Chef John's Breakfast Sausage Patties

Ask your butcher for coarsely ground pork shoulder (or grind it yourself), add a few tasty seasonings, and enjoy your own homemade breakfast sausage patties.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 160 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 pound coarsely ground pork shoulder
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, or more to taste - lightly crushed
• 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 0.125 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.5 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place pork, fennel seeds, orange zest, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg into a bowl and stir very lightly with a fork to combine. Do not overmix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2

Check seasonings before using: Shape about 2 teaspoons sausage into a small patty and fry until brown in a skillet over medium heat. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes and taste for seasoning.

Step 3

Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap. Divide sausage into 6 equal pieces, roll into a balls, and wrap each ball with plastic wrap. Press flat into patties and discard plastic.

Step 4

Place a heavy skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook patties in hot skillet until meat is no longer pink in the center and the sausage is browned, about 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.