The method used in this recipe is pretty interesting – you brown about 1/4 of the ground turkey, and then combine that with the rest of the raw meat and seasonings before shaping the sausage. Those precooked bits provide both texture and flavor to the sausage links, which is important since we’re using ground turkey as opposed to a richer, more flavorful meat.
By Tracey
Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage
from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 1/2 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg
Directions:
Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add 1/4 lb of the ground turkey. Cook until well browned, about 6-8 minutes, breaking the turkey up with a wooden spoon as you cook. Add the sage and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the meat to a heatproof bowl and allow to cool slightly.
In a shallow bowl, combine the bread and buttermilk, using a fork to mash them into a paste. Add this paste to the cooked turkey, along with the rest of the raw ground turkey, the maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne and nutmeg. Mix gently until uniform. Divide the mixture into heaping 1 tablespoon portions and, using wet hands, form each into a 4-inch link.
(You can wrap the sausage links in plastic wrap and stick them in a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month at this point. Thaw in the fridge before cooking.)
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet and set over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
Makes about 16 sausage links.
