Maple Breakfast Sausage

shared by Dave Weigel

Maple Breakfast Sausage 

Servings: Makes 3 pounds

The perfect accompaniment to pancakes or French toast, these sausages have the subtle sweetness of maple syrup accented with sage and mustard.

3 pounds lean pork butt or shoulder
1 small onion, chopped, about ½ cup
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse salt
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¾ teaspoon fresh finely ground black pepper
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons milk

Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes. Freeze the cubes for about 30 minutes to firm them up before grinding. Put meat through fine disk of meat grinder. Add onion and grind again. In large bowl, combine meat mixture, salt, sage, mustard and pepper. Mix well, using hands. Stir in maple syrup and milk, and toss lightly to blend. Do not overwork meat mixture.

Shape into 16 patties. Place patties on platter, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight to meld flavors. Use within two to three days or freeze for as long as three months.

To cook, pan fry patties over medium-low heat, grill or broil as you would hamburgers, to an internal temperature of 160°F . Juices should run clear and they should not be pink in the center. Turn once during cooking time.