What Gives Breakfast Sausage Its Flavor? A Look at the Seasonings That Make it so Tasty

Breakfast sausage is a breakfast staple that many people enjoy From links to patties, it adds delicious flavor to any morning meal. But have you ever wondered what gives breakfast sausage its signature taste? The answer lies in the blend of herbs and spices added to the ground pork

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the seasonings that come together to create the mouthwatering flavor of breakfast sausage Whether you buy it pre-made or want to try making your own homemade breakfast sausage, understanding the spices involved can help you appreciate just how tasty breakfast sausage really is

An Overview of Breakfast Sausage

Breakfast sausage is made from ground pork and seasoned heavily with herbs and spices. It comes in two main forms – links and patties. The sausage itself has a mild pork flavor, so it relies on the seasoning blend for most of its taste.

Store-bought and homemade breakfast sausages typically contain a mix of 5-10 different seasonings. These spices complement each other to give the sausage its signature bold, savory flavor. The spices also help preserve the sausage.

While the herb and spice blend varies between recipes, there are a few key players that show up frequently. Let’s look at the most common seasonings used to make breakfast sausage so flavorful.

7 Key Spices That Give Breakfast Sausage Its Signature Taste

1. Black Pepper

Black pepper adds both heat and aroma to breakfast sausage. It provides a bit of spicy kick and brings out the flavor of the other spices. Recipes call for 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper per pound of meat.

2. Sage

Sage is definitely the most popular herb used to make breakfast sausage. Its woodsy, earthy flavor pairs perfectly with pork. The distinctive sage taste shines through in a breakfast sausage blend. Most recipes include 1⁄2 to 1 tablespoon of dried sage per pound of meat.

3. Fennel Seeds

Crushed fennel seeds lend a sweet, licorice-like flavor to breakfast sausage. About 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon per pound provides nice background flavor. Fennel helps balance the other, stronger spices.

4. Thyme

Thyme has a woodsy, minty taste that blends well with sage. Around 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme per pound of meat enhances breakfast sausage’s herbal flavor.

5. Rosemary

Like thyme and sage, rosemary has an earthy flavor. It’s often used sparingly in breakfast sausage – about 1⁄8 teaspoon dried rosemary per pound provides a subtle taste.

6. Red Pepper Flakes

A touch of red pepper flakes brings a hint of heat to balance breakfast sausage’s richness. Most recipes call for just 1⁄8 teaspoon or less per pound of pork.

7. Garlic Powder

Garlic powder offers a savory, pungent note. About 1⁄2 teaspoon per pound works well. Fresh minced garlic can also be used.

As you can see, sage, black pepper, and fennel seeds are key players in most breakfast sausage spice blends. But other herbs like thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder lend supporting flavor. Red pepper flakes add a touch of heat.

Let’s look at a few other seasonings that sometimes make their way into breakfast sausage recipes.

Additional Breakfast Sausage Spices

While the herbs and spices above are the most popular, breakfast sausage seasoning mixes often contain a few other ingredients as well:

• Smoked paprika adds sweet smokiness.

• Onion and garlic powders provide savory flavor.

• Coriander contributes a subtle, lemony taste.

• Nutmeg gives a hint of warmth.

• Ginger adds a little zing.

• Cayenne pepper brings extra heat.

• Mustard seeds offer pungency.

• Cloves give a sweet, aromatic flavor.

• Allspice has peppery, nutmeg-like taste.

• Cumin provides an earthy flavor.

As you can see, recipes can vary quite a bit in terms of additional seasonings beyond the core herbs and spices. But the key trio of sage, black pepper, and fennel, along with supporting herbs like thyme and rosemary, tends to lead the flavor charge.

Specialty Breakfast Sausage Seasonings

Certain specialty breakfast sausages highlight other signature flavors:

• Maple breakfast sausage contains maple syrup or maple flavoring to give it a touch of sweetness.

• Apple maple breakfast sausage includes apple juice or chunks of apple along with maple syrup.

• Hot and spicy breakfast sausage amps up the heat with extra cayenne, chili powder, crushed red pepper, or paprika.

• Italian-style breakfast sausage uses more fennel seeds, oregano, basil, and sometimes red wine.

• Sweet Italian breakfast sausage adds a bit of sugar or maple syrup.

• Chicken apple breakfast sausage combines sage and other spices with chicken and apples or apple juice.

So while most standard breakfast sausage contains sage, black pepper, and fennel as the dominant spices, specialized versions highlight other flavors.

Now let’s look at some tips for making your own homemade breakfast sausage so you can put all this spicy knowledge to work.

Tips for Making Your Own Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Making your own homemade breakfast sausage is a great way to control the ingredients. Here are some tips:

• Use good quality pork. Choose pork shoulder or butt rather than extra lean pork. The fat helps the sausage stay moist.

• Weigh your spices. Measuring spices by weight instead of volume (teaspoons/tablespoons) gives the most accurate, consistent results.

• Use dried herbs. Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh. Reserve fresh for Italian sausage or specialty flavors.

• Toast whole spices. Briefly toasting whole spices like fennel and cumin seeds enhances their flavor before grinding.

• Mix well. Use your hands to thoroughly work the spice blend into the ground pork so flavors evenly distribute.

• Let the flavors meld. Refrigerate seasoned sausage for at least 2 hours before cooking. Overnight is even better.

Follow a recipe that lists amounts of each spice in teaspoons or tablespoons per pound of meat. This ensures the seasoning balance won’t get thrown off.

Making your own sausage gives you control over the quality of the pork and spices. You can customize the flavoring or try specialty recipes. Just remember – sage, black pepper, and fennel provide the classic breakfast sausage taste.

Pre-Made Breakfast Sausage Options

If you’d rather not make your own, you can simply buy pre-made breakfast sausage:

• Pork sausage links and patties – Johnsonville, Bob Evans, Owen’s, and Jimmy Dean are popular brands.

• Turkey breakfast sausage – Jennie-O, Applegate, and Jimmy Dean offer turkey sausage.

• Chicken sausage – Aidells and Al Fresco are two good brands.

• Pre-formed sausage patties – These are handy for quick meals but check the labels for preservatives.

• Frozen breakfast sausage – Frozen pre-made sausage links are convenient to keep on hand.

With pre-made sausage, look for options without too many chemicals or preservatives like MSG, BHT, sodium nitrite, etc.

Whichever type of breakfast sausage you prefer, understanding the herbs and spices involved can help you appreciate the flavor more. Now that you know sage, black pepper, and fennel make the magic happen, you can spice up your breakfasts by making your own or choosing pre-made sausage with the tastiest ingredient list.