Country Sausage
intro
Savory, sage-forward pan-fried country sausage, a classic Southern American staple perfect alongside eggs, biscuits, or sawmill gravy for a cozy, hearty meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Blend the spice mix
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 0.5 teaspoon onion powder for 30 seconds until fully evenly combined, with no clumps of brown sugar remaining.
Combine sausage base
Place 900 grams of cold coarse 80/20 ground pork in a large stainless steel mixing bowl, pour in the pre-mixed spice blend and 60 ml of ice-cold water. Use clean, cold hands to gently fold and mix the ingredients for 1 to 2 minutes, just until spices are evenly distributed across the meat; do not overmix, as this will create tough, dense sausage.
Chill sausage mixture
Tightly cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator set to 4C (40F) to rest for 10 minutes. This rest allows spices to infuse into the pork and keeps the meat firm, preventing fat from rendering out too quickly during frying.
Form sausage patties
Remove the chilled sausage mixture from the fridge, divide it into 8 equal 113-gram (4-oz) portions, then shape each portion into a round, 1cm (0.4-inch) thick patty. Press a 5mm (0.2-inch) deep dimple into the center of each patty to prevent curling as it cooks.
Preheat cast iron skillet
Add 1 tablespoon of neutral canola oil to a large 30cm (12-inch) cast iron skillet, heat over medium heat (175C / 350F surface temperature) for 2 minutes, until the oil shimmers gently and moves easily across the pan surface, but does not smoke.
Sear first patty side
Carefully place 4 patties in the preheated skillet, leaving 2cm (1 inch) of open space between each patty to avoid steaming instead of searing. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes on the first side, until the bottom develops a deep golden-brown crisp crust.
Cook patties through
Flip each patty with a thin metal spatula, then cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the second side, until the internal temperature reaches 71C (160F) on an instant-read thermometer and no pink remains in the patty center. Transfer cooked patties to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess fat, then repeat the searing and cooking process with the remaining 4 patties.
Tips
2.Never press down on sausage patties with a spatula while cooking, as this squeezes out flavorful rendered fat and moisture, leaving you with dry, less tasty sausage.
3.Uncooked formed patties can be frozen for up to 3 months, separated by small squares of parchment paper to prevent sticking, for quick, easy meals with zero prep needed.
OMG this homemade sausage is SO good! I made it for Sunday family breakfast yesterday and everyone went back for seconds. I added a tiny extra pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick, perfect with biscuits and gravy. Total game changer compared to the store bought stuff that’s loaded with weird preservatives.
This recipe is perfect for my weekly meal prep! I made a double batch on Sunday, portioned it out, and have been using it for breakfast scrambles, lunch sausage wraps, even tossed a little in my pasta sauce this week. It’s so easy to throw together, I can’t believe I never tried making homemade sausage before!
Threw this on the griddle for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging for the recipe! Got that classic southern sage flavor I remember from my grandma’s kitchen, no weird fillers. 10/10 will be making this every other weekend from now on.
Wait, I was worried this would be too complicated since I’m a total beginner cook, but it was actually so easy! Cook time was right at 30 minutes like the recipe said, no fancy equipment needed. My roommate walked in and thought I ordered from that fancy southern spot downtown 😂
My kids loved it! I was nervous the sage flavor would be too strong for my picky 7 and 9 year old, but they ate two servings each and asked if we could have it for camping breakfast next month. So much better than the frozen sausage patties we usually buy.
Solid base recipe! I added a little smoked paprika and a pinch of brown sugar to mine for that sweet-savory balance, turned out incredible. Used it to make sausage egg and cheese biscuits for my drive to work all week, zero regrets. Easy enough for a weeknight, fancy enough for weekend brunch.
Made this for our Florida beach house brunch with friends last weekend, and it was the star of the spread! Served it with cheesy grits, fried eggs, and homemade biscuits, not a single crumb left. Will absolutely be adding this to our regular brunch rotation.
Super easy recipe, came out perfect on the first try! I didn’t have fresh sage so I used dried, and it still tasted exactly like the country sausage I grew up eating in North Carolina. Great for quick breakfasts before school drop off, no junk ingredients which is a huge plus for me.
Wait y’all, I messed up the first batch by adding too much salt, but even then it was still good! Second go-round I measured properly and wow, that’s the good stuff. Used it to make sausage gravy this morning and my partner said it’s better than the diner we go to on weekends.
I was skeptical homemade sausage could measure up to the butcher shop stuff I usually buy, but this blew it out of the water. The sage and black pepper ratio is spot on, no weird aftertaste, and it only took 30 minutes total. Game changer for my weekend breakfast pizzas!
I made these into slider-sized patties for my kid’s soccer team potluck last Saturday, and every single parent asked for the recipe! They were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and the flavor is that perfect classic southern sausage taste I remember from summer visits to my grandparent’s farm in Alabama. SO good.
Took me longer to get the seasonings out of the cabinet than it did to mix this up! Cooked them up in my cast iron skillet, got that perfect crispy edge, served with over easy eggs and sourdough toast. 10/10, no notes, will be a staple in my house from now on.