Beef Summer Sausage

I like meat. I wouldn't say I eat a lot, but every once in a while you need some spicy, garlicky summer sausage, right? And unlike many other cured meats, this comes together in just one day! One ingredient you do have to go out of your way for, however, is this Morton's Tender Quick. I had to order it online because I couldn't find it in stores. Once I tried what I thought was an adequate substitute (probably the tenderizer) and it was a disaster! The smallest bag is like 5 pounds or something and if you only use a tablespoon at a time it will last forever--but it's worth it! This is adapted from a recipe I found online several years ago (here is the original).

2 pounds ground sirloin

1/2 cup water

1 + 1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon (or more) finely minced garlic

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Morton Tender Quick (NOT tenderizer)

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together. Divide into 2-3 parts and roll each into a firm cylinder. Place each on a sheet of aluminum foil with the shiny side against the meat. Wrap so the seam side is up and refrigerate for 24 hours. Punch holes with a fork into the bottom of the rolls. Place on a rack set into a rimmed pan and bake at 325 degrees for 90 minutes.

Easy Breakfast Sausage

I fry up one of these patties for breakfast every other day or so. They are especially tasty on toast! I use ground chicken, though you can certainly try ground pork or turkey. Turkey is very dry however, so the patty doesn't stick together as well. Liberally adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe.

olive/veg. oil

1 shallot or small onion, minced

2-3 cloves (or more!) garlic, minced

2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds

2 tablespoons mustard (I use a mix of Dijon and whole-grain)

2 tablespoons sage, minced (less if using dried)

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound ground chicken

salt & pepper

Saute shallot in the oil over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook one minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, sage, tomatoes and cayenne; let cool. Mix with ground chicken, season with salt and pepper.

At this point you can form into patties (6-8) and fry up immediately. I usually put patties on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze. After they are frozen, store in a freezer bag and cook up at your leisure.