DIY Sausage Patties in 10 Minutes!
BY ADINA STEIMAN
Just 10 minutes and a bowl is all you need to make your own homemade sausage patties, spiced just how you like them.
PHOTO BY DONNA RUHLMAN
Making your own sausage sounds like the kind of weekend cooking project it takes a whole week to recover from. But truth is, there’s no need to mess with meat grinders and sausage casings. And you definitely don’t need a lot of time. After all, delicious sausage is all about the filling—and that filling is just seasoned ground meat. Stick to patties rather than links, and you’re just minutes away from sausage, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Here’s how to DIY your own house sausage:
START WITH GROUND PORK
Good sausage needs fat as well as lean meat, so for the easiest starting point, pick ground pork: It usually comes packed with plenty of fat. And fat means flavor. And juiciness. And, you know, all the things you love about sausage. About 1 pound is a good starting point.
SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER
Believe it or not, you really can make a great sausage patty just using salt and pepper. Traditional British butcher’s sausages often contain nothing but pork and those two seasonings. So no matter what kind of sausage you want to make, start with the basics: 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper for every pound of meat.
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ADD HERBS AND SPICES (BUT DON’T GO CRAZY)
Before you start mixing your salt and pepper into your ground pork, raid your spice cabinet for some bonus add-ins. A couple dashes of dried sage, thyme, and rosemary = breakfast sausage. A teaspoon of curry powder, a hit of cayenne, and a handful of chopped cilantro makes an Indian-style sausage. Whole fennel seeds, a teaspoon of red-pepper flakes, and a couple minced garlic cloves give your sausage Italian flavor.
CRACK IN AN EGG, MIX, AND CHILL
The only other thing you need is an egg (or even just an egg white) to help your sausage patties hold together. Add one to the pork mixture and mix with your hands until well combined. Then chill for 15 minutes and form into 2- or 2 1/2-inch patties.
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PAN-FRY, TASTE, AND PAN-FRY SOME MORE
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in vegetable oil to coat the pan. Add a pinched-off end of one of your patties, fry it until cooked, then taste to make sure your sausage isn’t missing a bit more spice. If you’re good to go, fry your patties in batches until golden-brown on both sides and cooked through, which will take about 4 minutes per side. Then eat them with pancakes, eggs, steamed greens, or mashed potatoes. Hey, if you put them on crusty bread with a swipe of mayo, we won’t judge.
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