A meat grinder a few spices are all you need to make Alton Brown's homemade breakfast sausage recipe. Best served with eggs and toast.

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: Breakfast, Breakfast Sausage, Brunch, Make-Ahead, Meat, Pork

Breakfast Sausage

Name: Breakfast Sausage
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds (2 1/2 pounds with bone) Boston pork butt, diced into 1/4-inch cubes; 8 ounces fat back, diced into 1/4-inch cubes; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves; 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

ACTIVE TIME: 30

TOTAL TIME: 1 45

Yield: 2 pounds or 16 (2-inch) patties

With the help of a meat grinder and a few spices, sweet and savory breakfast sausage is an easy morning treat you can make at home.

It is a happy coincidence that the sausage most at home on the American palate is also the easiest sausage to put on the American plate. Country breakfast sausage was introduced to these shores by English settlers, and the basic flavor combination of pork, sage, and pepper has remained a favorite for hundreds of years. Which is not to say that there haven't been hundreds of variations. What I really like best about breakfast sausage is that it doesn't need a casing. You just make patties put them in a pan, and go.

Photo by Lynne Calamia

This recipe first appeared in Season 7 of Good Eats.

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Software

2 pounds (2 1/2 pounds with bone) Boston pork butt, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
8 ounces fat back, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Specialized Hardware

meat grinder

ACTIVE TIME: 30

TOTAL TIME: 1 45

Yield: 2 pounds or 16 (2-inch) patties

Procedure

In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine diced pork with all other ingredients, toss, and chill for 1 hour.
Using the fine blade of a meat grinder, grind about 1 cup of the pork mixture at a time. Form into 2-inch rounds. Wrap in butcher paper, refrigerate and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
For immediate use, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan. Saute until brown and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.