Breakfast Sausage

[OnAFly]

I got some seasoning to make breakfast sausage out of some ground elk I've got.

My question is, how much pork do I have to mix in? Do I have to mix in pork? I would like to make it as lean as possible without completely destroying the flavor and texture.

[thirdeye]

We typically use 40% ground butt to 60% of venison or elk. For folks that want a little less gamey taste I'll go 50:50.

If leaness is your goal you could trim more fat from the butt, or use lower fat pork, like ground loin. However butt is about perfect for sausage.

[pikestabber]

Elk is very lean, so if you don't mix in pork, you will end up with dry, crumbly sausage. I like very moist sausage, so I go at least 70/30 (30% pork). However, in the interest of being healthier, you can substitute finely diced, seeded, peeled green apple. This will add moisture without adding fat. I haven't made this particular recipe, but it is an alternative you can try (make a small batch first to see if you like it). Maybe others have better recipes:

Mix and refrigerate overnight or freeze:

4 lbs. of ground elk

Breakfast Sausage Seasoning (enough for 5lbs. of meat)

Add before making patties:

1.5 cups peeled, finely chopped, tart green apple

Make small patties and fry in heated oil until no longer pink in 2 T. of cooking oil.

What do others suggest for healthier, leaner sausage without compromising moisture and texture?

[reinhard1]

i make my batches in 25 pound batches. without getting too "dry" i would use 15 pounds of elk, 5 pounds of pork butt , and 5 pounds of pork fat. you can order the pork fat from the meat dept at cub or others. i make mine with roughly 12 pounds of venison, 8 pounds of pork butt and 5 pounds of pork fat. this combination is for breakfast sausage. i also add a can or bottle of beer [not dark] for moisture and mixing the spices well. good luck.

[OnAFly]

Thanks for the replies. I'll go for the 2/3 elk 1/3 pork and see how it goes. If the texture is no good, I'll add more pork. I'm not worried about the gaminess. I've eaten so much if it, beef now tastes a little funny to me

[reinhard1]

i would suggest that the 1/3 pork not be lean pork. just pork butt will not fatten it up enough. some pork fat will be needed in my opinion. i use a 50/50 pork trim when it is available for me to get it. otherwise my portion of pork is so much pork butt and so much pork fat. i only say this not knowing what type of pork you were talking about and if this is your first time making fresh sausage. good luck.

[OnAFly]

It is my first try at this. I'll just be making patties for now since I've got no grinder/stuffer.

[thirdeye]

This is ground pork butt, so you can kind of visulaize what your sausage will look like if you use 30%, 40% or 50% of it into your wild game.

One good tip before grinding is to slice your meat into cubes or thick strips, then put it into the freezer until it's icy. This will help it grind easier.

[reinhard1]

ok, is the elk you have already ground? if it is you can order ground pork from the meat dept. and it would be easy to mix for you. sorry for the back and forth, i'm just trying to help a little. if you need any more help in the future with sausage you can pm me and i will give you my number. good luck.

[thirdeye]

ok, is the elk you have already ground? if it is you can order ground pork from the meat dept. and it would be easy to mix for you. sorry for the back and forth, i'm just trying to help a little. if you need any more help in the future with sausage you can pm me and i will give you my number. good luck.

Good catch on that one, I read right over grinder/stuffer. In addition to patties, you can make skinnies.... just form the bulk sausage into link shapes and you can still enjoy them on a hot dog bun. This is great for folks that don't care for natural gut.

Or you can make fatties using 3/4 to 1 pound of sausage. It will be just like the logs of breakfast sausage you see in the stores. Add some additional seasonings to the outside of them and put in your smoker at 225 degrees (indirect) for about 3 hours, or until the internal is above 165. Remove, wrap in foil and rest on the counter for 30 or 40 minutes.

[reinhard1]

that is one thing i have never done [roll the sausage into brat or hot dog form]. why? i dont have a clue. i think that would be great for like you said about the natural casing or the elderly who have a tough time with casings at times. thanks. good luck.

[OnAFly]

The elk is already ground, so I had bought some ground pork today. Just judging by the fat content of the pork, it should be quite lean when mixed. I will try cooking a small amount and if it's just too lean, I'll mix in more pork or possibly see if I can just get some ground pork fat.

Again, thanks for the tips everyone

[reinhard1]

hope it works out for you and let us know how it turns out. good luck.

[thirdeye]

The elk is already ground, so I had bought some ground pork today. Just judging by the fat content of the pork, it should be quite lean when mixed. I will try cooking a small amount and if it's just too lean, I'll mix in more pork or possibly see if I can just get some ground pork fat.

Again, thanks for the tips everyone

Test cooks are a good idea. All of us sausage makers do that. Then we adjust to taste. But in your case, considering a lower fat sausage is what you are after.... I'm a firm believer that seasonings can take the place of fat. So keep that in mind.

Oh, and the leaner the sausage, the more carefu; you need to be so you don't overcook it.

[OnAFly]

Yeah, when I first started cooking more healthy, I dried out quite a few meals

I've gotten a little better since then.

[OnAFly]

I got the sausage made last night. I used 2 lbs of pork and 4 lbs of elk.

I put in as much seasoning as recommended but it just didn't have much for flavor. So, I started adding a little more and smelling it until it smelled right. Then I made a small patty and cooked it up.

It came out awesome! I had a nice sausage&egg sandwich for breakfast this AM...best breakfast I've had in a little while!

I was surprised how well it stayed together. That was what I was most worried about. But it was fine. Making thin patties was easy so I made 6 packages patties. We should be good for a little while

[reinhard1]

i'm glad it worked for you. sounds like your happy and that's what matters. good luck.