Tag: homemade

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I’ve made homemade breakfast sausage from scratch before. I picked up a few pork shoulders, trimmed them, ground them (twice) and added seasonings. But I don’t always have the time (or energy, really) to do all that work. That’s when my quick fix homemade breakfast sausage comes in handy.

Note: It’s not uncommon for many homemade sausage recipes to say that you should refrigerate your mixer bowl and even utensils before starting. I agree if you’re grinding your meats from rough cuts, but in this case we start with already-ground pork so I don’t think it’s necessary to start out ‘cold’. That doesn’t mean that you can’t. And it might be a good idea if you’re working in a particularly warm kitchen or area.

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I use a great seasoning mix from A.C. Legg’s that I picked up on Amazon. It has just the right blend of spices without having too much sage or black pepper.
I cook the quick fix homemade breakfast sausage as soon as I make it. I crumble it and freeze it in batches so I can make breakfast cups for Anita’s breakfasts during the week. You can also form it into patties. I also love smoking breakfast sausage for a fantastically different flavor.

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage
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5 from 1 vote

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I use a great seasoning mix from A.C. Legg’s that I picked up on Amazon. It has just the right blend of spices without having too much sage or black pepper.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword breakfast, quick fix, sausage
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Calories 1193kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon breakfast sausage seasoning mix or slightly more, breakfast sausage mix (I use A.C Legg's seasoning)

Instructions

  • Place the pork into your mixer bowl and place into the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.
  • Place onto mixer using the bread hook and mix for 5-10 minutes.
  • If this is your first time making the sausage I recommend that you take a small handful of the mixed sausage and cook it in a skillet. Taste it after it cools (while cooling place the uncooked meat mixture into the freezer in case you need to mix more). If you need to, add more seasoning and mix well.
  • Freeze or cook the sausage. You can also form it into patties if you wish.

Notes

I use a mixer to combine the meat and seasonings. You can use your hands if you wish, just make sure the meat and the bowl you are using for mixing are very cold before mixing.

Nutrition

Calories: 1193kcal | Protein: 77g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 1302mg | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Homemade Pastrami

I’ve been making homemade pastrami for years. I make what is commonly called ‘cheater’ pastrami, or ‘fauxstrami’. I don’t start with a brisket, brine (or ‘corn’) it for ages and then smoke it. Instead, I start with a corned beef brisket. The end result is absolutely fantastic.

Homemade Pastrami

I load up on corned beefs any time they are on sale. My relatives and neighbors absolutely love it when I make pastrami. It’s always a huge hit.

I took a slightly different approach than my traditional method and I’ve found this way to make homemade pastrami to be even better than the old. You still get that slight peppery bite, but the pastrami-like flavor seems more pronounced and further penetrates the meat than when I use a more coarse spice grind.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. For this pastrami I went with apple.

Homemade Pastrami
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Pastrami

I load up on corned beefs any time they are on sale. My relatives and neighbors absolutely love it when I make pastrami. It’s always a huge hit.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword corned beef, smoked
Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 16 hours
Servings 1 corned beef
Calories 2012kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse and dry the corned beef.
  • Whisk together the mustard, brown sugar, coriander and allspice. You want the mixture to be slightly wet so that it adheres to the meat. If it does not, add a bit more mustard and mix.
  • Rub the mixture all over the brisket, then cover completely with the ground pepper. Place in a large resealable bag or wrap tightly in foil and keep in the fridge overnight.
  • The next day, fire up your smoker for 225-250 F. Place a chunk or two of light fruit wood in the smoker (I used cherry). Cook the brisket for at least 8 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195 – 205 F.
  • Remove, wrap in foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Thinly slice the brisket against the grain using a meat slicer or sharp knife. Serve.

Notes

I usually buy reduced sodium corned beef to make pastrami. If you have concerns over the amount of sodium, soak your brisket in cold water for 2 hours, replacing the water every 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 2012kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 136g | Fat: 137g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Cholesterol: 486mg | Sodium: 11313mg | Potassium: 3116mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 246mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 19mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chipotles in Adobo

I go thru a lot of chipotles in adobo sauce. I have an entire section of one of my pantry shelves devoted to cans of them. So it occurred to me that I should try my hand at making them at home. These chiptoles in adobo came out fantastically. Great smoky flavor and a bit of heat. They do take a bit of time to prepare, but they are oh so worth the trouble.

Chipotles in Adobo

I dried my smoked jalapenos in my Nesco Snackmaster Pro dehydrator. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can place the jalapenos on a baking sheet and place in the oven at the lowest temperature setting. Rotate the jalapenos every few hours until dried. The chipotles were the star ingredient my Texas chipotle burgers and on my adobo Buffalo chicken wings!

You can also skip the smoking and drying of the jalapenos and buy dried chipotles at your marketplace. In our grocery store the dried peppers can be found by the produce section.

I like to load up my dehydrator. To do that I picked up a handful of extra trays. They really add a whole lot more drying space! Since I have to rotate my trays, I write a number on each one on a piece of blue painter’s tape so I can keep track of them.

You can also make bacon bits using your Nesco Snackmaster Pro.

Chipotles in Adobo
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4 from 1 vote

Chipotles in Adobo

These chiptoles in adobo came out fantastically. Great smoky flavor and a bit of heat. They do take a bit of time to prepare, but they are oh so worth the trouble.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword chipotle, sauce
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 days 8 hours
Total Time 2 days 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 12 chipotles
Calories 22kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 12 jalapenos
  • Boiling water
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 medium onion sliced thin
  • 4 large garlic cloves chopped
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ tablespoon black peppercorns

Instructions

  • Fire up a smoker for smoking at 250 F. Use a strong wood such as hickory.
  • Add the jalapenos to the smoker and smoke until browned and shriveled, at least 4 hours.
  • Remove and let cool slightly then transfer to a dehydrator and dry at 135 F for 24-48 hours or until completely dried.
  • Remove the stems (and seeds, if desired) and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Cover with hot water. Cover with a plate to weigh the peppers down into the water and let soak for 20 minutes.
  • Remove 4 of the peppers and transfer to a blender.
  • Add the tomato puree and honey and 1/2 cup of the soaking water.
  • Blend until you have a paste.
  • Take the remaining peppers and the soaking liquid and transfer to a pot. Add in the paste.
  • Add the onion, garlic, vinegar, salt and peppercorns.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 hours until thick. If the sauce gets too thick add a bit of water.
  • Store in the freezer or use within a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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