Grilled Game Sausage with Wilted Greens
Submitted by kimmy1093
Grilled game sausage patties of ground duck, pork shoulder, and pancetta with cinnamon and cumin, wrapped in caul fat. Served on garlicky wilted kale with balsamic reduction.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minGrilled game sausage with wilted greens is a serious cook’s project plate that puts hand-ground sausage patties over a bed of garlicky kale. Rich duck goes through a coarse grind with pork shoulder and pancetta, seasoned with cinnamon and cumin for a Mediterranean-Moroccan edge, then formed into oval patties wrapped in caul fat for grilling.
Caul fat is the secret ingredient that elevates these patties from homemade burger to genuine sausage. The lacy membrane melts during cooking, basting the meat from outside and locking in juice. Most butchers can supply it on request; it freezes and thaws cleanly.
The rough grind matters. The recipe specifically calls for a coarse texture, which gives the sausage its signature meaty bite, not the homogenized texture of standard breakfast links. Run the cubed meats through the grinder just once on a coarser plate.
Wilting the kale in garlic-infused olive oil takes 2 to 3 minutes, and the recipe is firm about not over-cooking. The greens should be just wilted, still bright and with a slight chew, not browned or soft.
Chef Tips
- Chill the meat and the grinder parts in the freezer for 20 minutes before grinding. Cold meat grinds clean.
- Score-and-toast cumin seeds before grinding for deeper, smokier flavor.
- Let the patties rest 5 minutes off the grill before plating so the juices redistribute.
- Reduce balsamic vinegar to 20 percent slowly over low heat. Rushing burns the sugars.
- Pair with a glass of full-bodied red like Syrah or Cotes du Rhone.
Variations
- Substitute venison or wild boar for the duck for a deeper game flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of toasted fennel seed for a more Italian-style salsiccia profile.
- Swap kale for chard, broccoli rabe, or Tuscan kale for different green bitterness levels.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the broiler or grill Cut the duck, pork butt and Pancetta into ¼ inch cubes.
Run the meat through a grinder.
The mixture should be quite rough.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat with the cinnamon, cumin and salt.
Mix very well. Divide the mixture into 8 equal oval patties, about ½-inch thick. Wrap each patty in caul fat. Place the patties under the broiler or on the grill and cook through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside. In a large 12 to 14-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil until just smoking. Add the garlic and sauté until very light brown, about 2 minutes. Toss in the kale and sauté, stirring quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes, until just wilted but not too soft. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture equally on 4 plates and serve.
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