Breakfast Sausage

Makes 4 Patties

These tasty meat patties are great to have on hand for immediate consumption or to use in other recipes. They will hold, cooked, for several days in the refrigerator; they also freeze well for later use. Use ground chicken or turkey instead of pork, if you prefer. Last, to make a milder and possibly more child-friendly sausage mix, sauté the garlic, onion, and seasonings briefly before combining them with the meat.

1 pound unseasoned ground pork
¼ white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried red chile pepper (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients except the sesame oil and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Form the meat mixture into patties about 1 inch thick.
  3. Place a sauté pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Let it heat for a few minutes; test it by sprinkling a few drops of water into the pan; they should either evaporate in a second or skitter across the pan and take just a few seconds to evaporate.
  4. Add the oil and then quickly add the sausage patties. Let them brown for about 2 minutes on one side. Flip them, cover the pan, and let cook for about another 4 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Travis H. Bettinson, Personal Chef, Seattle, Washington www.junipfoods.com