Maple Sage Venison Breakfast Sausage
Making homemade venison breakfast sausage is super simple using just pantry staple ingredients! Maple syrup and a few spices create the perfect savory breakfast sausage with just a hint of sweetness. It's great alongside eggs, on a breakfast sandwich, enjoyed with pancakes, or freezer-friendly for meal prep!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 247kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- ½ pound ground pork
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to work together until combined. Ideally, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight before cooking.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Shape the sausage into 10-15 small patties about ¼ inch thick.
- Working in batches, cook for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Notes
Ground pork: If preferred, you can skip the ground pork and just use just 1 ½ pounds of ground venison. Since venison is leaner than pork, you may find the sausage a little dry without pork.
Oven instructions: Preheat oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sausage patties on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then flip the patties and bake another 5-7 minutes until cooked through to 165° F. If desired, broil on high for a few minutes to brown the patties.
Refrigerator storage: Cooked venison sausage can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing uncooked sausage: Once you've formed the sausage patties, stack them 2-3 high with squares of parchment paper between each patty so that they don’t stick. Place in freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before cooking, thaw the sausage in the fridge overnight. Cook as directed in the recipe.
Freezing cooked sausage: Cook patties as directed in the recipe, then let them cool completely. Stack the sausage patties 2-3 high with squares of parchment paper between each patty so that they don’t stick. Place in freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the sausage in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. To reheat on the stovetop, heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil or butter. Place the sausage in the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook until heated through, flipping after a couple of minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg
