Little House in the Big Woods breakfast sausage
Like Ma Wilder's, this version uses only salt, sage, and loads of black pepper, but it also includes a healthy dose of good maple syrup, which makes all the difference in the world.
Makes 20 (4-ounce) sausage patties
Ingredients
5 pounds ground pork shoulder
2½ tablespoons kosher salt
3½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons dried sage
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup ice-cold water
Method
Place the ground pork shoulder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add the salt, pepper, and sage. Mix for exactly one minute (set a timer!). Add the maple syrup and mix for another timed minute, then add the ice-cold water and mix for one more timed minute.
Form the sausage mixture into four-ounce patties and fry them over medium heat in a well-seasoned skillet for about 5 minutes per side.
Note: If you aren’t going to cook all of the sausage patties right away, you should freeze them. Because the sugar content in the maple syrup is so high, the sugars will ferment over the course of about 3 days, causing the sausage to taste sour if you leave it in the refrigerator – which is why cooking immediately or freezing is your best bet. Stack the patties between layers of parchment paper before sealing them in a zip-top plastic bag. Frozen patties will keep for up to 6 months.