Breakfast sausage to begin the day
Even though the days are growing longer and the month of March begins in just a few days (does Daylight Saving Time start soon? That sunshine poking through the bedroom curtains at 6:30 AM would be much more welcome at the tail-end of the day rather than the beginning), it’s been blustery and cold here in New York City. We’ve been smothered in snow and whipped by the wind, and if I’m going to make it through these final days of winter I need to fortify myself in the morning. And that means eating a hearty breakfast of eggs and sausage.
Texans like their breakfast sausage to come in the form of patties, not links (though we seldom say “patty” as it’s just assumed when you have sausage in the morning that’s what it’ll be). And while nothing beats homemade breakfast sausage, in today’s fast-paced world most people buy their breakfast sausage at the store. And if you’re in Texas, you’re buying Owens.
That familiar tube of early-morning carnivorous joy is a staple in most Texans’ households. And since you can’t find it very easily outside the state, it soon becomes one of the things a homesick Texan misses the most.
Sure, Owens doesn’t have a lock on the breakfast-sausage market, but it’s the unique combination of spices and perfect pork-to-fat ratio that fries up probably the most delicious sausage this side of homemade. Trust me, I’ve tried the other brands and their flavor just does not compete.
My grandfather had told me that when he was a boy, his job on hog butchering day was to make the sausage. “Was it as good as Owens?” I asked. “It was better!” he said. I realized that if I wanted a proper breakfast sausage, I’d have to make it myself so I asked him how he did it. Surprisingly, making breakfast sausage doesn’t require much—just good fresh ingredients and a skillet.
While making your own sausage may sound like a daunting task, breakfast sausage is a cinch: you don’t have to work with casing and there’s no aging involved. Instead, it’s just a simple mixture of ground pork and spices, ready to be formed into patties and cooked immediately.
Breakfast sausage may just be one of the most versatile meats to have on hand. Of course, you can fry it up and serve it with eggs. Or you can place some in a biscuit for a tasty breakfast sandwich. You can crumble it into cream gravy, throw it into breakfast tacos or I’ve even been known to use it on top of my pizza.
So while this recipe isn’t Owens’ exact recipe, I dare say it’s just as good if not better because it’s homemade. And once you get the hang of making it, you may never eat store-bought breakfast sausage again.
Breakfast sausage
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 2 teaspoons marjoram
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- With your hands or a spoon, mix together all the ingredients.
- Heat up a skillet on medium heat and cook a small spoonful of the sausage a couple of minutes on each side. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Once you’re satisfied with the flavor balance, to cook form into patties and fry 6 minutes on each side. The uncooked sausage will keep in the refrigerator for a week. It can also be frozen uncooked for 3 months.
Your blog never fails to push me further in my pursuit of culinary perfection! I love reading a more experience Texan’s (subjected to confinement in NY) thoughts and recipes!
Not sure if you did an article on BBQing too, but I recently discovered a way to get around this NY weather!
That looks delicious, and oh so spicy! Could you make it with ground chicken or turkey?
I grew up in Richardson and have fond memories of visits to Owen’s Spring Creek farm. But I’m far from it now and our brutal Chicago winter has me dreaming of sausage – I will definitely give this a try!
ditto on putting it on pizza.
And you know, a little garlic, a little chile, a little vinegar, walla! Chorizo!!!
You must share that with your fellow snowbirds!!
And yes, the egg is . . . well, is it acceptable to call an egg voluptuous?
Leena–Thanks and enjoy the recipe!
Ashley–Nope they don’t sell Owens here–it’s even hard to find Jimmy Dean. And when they do sell breakfast sausage that comes in a tube, it’s usually frozen.
JEP–Thanks!
TheLostTexan–Howdy and thank you! I’m glad the photo brought back such good memories.
Suzer–Y’all need to teach the Australians the wonders of a tasty sausage biscuit!
Michelle–Welcome! I don’t have a KA mixer yet (but am planning on receiving one for my b-day) but I definitely want the meat-grinder attachment as well as the sausage stuffer.
Rosa–It sure is, I get hungry just thinking about it!
Grandma Rosie–It never fails to amaze me how culturally diverse this country is. Though I reckon that’s one of the things that makes it so great!
LLA–Glad to help! And if you try this, I like a lot of sage myself, so you might want to start with just a couple of teaspoons.
Gretchen Noelle–From what I’m gathering, this type of breakfast sausage seems to be a uniquely American dish. Enjoy!
SugarCreekFarm–With freshly ground pork this will taste the best!
David–I used dried herbs but if you have fresh it’ll taste even better.
Pille–I do like my food spicy, though one could cut down on the amount of pepper if they liked. And hopefully someday I’ll make it to Estonia so I can try your cuisine on native ground!
Jerry–I have to admit that when I use it for pizza, I often add fennel as well as that gives it that distinct Italian sausage flavor.
Rachel–Isn’t it fun? Tastes so much better than store bought.
The Ubane Epicurean– I have to have that grill! I’m hoping to get a stove-top smoker and see how that compares to the real deal.
KimberlyDi–Yes it does–it adds more flavor than ground beef.
Mike–Hey, I was born at Baylor Hospital! And trust me, I didn’t truly appreciate these foods until they were no longer available.
Tommy–You better believe I like it spicy! And I hear you about breakfast links–they always seem so rubbery to me. What are Johnsonville patties? Is that a place or a brand?
Lydia–Of course you can–I’ve tried it with ground turkey thigh meat and found it still delicious.
AlexisfromTexas–I don’t think I’ve ever been to Spring Creek Farm but on my next trip to North Texas I’m definitely planning a trip.
Brave Sir Robin–I don’t think the egg minds being called voluptuous at all! And I’m hoping to tackle homemade Mexican chorizo in the next few weeks. Diane Kennedy has a recipe I’m eager to try. Do you make it often?