Maple Breakfast Sausage with Buttery Red Eye Gravy

It’s been my experience that most folks won’t bother giving a sausage recipe a second look. They think it requires special equipment and a chemistry degree. Grinders, cures and casings — and, really, what are those casings made of anyway?

This breakfast sausage recipe is as simple as making venison burgers. Nothing more than a knife and a pair of hands is required. Uncooked sausages can be frozen for a year or so.

Print Recipe

Maple Breakfast Sausage with Buttery Red Eye Gravy

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: big game recipes, ground venison recipes, venison recipes

Ingredients

• 8 cups ground venison (4 pounds)
• 2 cups ground pork (1 pound)
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp rubbed (ground) sage, or 1 tbsp fresh minced sage leaves
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup real maple syrup

Buttery Red Eye Gravy

• 4 strips bacon
• ½ cup strong-brewed coffee
• ¼ cup beef or venison broth
• 3 tbsp chilled butter
• freshly ground black pepper
• pinch salt

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine all sausage ingredients, and mix well. Divide into four equal portions. Each of the four portions will make about 6 3-ounce patties. You can make each portion into individual patties and freeze, or freeze the portions in bulk and make the patties at a later date. Or you can make a big pile of delicious sausages and invite family and friends over for breakfast.
• Form sausage mixture into patties, and press firmly to help hold them together while cooking. Place sausages into a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Brown evenly on both sides until just cooked but not overcooked. Remove sausages from pan, and keep warm.
• Add bacon to pan, and cook until lightly browned. Remove bacon, and leave grease in pan. Increase heat to medium-high and add coffee and venison broth. Stir to remove bits stuck to pan. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat, and whisk butter into pan until emulsified. Whisk in pepper and salt. Arrange sausages on plates or a platter, and spoon sauce over.

Notes

Freezer tip: If you choose to freeze uncooked sausage patties, place them on a lightly greased baking sheet, and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Place a small square of wax paper between patties, and freeze with a vacuum-packaging until or in freezer-safe zipper-lock bags.