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Home » Food » Main Dishes » Pork » Spicy Breakfast Sausage

Spicy Breakfast Sausage

By Lana Stuart · Published: Nov 8, 2010 · Last Modified: Feb 8, 2021 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.
Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.
Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.

Whip up this spicy breakfast sausage for a delicious addition to your weekend breakfast. The spice level in this recipe is very flexible and can be adjusted from mild to hot. Five ingredients are all you need to make your own tasty breakfast sausage patties from scratch. Cook this sausage in patties and serve it with eggs and toast, or crumble it and serve in gravy over a buttermilk biscuit.

Now, if you want to get a bunch of southerners engaged in a lively debate, just mention who you think makes the best sausage. It's a big deal, believe me.

Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.

There are little "mom and pop" places dotted across the South where sausage is made according to old family recipes handed down through generations. And each sausage maker has his or her devotees.

Some are really tiny and make their recipe in small batches sold from the meat case in the back of their little country grocery store. Then there are others who are large producers shipping all over the country. Each with their own special recipe and all pretty darned good. 

The thing I enjoy about making homemade sausage is that you control the ingredients. Mild, medium, or hot it's up to you.

Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients You'll Need 
  • Purchasing Pork for Sausage Making
  • How to Make Spicy Breakfast Sausage
  • Mix the Ingredients
  • Form the Mixture into a Roll
  • Portion and Cook
  • Variations
  • FAQs
  • 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • You control the ingredients and the heat
  • No preservatives or fillers
  • Very versatile (use it for a breakfast casserole, breakfast sandwiches, in an omelet, for biscuits and gravy)
  • Budget and family friendly

Ingredients You'll Need 

  • Ground pork (25-40% fat content)
  • Black pepper
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Ground sage
  • Salt

You'll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Purchasing Pork for Sausage Making

Now, I'm not an expert sausage maker. I can't compete with "mom and pop" or with any of those big experts. But I do like to try my hand occasionally at putting together just the right combination of spices for pan sausage.

Keep in mind that if you're using ground pork from your local grocery store, it will probably have a much different texture from a commercially produced sausage. That's because the grocery store ground pork is usually a lot leaner which will produce a more dense patty.

If you want yours to be more moist, juicy, and tender, then tell the butcher what you're making and ask for fattier ground pork. A good store will grind it for you with a higher fat content. You want between 25 and 40% total fat. The only real way to know the level of fat that you like is to experiment. I'd advise you to start with about 30% fat and work up or down from there. And do remember that a lot of the fat renders out when cooked.

How to Make Spicy Breakfast Sausage

I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you'll find the recipe card.

Mix the Ingredients

Photo collage showing all the ingredients being added to a mixing bowl.

Simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Blend everything together thoroughly. I find it easier to just take off my rings and get my hands in there to mix it all up. However, you can also do the mixing in a stand mixer on low speed.

Once everything is well combined, it's a good idea to test the seasonings. Make a small quarter-sized patty and cook it until it's done all the way through. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Form the Mixture into a Roll

Photo collage showing the sausage being formed into a roll shape for storage.

You can cook the sausage immediately, or shape it into a roll, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready. I like to make it up the night before and then cook it the next morning.

Portion and Cook

Sausage roll on a cutting board being sliced into 8 pieces.

Divide the mixture into eight portions.

Eight sausage patties cooking in a skillet.

Shape each portion into a patty. Fry in an ungreased skillet over medium to medium-high heat until cooked through. You may need a little bit of oil in the pan if you've used leaner ground pork.

Cooked sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate.

Serve with hot biscuits and your favorite jam or jelly. I'll have some Mayhaw jelly with mine, please.

Variations

  • My recipe is very mild and simply flavored but you can adjust the seasonings to suit your own tastes. Starting with the basic recipe, make a quarter-sized patty, fry it in a skillet and have a taste. From there adjust the seasonings a little at a time until you find the combination you like best. 
  • Additional seasonings you might want to include: garlic powder (start with ¼ teaspoon), ground rosemary (start with ½ teaspoon), dried thyme (start with ½ teaspoon), and/or brown sugar (start with 2 teaspoons). 

FAQs

Can I freeze the raw breakfast sausage? 

