That's a Lot of Sausage!

Two tons.  4,000 pounds.  No matter how you say it, that’s a lot of German sausage.  And it takes a lot of volunteers to share their time, love and meat to make it.  Parishioners at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 2309 A&M St. in San Angelo do that every year about this time for the church’s annual Spring Festival the first Sunday in May, which is May 7 this year.  This is the 54th year for the Spring Festival.  But it’s more than just sausage.  It’s brisket too.  And lots of it.  2,600 pounds to be exact.  

Why so much?  Sausage committee member Alan Gully says they serve “3,500 to 4000 meals at the festival.”  The committee also sells bulk sausage to be taken home and cooked later.  

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Above: A sign announces the coming festival at Holy Angels Catholic Church for May 7, 2017. (LIVE! Photo/Yantis Green)

“The pork and beef blend sausage is made the traditional way using an old German recipe,” Gully said.  “It’s made by hand in the state-of-the-art cooking facility at Holy Angels.” 

“The process includes cutting the pork and beef, grinding it, adding spices and stuffing the sausage into natural casings.”  Gully described.  “Then it’s cold smoked using mesquite only and chilled Saturday before the festival.”  

The German sausage is then cooked and served on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Gully says cooking the brisket and making the sausage is an all-night affair that requires 30 to 40 volunteers.  The approximately 300 briskets are marinated Friday evening and then smoked over mesquite coals starting Saturday around noon.  Then the meat is diced and served Sunday morning. 

Festival meal tickets are $10 and include the sausage, brisket, green beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, bread, tea or water, and homemade dessert.  The meals are served Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and plates to go are available at the drive through at the church on the corner of Oxford and A&M Ave. 

 In addition to the meal there are games, bingo, arts & crafts, concessions and a cake walk.  A live auction is held from 1 to 6 p.m. in the parish hall following the meal.  

Bulk German sausage can be ordered online at www.holyangelssanangelo.org.  

There is also a raffle each year.  Tickets are $2 each. Prizes include a $2,000 gift card, $1,000 gift card, three $500 gift cards and restaurant gift certificates.  More information is available at the parish office, 325-949-3308, or see more information online at the Holy Angels website.  

The Holy Angels Spring Festival is the Church’s largest annual fundraiser.