Wayside Country Sausage

Once you grind your own breakfast sausage, the store-bought stuff just doesn’t cut it anymore.

This country-style recipe starts with a trimmed pork shoulder run through a meat grinder, then seasoned with the classic combination of crumbled sage, thyme, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.

No fillers, no preservatives, no mystery ingredients. Just honest pork and herbs.

Shape them into patties and pan-fry low and slow until they’re deeply browned on both sides with crispy edges and juicy centers.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the pork cold while grinding. Warm meat smears instead of cutting cleanly, and you’ll end up with a mushy texture.
• Don’t skimp on the slow cooking. Low heat renders the fat properly and gives you that golden crust without burning the outside while the center stays raw.
• Mix the seasonings in by hand, gently. Overworking the meat makes the patties tough and bouncy instead of tender.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy Southern kick.
• Mix in a tablespoon of maple syrup for sweet maple breakfast sausage.
• Swap thyme for fennel seed to go in an Italian direction.