Yes. You can freeze the entire pound of finished sausage or make individual patties to freeze. Freeze for up to six months in a freezer quality ziptop bag or other sealable, airtight container. Try to remove as much air as possible from the bag or container before freezing. Thaw the sausage overnight in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze cooked sausage?

Absolutely! Allow the cooked sausage to cool, then place in a freezer bag or container. Reheat from frozen either in the microwave or on the stovetop. 

More Recipes You'll Love ...

  • Herbed Baked Eggs
  • Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
  • Steak and Eggs
  • Ham and Cheese Strata
  • Homemade Granola
  • Hash Brown Casserole
  • Sausage Balls with Two Dipping Sauces
  • Sausage Potato Hash

More Great Sausage Recipes ...

  • Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties from Momables
  • Food Renegade's Homemade Breakfast Sausage
  • Homemade Breakfast Sausage from One Perfect Bite

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.

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📖 Recipe

Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.

Spicy Breakfast Sausage

Five ingredients are all you need to make tasty breakfast sausage patties from scratch. Make your own Spicy Breakfast Sausage this weekend!
4.56 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 patties
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground pork (25-40% fat content)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp ground sage
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • ½ tsp salt
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Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands or a stand mixer, blend together thoroughly.
  • To test your mixture for seasonings, make a small quarter-sized patty and cook until done throughout. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
  • Shape the mixture into patties. Fry in an ungreased skillet until cooked through.
  • Serve with hot biscuits and your favorite jam or jelly.

Notes

Variations
  • This recipe makes a very mild, simply flavored sausage. You can adjust the seasonings to suit your own tastes. Starting with the basic recipe, make a quarter-sized patty of sausage, fry it in a skillet and have a taste. From there adjust the seasonings a little at a time until you find the combination you like best. 
  • Additional seasonings you might want to include: garlic powder (start with ¼ teaspoon), ground rosemary (start with ½ teaspoon), dried thyme (start with ½ teaspoon), and/or brown sugar (start with 2 teaspoons). 
FAQs
  • Can I Freeze Raw Breakfast Sausage? Yes. You can freeze the entire pound of finished sausage or make individual sausage patties to freeze. Freeze for up to six months in a freezer quality ziptop bag or other sealable, airtight container. Try to remove as much air as possible from the bag or container before freezing. Thaw the sausage overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Can I Freeze Cooked Sausage? Absolutely! Allow the cooked sausage to cool, then place in a freezer bag or container. Reheat from frozen either in the microwave or on the stovetop. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2g | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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-- This post was originally published on November 8, 2010.

About Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

Previous Post: « Olive Rosemary French Toast
Next Post: Kumquat and Dried Cherry Chutney »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wooleybare says

    November 15, 2010 at 8:49 pm

    if ur in NC, buy some Neese's sausage which is made in that state. their distribution is limited. sometimes u find it in SC. they make a reg, hot, and sage (the best) in one pound 'blocks'. i have emailed them several times, encouraging them to come to GA.

    Reply
    • Lana says

      November 15, 2010 at 9:45 pm

      Never heard of Neece's sausage, but I'll look next time I'm through North Carolina. Thanks!

      Reply
      • wooleybare says

        November 16, 2010 at 1:18 pm

        maybe we we flood them with requests to expand their service area, we will be able to get their products in GA.

  2. begin with a Sunny Outlook says

    November 10, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    Wow! That looks good. I love the pure ingredients of homemade. I think homemade can be healthier because you know what you're eating - you don't get all that processed stuff they put in food nowadays.

    Reply
  3. Kristen says

    November 10, 2010 at 4:13 pm

    I honestly had no idea you could make your own sausage like this. Impressive!

    Reply
    • Lana says

      November 10, 2010 at 5:34 pm

      Thanks, Kristen. Yes, it's pretty easy but you have to work on getting the seasonings just right for your family.

      Reply
  4. Amy from She Wears Many Hats says

    November 10, 2010 at 4:04 pm

    YUM! Can I come next time you make this?

    Reply
    • Lana says

      November 10, 2010 at 5:33 pm

      Amy, you can come over any time you like!

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Lana Stuart, the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 so I could share my delicious home cooking recipes with all of you. You'll find almost 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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