Homemade breakfast sausage. Have you ever imagined such a thing? More importantly, have you ever tasted such a thing?! We assure you, there's no going back to store-bought given how ridiculously simple and outrageously indulgent it is. Here's how to make sausage patties as well as how to cook 'em.

If you've already glanced at the ingredient list, you know this makes a BIG batch of homemade breakfast sausage. We're quite okay with that as we're partial to having a stash of sausage at the ready in the freezer. But we understand if the thought of making 5 pounds of homemade breakfast sausage seems a little (or, let's face it, a lot) overwhelming. Don't worry. The recipe can easily be scaled down to suit smaller households.

You can halve the recipe or, if you want to make even less, you can scale it down even more and make just a single pound of sausage. Because yes, it's so easy to make your own homemade breakfast sausage that you could just mix some up on a Saturday morning and sizzle it up in a skillet. And because we know you don't have the time to crunch numbers, we did the math for you. Just check out the smaller batch variation following the recipe.–Angie Zoobkoff

HOW DO I MAKE BREAKFAST SAUSAGE WITHOUT A MEAT GRINDER?

This recipe calls for a meat grinder, but if you don't have one, no problem. Simply ask your friendly local butcher to grind some fatty pork for you. When you get home, all you have to do is mix it with the remaining ingredients by hand. (Do NOT toss everything in a food processor or you'll end up emulsifying the fat and meat proteins, which is a scientific way of saying you'll end up with a very strangely textured sausage.)

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

A metal platter with 4 round homemade breakfast sausage and 6 link sausages.

Homemade breakfast sausage. Have you ever imagined such a thing? More importantly, have you ever tasted such a thing?! We assure you, there's no going back to store-bought given how ridiculously simple and outrageously indulgent it is. Here's how to make sausage patties as well as how to cook 'em.

John Currence

Prep 45 mins

Total 45 mins

  • Meat grinder (optional; if you don't have a meat grinder, see the variation following the recipe)

  • 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) cubes, including all the fat
  • 8 ounces pork fat (or substitute fatty bacon) cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) cubes
  • 7 tablespoons rubbed sage (do not substitute ground sage)
  • 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons black pepper
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds toasted until fragrant and crushed
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

  • Toss all the ingredients in a stainless steel bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

  • Put your meat grinder parts or attachment in the freezer to chill at the same time you put the ingredients in the refrigerator. Set up your meat grinder with the smallest die according to the manufacturer's directions. Working in batches, feed the meat mixture into the grinding tube and grind the sausage mixture into a separate bowl.

  • Measure about 2 ounces (57 grams or about 1/4 cup) sausage and gently press it between your palms into a 2-inch (5 cm) patty that's about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Repeat until all the sausage has been used. [Editor's Note: We prefer sausage patties for their ease of making and cooking. If you prefer sausage links and have the know-how, by all means, go ahead and put the sausage mixture in casings.] Place the sausage patties in a resealable plastic bag, separated by squares of wax or parchment paper, and stash in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (If freezing the sausage, be sure to safely thaw the meat prior to cooking.)

  • To cook the sausage patties, warm a cast-iron skillet or a sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add a few patties, being careful not to crowd the pan, and cook, turning every couple of minutes until browned on both sides and cooked through in the center, about 10 minutes. The pork should register at least 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately.

A few helpful hints

What kind of pork fat should I use in breakfast sausage?

If you're uncertain what sort of pork fat to use, you can substitute an equal amount of fatty bacon in its place and it will work wonderfully. You can instead opt for salted pork fat (such as salted fatback), although you'll want to cut the salt in the recipe in half. And if you have a particularly fatty cut of pork or are otherwise reticent to add chunks of pork fat to your sausage, you can omit it. But why would you want to do such a thing?! The final product won't be as rich or as flavorful. Besides, haven't you heard the latest research that fat is good for you?

How do I make a smaller batch of breakfast sausage?

The numbers below are the amounts of ingredients you'll need should you wish to make a smaller batch of homemade breakfast sausage:

1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) cubes, including all the fat

1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed sage

1 rounded tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Generous 1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Just shy of 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Serving: 1 patty Calories: 114 kcal (6%) Carbohydrates: 3 g (1%) Protein: 11 g (22%) Fat: 6 g (9%) Saturated Fat: 2 g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 33 mg (11%) Sodium: 327 mg (14%) Potassium: 202 mg (6%) Fiber: 1 g (4%) Sugar: 1 g (1%) Vitamin A: 86 IU (2%) Vitamin C: 1 mg (1%) Calcium: 17 mg (2%) Iron: 1 mg (6%)

Recipe Testers' Reviews

Originally published October 09, 2021

Recipe © 2016 John Currence. Photo © 2016 Ed Anderson. All rights reserved. All materials used with permission.

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