Homemade chicken apple sausage is a delightful twist on traditional pork sausage and is a favorite for home cooks and health-conscious eaters alike. Its leaner profile, combined with the sweet and savory notes from the apples and a blend of spices, makes for a satisfying and flavorful option. In this instructional post, we’ll guide you through crafting this sausage from scratch – from selecting your ingredients to storing the finished product. By the end of these steps, you'll be enjoying a delicious chicken apple sausage you can proudly say you made yourself.
Ingredients for Making Chicken Apple Sausage
Before you start your culinary adventure, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Here's what you'll need:
- 1 pound of ground chicken
- 2 medium apples, cored and finely diced
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of allspice or nutmeg
- Optional casings (natural hog or sheep casings work best) if you want to make linked sausages
Make sure your chicken is nice and cold to help facilitate the grinding process, and your apples are of a sweet-tart variety for the best flavor balance.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Preparing the Sausage Mixture
1. Preparing the Ingredients
Begin by prepping your ingredients. Dice your apples and chop your sage finely so that they blend smoothly into the sausage mixture. Keeping the ground chicken cold is critical, so consider putting it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before using it in the recipe.
2. Mixing the Sausage Ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken with the diced apples, chopped sage, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice (or nutmeg). Use your hands or a food processor equipped with a blade to blend the ingredients thoroughly, making sure the mixture is well combined. The idea is to infuse the ground chicken with the sweet aroma and flavor of sage and apple.
3. Testing and Adjusting Seasoning
Before proceeding to the casing and shaping stage, it’s a good idea to cook a small patty to taste and adjust your seasoning. This helps ensure you have the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spices in your sausage.
Tips for Casing and Shaping the Sausages
If you're going the traditional route and casing your sausages, here's what you need to do:
- Rinse the casings thoroughly inside and out, ensuring they aren't twisted or kinked. You can soak them in warm water to soften them if they’re salt-packed.
- Once the mixture is well-chilled, slide the casings onto the nozzle of your sausage stuffer and slowly feed the mixture through. Be sure to leave some free casing at the end to tie off once you've piped all the sausage into it.
- Twist or tie the sausage into desired links. Make them as long or as short as you like, but keep in mind that they should be relatively even to ensure even cooking.
If you're not using casings, you can simply form the sausage mixture into patties or bulk and store it that way.
Cooking Methods and Serving Suggestions
Now that your sausages are cased and ready to go, you can cook them according to your preference. They can be pan-seared, grilled, or baked. For pan-searing, heat some oil in a skillet and cook the sausages until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. For grilling, preheat the grill and cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally. Baking in an oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes also works splendidly.
When it comes to serving, these sausages pair well with a variety of dishes. You can serve them with a side of sautéed vegetables for a healthy meal, slice them into pasta for a quick dinner, or even serve them for brunch alongside eggs and hash browns.
Storage and Freezing Tips
If you've made more sausage than you can eat at once, here’s how to store and freeze them.
- Raw sausage patties or links can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, placed in a plastic bag, and kept in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- For longer storage, arrange the sausages on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to a plastic bag or airtight container for up to three months.
For cooked sausages, store them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Conclusion
Making your own chicken apple sausage is a rewarding experience that puts you in control of the flavors and quality of the meat you consume. Follow these steps closely, and you're on your way to enjoying a healthier, homemade alternative to store-bought sausages. Whether you’re grilling out, cooking up a quick weekday breakfast, or planning for a holiday feast, this sausage will surely be a hit. Share your experiences and recipes with us—we'd love to hear how your sausage-making has turned out!
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