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    Homemade Breakfast Sausage Seasoning Recipe

    November 7, 2016 by Tara Buss 11 Comments

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    A great recipe for homemade breakfast sausage seasoning using a simple spice blend to season your ground meat of choice. Get started making your own breakfast sausage at home and skip the funky ingredients in store-bought sausage.

    Homemade breakfast sausage patties on a white plate

    Why Make Your Own Breakfast Sausage?

    My kids adore sausage patties for breakfast. Don't we all? What I don't like are the ingredients that are in breakfast sausage at the store. Poor quality meat, monosodium glutamate (MSG), corn syrup, sugar, and other additives are the common offenders in your average roll of sausage. I just didn't feel good about feeding this to my family anymore.

    Two years ago we purchased half of a pasture raised pig from a local farmer.  I was excited about the abundance of bulk bacon, sausage, pork chops, pork butt, and roasts that would be filling my freezer all year long.  The very first morning after we picked up our order, I made some breakfast sausage feeling so proud that I would be feeding my children this high quality sausage.

    They took one bite and wouldn't eat anymore.

    "It tastes weird," they complained.

    To be fair, it did taste weird and not at all like our former breakfast sausage that we were used to eating. Sadly I had a huge amount of pre-seasoned pork sausage that I had to use all year long even though we hated it. It was just too much to waste.

    This year, I got smart.  We still ordered our half pig, but instead of the butcher seasoning the sausage for us, I ordered plain fresh ground pork. I was determined to create a breakfast sausage seasoning blend and make my own sausage that would taste similar to our old store bought sausage.

    breakfast sausage seasoning in the palm of a hand

    Ingredients Needed

    When experimenting with my own homemade breakfast sausage recipe, it was a feat find the right spice combination. I first tried just salt and pepper.  Too bland.  Then I added sage.  We were on the right track.  Then I added some red pepper flakes for a little kick.  Better.  Next, I added some fennel seed. With each spice that I added, we got closer and closer to the flavor we were after.  This is the perfect combination for us.  I had all of the ingredients in my spice cabinet and it's so easy that I now have the recipe memorized.  It's just one teaspoon of a high quality sea salt and sage, and then a quarter teaspoon of the rest. It may look like too much seasoning, but I assure you it's not.

    • salt
    • ground sage
    • red pepper flake
    • fennel seed
    • thyme
    • marjoram
    • ground pork or another ground meat

    Note: If you prefer a touch of sweetness, try adding a tablespoon of brown sugar or pure maple syrup. I still prefer the sugar-free version, but again, it is a personal preference.

    ground pork in a bowl

    This has a bit of a spicy kick to it if you get a piece with a red pepper flake.  We all like it like that at my house, but if you prefer a very mild sausage, you may want to cut the red pepper flake in half or omit.  Let this be a guide to get you started, but feel free to experiment to suit your personal preference.  The good thing about this blend as well is that you can use it in any ground meat that you wish.  I haven't tried them myself, but I would imagine that you could use them in ground pork, turkey, chicken, ground beef, bison, or wild game to makeover your breakfast sausage.

    homemade sausage patties in a skillet

    Steps to Make Homemade Sausage Patties

    1. In a small bowl mix all of the spices and salt together until well combined.
    2. In a large bowl, pat dry your pound of meat with a paper towel. This helps the sausage brown.
    3. Sprinkle the spice blend over the meat and mix thoroughly with your hands until distributed evenly throughout the meat.
    4. Form sausage mixture into patties about 2-3 inches wide. Makes about 10 patties.
    5. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of bacon grease, olive oil, or avocado oil and pan fry the sausage on one side.
    6. When they have developed a golden crust, flip to the other side and continue to cook until they have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. If they are getting too brown but not cooking inside, lower the heat and put a lid on the skillet.

    Ways to Use Homemade Breakfast Sausage

    You can use this homemade sausage in any way that you would use a store bought roll of sausage. In addition to the sausage breakfast patties, here are some of my family's favorites.

