Quick Pork Sausage from Ground Pork
So we have some 160+ pounds of Pork in the freezer. I decided not to do any cured meat on this go round. So no bacon, no sausage, no cured hams. It was kind of a personal thing, I would just rather be 100% in control of what is used on my meat. That being said we have a ton, I forget the actual number, of ground pork. This, my friends, is not what I consider a problem. I love ground pork, in fact it is probably more versatile than ground beef, due to a higher fat content. However, what do you do when you want sausage but have only 20 or 30 pounds of ground pork staring at you from the freezer? Easy, you make quick sausage.
Let’s be upfront here though, quick is a relative term. From the time you pull the thawed pork out of the freezer till it is on the end of your fork is roughly an hour. However, it is mostly an hour of checking Facebook and fast-forwarding through reruns the DVR decided to record. What I usually do is do a few pounds like this on Sunday morning then I’ll have left-overs to heat up with eggs through-out the week.
So how. Easy. For this endeavor you are going to need a few things. Tell you what, I’ll start a list, it’ll be easier.
- 1lbs of ground pork. (The more fat the better, I realize that Kroger only cared reduced fat, which is nonsense, if that’s what you are using add some bacon fat or lard to the pan first.)
- Cast Iron Skillet with lid (I guess you could use something else, but why?)
- Fresh or Dried Cayenne Peppers to taste (red pepper flakes will sub)
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Thyme
- Garlic (either 1 clove fresh or a couple teaspoons of powder)
- 1 White or Yellow Onion
- Touch of the following, Cumin, White Pepper, and Allspice
Cool now that you’ve gotten your shit together let’s get some tasty pig going.
Step 1. Pre-heat your dry skillet on medium heat.
(Optional if using whole peppers) Step 1B. Chop your cayennes however your heart desires and deposit directly into the skillet. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes or just before the peppers start to burn. Depending on the day and the peppers I may use anywhere from 1 small cayenne per pound to 4 or 5. Feel free to experiment with other varieties as well.
Step 2. Add your pork directly to the skillet. Break up pork and stir enough to coat the pan with fat from the meat. Then turn heat down to very low, cover and check your email. Wander back through every 5-10 minutes to stir.
Step 3. About 15 Minutes in, go ahead and cut up your onion and add it to the mix. I prefer to chop mine pretty fine,
Step 4. After you add your onion and stir it. Add Thyme, Black Pepper, Garlic, Cumin, White Pepper and Allspice. Just a touch of the last three. If you dig it, you can also add Sage. Me, I’m not a fan but some areas of the country love it with their pork. Now re-cover. If you didn’t use whole peppers, add the red pepper flakes at this point.
Step 5. When your onions start to turn translucent, probably around 30-45 minutes of total cook time, depending on fat content, your stove and skillet, take the cover off and leave it off. Turn your heat back up to medium or so. All you want to do now is dry it up a bit and brown the sausage. You can also hit the mixture lightly with salt.
Step 6. When the bigger chunks hit 165 degrees or so, turn off the heat and let it slowly cool. This is when I start my eggs. Your pork is ready eat when it stops sizzling. Thank me later.
Until next time
Keep it real and keep it rural,
Lee