Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausage

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 8 mins

Total: 13 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Yield: 8 Patties

In general, homemade is better than store-bought, and this spiced pork sausage is no exception. Taking a mere 15 minutes, and calling for just ground pork and pantry spices, this sausage mixture makes breakfast patties with a kick; if you want a milder sausage, feel free to leave out the cayenne and red pepper flakes or use a little less.

For even fresher sausage, grind pork loin or lean pork shoulder with a meat grinder or mince it in the food processor. Remember to cook ground pork to a minimum of 160 F, using a​ food thermometer to check the temperature. To always have homemade breakfast sausage on hand, multiply the recipe, cook all of the sausage patties, and freeze some for later. Serve with your favorite egg dishes and a side of fruit.

«These well-balanced breakfast patties had a nice touch of warmth from the nutmeg and pepper. The sage certainly gave them a true breakfast sausage flavor. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense, tough patties.» —Craig Ruff

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1 teaspoon packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 to 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, for frying

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. In a large bowl, combine the pork, brown sugar, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, allspice, nutmeg, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Mix with your hands until just blended.

   

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

   

4. Shape the pork mixture into eight (2-ounce) patties, about 1/2-inch thick. Fry on both sides until golden and the internal temperature registers 160 F on a food thermometer, 7 to 9 minutes total.

   

5. Serve hot.

   

Recipe Variations

• For a traditional sage flavor, use 2 teaspoons of dried rubbed sage and omit the thyme, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• For a healthier version, substitute ground turkey meat for the pork, which will lower the level of saturated fat.

Is There a Difference Between Breakfast Sausage Patties and Links?

In addition to the differences in shape, there are other variations between breakfast patties and links. Some links have a casing while patties do not, and patties are often more strongly flavored compared to the links.

 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	205
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 2g	11%
Cholesterol 67mg	22%
Sodium 367mg	16%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 25mg	2%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 362mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.