Recipe: 'Little House in the Big Woods' Breakfast Sausage

Little House in the Big Woods Breakfast Sausage 

Like Ma Wilder’s, this version uses only salt, sage, and loads of black pepper, but it also includes a healthy dose of good maple syrup, which makes all the difference in the world.

Makes 20 (4‑ounce) sausage patties

5 pounds ground pork shoulder

2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

3 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons dried sage

¼ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup ice-cold water

Place the ground pork shoulder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add the salt, pepper, and sage. Mix for exactly 1 minute (set a timer!).  Add the maple syrup and mix for another timed minute, then add the ice-cold water and mix for one more timed minute.

Form the sausage mixture into 4‑ounce patties and fry them over medium heat in a well-seasoned skillet for about 5 minutes per side. 

Note: If you aren’t going to cook all of the sausage patties right away, you should freeze them. Because the sugar content in the maple syrup is so high, the sugars will ferment over the course of about 3 days, causing the sausage to taste sour if you leave it in the refrigerator — which is why cooking immediately or freezing is your best bet. Stack the patties between layers of parchment paper before sealing them in a zip-top plastic bag. Frozen patties will keep for up to 6 months.

VORACIOUS recipes courtesy Little, Brown and Company
Copyright ©2015 by Cara Nicoletti