Hey Woodie,
I have quite a collection of sausage recipes that I've saved from here - I've been meaning to make my own, but never seem to get around to it :) I hope that LindaC doesn't mind if I post her recipe....I'm keeping it out to try soon!

* Posted by: Lindac (My Page) on Sat, Mar 22, 03 at 19:17

Back when we would get a whole hog a year, I always made my own sausage. I had the shoulder ground for sausage....and packaged in 1 1/2 pound packages. Then I would put in a rounded teaspoon of salt, a generous shake of garlic powder, 3 or 4 crushed dried sage leaves ( if it was summer and the sage was fresh, I just chopped it really fine) about a teaspoon of thyme leaves, a rounded tablespoon of brown sugar and ground black pepper to taste. Mix it well...fry up a bit to check for seasonings, make into patties and refrigerate until morning.

Cindy

I do Woodie and I love it. It's Alton Brown's recipe that I altered a little. I keep it made into patties and frozen. It's very, very good:

Breakfast Sausage

2 pounds pork butt, diced into small pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped sage leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Combine diced pork (along with fat) with remaining ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Run all through a meat grinder; form into patties and pan fry over medium-low heat until cooked through. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. *Inspired by recipe from Alton Brown.

Marilyn

I have a question: Would Marilyn's recipe work with 2 pounds ground pork instead of pork butt, and would it require any alterations? Needless to say we don't have a meat grinder...

Jen

Jen, yes you can use ground pork with great success.

Marilyn

Thanks a million, these recipes look so tasty I might even beat my friend to the punch and make my own sausage too.

Tab and Ken are constantly on a quest to find the best breakfast sausage! When they traveled together for work before they retired, they had sausage every morning in every hotel wherever they were! Even when we were recently on our boating vacation, Tab had sausage in the 3 different breakfast spots where we ate!

COUNTRY BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

1 pound ground pork
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/ 2 tsp. dried leaf thyme
1/ 4 tsp. dried leaf sage
1 tsp. salt
1/ 2 tsp. ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight for flavors to blend. Shape into 6 patties. Cook in lightly greased skillet over medium heat about 15 minutes or until browned on both sides and centers are no longer pink, turning occasionally. After cooking, may be frozen for later use.

Here's Dad's:

Diane's Home Cookin 4.8 Chapter: Heirlooms

Dad's Breakfast Sausage
=======================
2 # fresh coarse grd pork ( use a good shoulder butt cut , not too lean )
2- 3 Teaspoons rubbed sage
Pinch -1/4 tsp. of dried thyme, marjoram & rosemary
1 Teaspoon dried parsley
1 Teaspoon each salt & fresh grd
pepper

Dad Lynch's Sausage Recipes:
============================
Polish:
5 ½ # coarse ground pork shoulder butt( get smallest one possible, meat will
be more tender)
2 toes garlic , minced fine
1-1/4 Tablespoons Canning salt
½ tbsp. Marjoram
½ tbsp. Coarse grd black pepper
3/4 Teaspoon Fine black pepper
½ c. Warm water
Mix well, let sit in refrig a few hrs or overnight-mix again & stuff into
casings.
. Italian sausage: 5 # coarse grd pork shoulder butt 1 tsp. Pepper 2 tbsp.
Canning salt 1 rounded tbsp. Fennel seed ½ tsp. Crushed red pepper ½ c.
grated parm or Romano cheese 1-2 toes garlic, minced 1 c warm water or red
wine-

Combine & let sit in cooler 5-6 hrs-mix again -form into patties or stuff
into casings.

Thank you! This is just great! I'm craving sausage for breakfast myself, right now.

Thanks Marilyn. That was probably a dumb question but I had to ask. :-)

Jen

Top Secret Recipes
version of
Jimmy Dean

Breakfast Sausage

Before he became America's sausage king, Jimmy Dean was known for crooning the country hit "Big Bad John." ......
This clone recipe recreates three varieties of the famous roll sausage that you form into patties and cook in a skillet. Use ground pork found at the supermarket (make it lean pork, if you like), or grind some up yourself if you have a meat grinder laying around for some good old-fashioned fun.

Sage
16 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent flavor enhancer)

Hot
16 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)

Maple
16 ounces ground pork
3 tablespoons maple flavored syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)
1/4 teaspoon coriander Combine all ingredients for the flavor of your choice in a medium bowl. Form the sausage into patties and cook in a skillet over medium heat until brown. Makes 1 pound of sausage.

I've tried Alton Brown's recipe and it is very good. I've been making my own sausage for almost a year now. It's very easy with the grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. I usually make about 4 lbs. at a time and form the sausage meat into patties before freezing them on sheet pans, then I double bag them in freezer zip bags and keep them frozen.

Thanks Earl and Teresa!

We've been making our own sausage too, except we are using venison instead of pork. My DH will be so happy I found him new recipes.

If I remember correctly, you could also use ground turkey in place of ground pork. Just don't get the all-white-meat really lean stuff or your sausage might turn out dry. Ground chicken is okay, but the flavour is a little more muddy and the colour isn't as nice IMO.

All of your recipes sound good. Just remember FRESHNESS counts the most. Don't expect that rubbed sage, or pepper flakes or thyme or pepper to have the same kick and taste as those jars that have been setting in you cabinets for 15 years. BUY fresh!!and use it, you will be rewarded for your efforts in a richer fuller flavor.

Also, check your fat content, you need 15 to 20 percent fat on your pork butts. Buy in bulk if you can, most of the big wholesalers have butts for 1.20 a pound and if you aren't turning them in sausage or brats, there is nothing like a pork butt that has been smoked for 12 hours in a good smoker.

Experiment, I use dry ice chuncks when I grind to keep the meat cool and my machine but I grind 50-60 lbs at a time.

My wife had a bad medical condition, and for the last year we haven't bought anything processed out side of the home, and I am happy to say we nearly got her off her MED's. and she's much better..and I have dropped 12 inches of my waist, go figure and I only cook with olive oil and butter .

So make you own, you will be healther for it.

Here's one I came across this morning, and saving it. Sounds different, and might be tasty, at that.

Breakfast Sausage Apple Pie
1 (1 lb.) pkg. pork sausage links
1 (11 oz.) pkg. pie crust mix
1 (1 lb., 4 oz.) apple pie filling
1 c. shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

Cook links until browned. Drain. Prepare half pie crust mix. Roll out to 12 inch circle and fit in 9 inch pan. Prick shell and bake 10 minutes. Spoon pie filling into partially baked shell. Arrange sausage in a spoke fashion on pie filling. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine rest of pie crust mix and brown sugar and sprinkle over top of pie. Return to oven. Bake, additional 25 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve warm..

Somewhere I have a breakfast sausage recipe using ground turkey and applesauce and seasonings.....
I won't say it's wonderful, but it's pretty good and it is very low fat.
Linda C

Hi! I have just made and tried the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage recipe posted by Earl. I tried the Sage version. Excellent!!!!! This is a wonderful recipe and perfect for someone who is in fact looking for a Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage clone. Thanks Earl!!!