Wednesday, February 17, 2016

WHAT'S COOKING | CHICKEN BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Happy Wednesday everyone! Only two more days until the weekend, and that makes me smile.
 
A few weeks ago, I purchased a food grinder attachment for my KitchenAid, and boy has that thing gotten a workout ever since.  I use the grinder multiple times a week and I've only used the mixer portion once since I got this bad boy for Christmas. Slightly pathetic. Clearly I grind a lot more meat than I make baked goods.  I love it. A lot.
 
The main reason for purchasing the grinder was to make venison burger and summer sausage from the deer that Joe gets each year. And while the venison is still hanging out in the freezer waiting to be transformed, I have been busy making breakfast sausage with chicken.
 
If you're looking for a healthier and/or cheaper alternative to the premade store bought sausage, then here's a recipe to file away.  You really don't even need a food grinder to make your own.  You can simply buy ground pork, chicken or turkey from the store and use that as your base.
 
Another plus to this recipe is that you can cook the sausage after you mix it and freeze it for a later day.  Just take one from the freezer and pop it in the microwave. Totally acceptable for those who are rushing out the door in the morning.

 
Chicken Breakfast Sausage

2 lbs chicken breast, cubed (or 2 lbs ground chicken/turkey/pork)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp marjoram

If you are grinding your own meat, cube it into pieces about 1.5"x1.5".  I find that my grinder works best if the meat is really cold but not frozen.  (As the grinder warms up it tends to melt the fat making it slightly slower)

Run the cubed chicken through your grinder on a low speed with a bowl placed below to catch the meat.  Take the bowl of freshly ground chicken and evenly sprinkle your salt, pepper, sage and marjoram.  (If you want a maple flavored sausage, pour in 3 Tbs of pure maple syrup.) Using your hands, mix the spices into the meat but be careful not to over-mix. 

You can place the chicken sausage in a ziplock and use over the course of the week or you can form into patties and cook them in a pan over medium-low heat cooking each side for about 3-4 minutes.

From start to finish in pictures:





I can tell you this sausage doesn't last long in our house. ...And I may or may not have had some from lunch today. :)

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