Friday, April 22, 2011

Breakfast sausage

I love sausage. Not just breakfast sausage, but most kinds of sausage. Here is the recipe I've been using the past couple years for breakfast sausage. It calls for pork, but it should be good with other meats too. If I'm able to connect this fall I'll try it with venison. Unlike nearly all commercial sausages, this does NOT contain any corn syrup or sugar. It doesn't need it. I usually make this for 7 or 8 pounds at a time, depending on the size of pork shoulder I'm using, and single grind it myself.

Indiana Farm Sausage

2 Lbs lean ground pork (I use pork shoulder, usually called pork butt or Boston butt.)
1/3 C finely chopped onion
2 TBsp rubbed dried sage leaves
1 TBsp finely chopped fresh parsley (Dried parsley flakes will do.)
1 tsp crumbled dried thyme
1 tsp crumbled dried basil
1 tsp ground marjoram
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried sweet pepper flakes (you can substitute paprika, but you won't have the flecks of sweet pepper in your finished sausage)
Pinch ground cayenne (up to 1 tsp if you like it hot)
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

I like to put everything except the pork into a food processor so that it is mixed well.

In a deep bowl, combine all ingredients and knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Divide the mixture into 1 pound portions and, on wax paper or plastic wrap, shape into cylinders about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap sausages refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firm to the touch.

This makes a great breakfast sausage. Cook as you normally would.

1 comment:

Jim said...

I've smoked this a couple times and it comes out delicious. Just put a roll of the sausage on a foil pie plate or make a pan out of foil, then put place it in your smoker for a few hours. I do this while smoke other meat. Then when you want to eat some, just slice it and pan fry to heat. I've also used it smoked and unsmoked in sausage gravy and stuffing.