Breakfast link sausage?

[TomW]

Seeing this recipe in another thread:

Breakfast Sausage
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground pork
1/2 tsp. red pepper
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 1/2 tbs. rubbed sage
2 tsp. salt

reminded me that I have never been able to identify the ingredient in breakfast link sausages that gives them their special flavor.

Does anyone know what that ingredient is?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[jennyema]

Usually sage. Sometimes fennel.

 

[kitchenelf]

Yep, I was going to say the same two things as jennyema.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Sage is probably the flavor in your breakfast sausage - since your a good ol' Southern boy. Fennel is the flavor you notice in Italian sausages.

 

[TomW]

Sage is probably the flavor in your breakfast sausage - since your a good ol' Southern boy...

Thanks for the responses, but with Michael's comment, it occurred to me that maybe link sausages are only available " 'round these parts"

Forgive me for bumping this post, but I am hoping there is a wizened Sausage Master who, with a good natured laugh, will post, "Yes boy, the flavor you enjoy is..."

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Link sausage around my neck of the woods is flavored primarily with sage. If it has fennel, it's Italian Sausage. But our breakfast sausage can also have the following flavorings, whick I truly love, in order of appearance;
maple, apple, cherry, bacon, brown sugar.

If it has smoked flavor and other spices, it becomes something other than breadfast sausage. And whether you live in the North, like me, or way down Alabama way, sage is the most widely recognized flavor in breadfast sausage, links or otherwise.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[TomW]

Link sausage around my neck of the woods is flavored primarily with sage...

Thanks, but I detect none of those ingredients in the tiny links sold at stores, and available on a myriad of breakfast buffets around here.

I guess there are no Southern Sausage Masters monitoring this forum.

Tom

 

[Michael in FtW]

It's kind of hard for any of us to tell you what "the taste" that you are detecting is without having tasted the sausages you're talking about! If you're buying them at the grocery store and they have a brand name - it would help to know what it is. If it is a national brand more of us might be able to try it, if a regional brand then someone in the south might be able to pick some up and give them a taste.

One of the things about sausage brands is that they all are blended a little differently. Some of the things you might expect to find in breakfast sausages in various combinations and amounts would be:

sage, savory, nutmeg, allspice, marjoram, cloves, cumin, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, maple syrup, onion, garlic, paprika, black pepper.

For some recipes - that you can read and maybe recognize the flavor or combination of flavors:

For Homemade Breakfast Sausage Rcipes: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=homemade+breakfast+sausage+recipe

For Homemade Sausage Recipes: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=homemade+sausage+recipe