die. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Pass through meat grinder until well combined. Stuff mixture into hog casings. Prick, truss, and cure 4 days at desired temperature and humidity.
For the Pork Stock:
Heat oven to 475°F. Place pork bones on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast 40 minutes. Let cool. In a 10-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, combine roasted bones and enough water to submerge. Bring to a simmer. Cook 5 hours, skimming impurities that rise to the surface. Add remaining ingredients. Cook additional 1 hour. Remove from heat and pass through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Pork Jus:
Place pork tenderloin on a parchment-lined sheet tray and refrigerate overnight, uncovered. The next day, in a rondeau over medium heat, add ground pork and sear on all sides. Add garlic, cut-side down, and cook until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove garlic. Add 1 cup Pork Stock. Cook until reduced by half. Repeat process three additional times. Cook until desired consistency is achieved. Strain. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Sonora Berries:
In a rondeau over medium flame, heat oil. Add mirepoix and cook until slightly caramelized. Add berries, kombu, and enough water to submerge. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, or until berries are fully hydrated. Strain and let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Kombu Stock:
In a 6-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, bring bloomed kombu and 4 quarts water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours. Keep warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat oven to 375°F. In a small saucepan over low flame, heat Pork Jus. Keep warm. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine desired amount Sonora Berries and Kombu Stock. Bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add butter and cook until mixture is fully emulsified. Reduce heat and keep warm. Prepare and heat a charcoal grill. Grill mushrooms until evenly charred on all sides. Transfer to a mixing bowl and season with oil, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside. In a cast iron pan over medium heat, sear 1 Tuna Sausage. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast in oven until warmed through. Remove from oven and season with additional lemon juice and salt. Set aside. Transfer warmed Sonora Berries to the center of a serving plate. Top with seared Tuna Sausage. Drizzle with warmed Pork Jus. Finish with grilled mushrooms, nasturtium, and drizzle oil.
