GREEN CHILI VENISON BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Photo by Larry White

Homemade breakfast sausage has to be the most satisfying breakfast item that you can make. It a lot easier and faster than bacon, plus you can change the flavor profile quite easily. I'm a huge fan of spicy breakfast sausage and wanted to create a recipe that had more vibrant flavors than sing dried chili flakes or powder. So I decided to use roasted green chilies in their place. Roasted green chilies add a little heat, sweetness and a deeper flavor to the sausage. This sausage freezes well and can also be stuffed inside of casings.

Cooks Notes:

• As with any sausage, make sure that your grinding attachments are properly chilled before grinding if you're doing so.

• After all of your ingredients are mixed together, no is the time to make adjustments. I highly suggest cooking off a small bite of the sausage and adjust the seasoning to your liking. You can add more maple syrup for sweetness, peppers for heat or salt and pepper to your taste buds.

Yield: Around 2 pounds

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground venison

• 8 oz ground pork

• 12 slices smoky fatty bacon (ground or finely chopped in a food processor)

• 1 sweet onion (finely chopped)

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 large poblano peppers or 3 hatch chilies

• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)

• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

• ice cold water, as needed (usually around 1/4 cup)

DIRECTIONS

1. On your grill or in your oven under the broiler, roast and char the chilies on each side. Place them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Peel the skins off of the chilies and remove the seeds. Roughly chop the chilies. Place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill.

2. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If you don't have a sand mixer, use a large metal bowl and a sturdy spoon.

3. Mix the ingredients until they just start to incorporate. Now slowly add the water while mixing. Keep mixing until the sausage ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is tacky. It it appears to by dry and not tacky, add a little more ice cold water and repeat.

4. Cook a small portion of the sausage in a skillet and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.