    • Sausage gravy
    • Sausage balls
    • Breakfast sandwiches
    • Breakfast burritos
    • Egg casserole
    • Zuppa Toscana
    Homemade breakfast sausage seasoning. A clean alternative that you can feel good about feeding your family.
    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    Homemade breakfast sausage seasoning

    A clean sausage seasoning to grace your breakfast table.
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Keyword breakfast sausage, homemade breakfast sausage seasoning
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings 10 patties

    Ingredients

    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp ground sage
    • ¼ tsp red pepper flake
    • ¼ tsp fennel seed
    • ¼ tsp thyme
    • ¼ tsp marjoram
    • 1 lb. ground pork turkey, or chicken
    • 1 tbsp olive oil or bacon grease or avocado oil

    Instructions

    • Mix all seasonings together in a small bowl.
    • In a large bowl, pat dry the meat with a paper towel to remove water.
    • Sprinkle the seasoning mixture a little at a time onto the ground meat and mix thoroughly until all seasoning is incorporated. Take care not to over work the meat or it may turn tough.
    • Use as you would normally use sausage in any dish.
    • If making breakfast sausage patties, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add fat of choice.
    • Form patties into 2-3 inch round disks. Place each patty into the hot skillet and cook on one side a few minutes until well browned. When it develops a golden color, flip to the other side.
    • Continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. If the outside is burning and the inside is still under done, lower the heat and place a lid on the skillet.

    Notes

    To freeze, form patties and place into air tight storage container or freezer bag with parchment paper separating the layers. Keeps for several months.
    « Southern sausage gravy
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MARY Watson

      January 04, 2017 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks. Pork loin has been such a good buy this year and every time I go to the market I buy another one. Now I have turned it into something really fabulous. I have a grinder that attaches to my mixer, so I easily transformed it. I like the red pepper flakes, even added a dash mor.

      Reply
      • Tara Buss

        January 04, 2017 at 10:44 pm

        Great idea, Mary!

        Reply
    2. Grandma Betty

      February 12, 2017 at 9:00 am

      I am 64, and raised in farming family that slaughtered our own hogs. Every family seasoned sausage slightly differently. I live alone now, but snatch up fresh ground pork when store has it, season to my taste, freeze in small batches to indulge myself occasionally. So much better than pre-packaged

      Reply
    3. Stephanie

      February 23, 2017 at 3:39 pm

      In the writing you say it is 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of the rest, but in the recipe the safe is also 1 tsp. Is the recipe the right one?

      Reply
      • Tara Buss

        February 23, 2017 at 5:24 pm

        I'm sorry I need to change the writing. The first time I developed this recipe I only used 1/4 tsp of sage. Since then I changed it to 1 tsp because I think it yields a better tasting sausage. If you find the 1 tsp is too much for you, lessen the amount next time. I personally like the sage flavor.

        Reply
    4. Stephanie

      February 23, 2017 at 3:40 pm

      Sorry, that should say Sage, not safe.

      Reply
    5. Jessie

      May 10, 2018 at 6:32 pm

      Do you have any other seasonings or recipes for fresh pork from purchasing a whole hog? I too purchased it to avoid the junk pork you find in the store but I know my family won't take well to the bland taste if I don't figure out a great way to season it!! Can't wait to try this breakfast sausage seasoning.

      Reply
    6. Cindy

      July 24, 2018 at 5:36 pm

      Sorry, i overlooked it in the recipe. I see its one lb. Thanks.

      Reply
    7. Emily

      July 25, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      Thank you SO much for posting this. I have intolerances to msg, nitrates and nitrites, and nightshades, so I have been itching to make my own sausage...grew up on sausage pizza and loved going out for breakfast and still do! When i make this I'll put red pepper in my husband's and leave it out for mine.
      ??

      I am so touched that you are doing this great thing for your family! I don't have children, but a mother's love is so so beautiful!!!

      Reply
    8. E.Flansburg

      June 02, 2019 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      I love this basic recipe and everyone can adjust it to taste, but having the right spices is half the battle!! Cannot wait to try it. I appreciate it when folks share their kitchen discoveries. My last discovery was the joys of white pepper. Keep sharing folks, you really are helping?

      Reply
    9. Jeff Van Pelt

      October 25, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Hi Tara.
      Pretty good recipe. Similar to mine but I make quite a bit more at a time.
      Next time you make a pound, try a 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp of ground clove...
      Trust me... it's a beautiful thing.?

      Reply

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