Venison breakfast sausage but in appetizer form. These little sausage bites are the perfect balance of sweet and salty with a hint of spiciness. They're a perfect addition to your brunch spread or a fun weekend treat. You can make the sausage with the recipe below or use any breakfast sausage you have on hand.
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Why This Recipe Works:
One of the best parts about breakfast sausage is the crispy caramelized bits on the edges of a patty or link. Or if you have pancakes or waffles and that little bit of maple syrup creeps over into sausage territory on your plate. This recipe is a combination of the two of those delicious breakfast treats wrapped up into perfectly-sized venison breakfast sausage bites. The combination of spices and herbs come together with the ground venison to make a perfectly balanced breakfast sausage.
Ingredient Notes:
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs make this recipe extra flavorful but you can substitute dried herbs instead. 1 ½Tbsp fresh herbs = 1 tablespoon dried herbs.
- Pork Lard: This recipe uses melted pork lard mixed with 100% ground venison. If your meat already has fat ground in, you can skip the lard.
Equipment Notes:
- Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is the perfect pan liner for these sausage bites. It keeps the pan clean and the sausage won't stick to it. Don't be tempted to use aluminum foil, they will stick to it!
Step by Step Instructions:
How To Make Venison Breakfast Sausage Bites:
These breakfast sausage bites have a flavorful homemade herby seasoning that make them extra delicious. You can follow the steps below to make the breakfast sausage or if you already have some made up, you can skip past those steps.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on the sausage bites in the oven once you toss them in maple syrup. There's a fine line between perfectly caramelized maple syrup and burned maple syrup. If you're not sure, err on the side of less cooking to make sure they don't burn.
Putting it All Together:
These little venison sausage bites studded with fresh herbs and other spices and coated in a beautifully shiny glaze are a great addition to any brunch or breakfast table. You can serve them in a bowl or on some skewers for easy serving. No matter which way you choose, you and your guests are going to love this breakfast treat!
Recipe FAQ's:
Venison sausage needs some sort of fat added in to keep it from drying out. One of the best parts about breakfast sausage is the crispy, caramelized outsides. To achieve that, the meat needs to be cooked in a fat of some type or have fat ground in.
The flavor of venison goes great with fresh herbs. Fresh thyme and sage pair beautifully with the earthy flavor of the venison in this breakfast sausage recipe.
The main ingredient that makes breakfast sausage different from other sausage is sage. This sausage recipe also has real maple syrup to give it some extra breakfast flair.
Other Recipes to Try:
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Recipe:
Maple-Glazed Venison Breakfast Sausage Bites
Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground venison (or elk, moose, antelope, etc.)
- ⅜ cup maple syrup, divided
- 2 tablespoon pork lard, melted (only needed if your meat doesn't have fat ground in)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried sage)
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Add ground venison to a medium bowl. Add in spices. Drizzle 2 tablespoon maple syrup and melted lard over meat.
- Mix together with your hands until spice mixture is well-distributed in the meat. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Divide meat into 42 equal portions. Roll portions of meat between your hands to form balls. Place on parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Place sasuage bites into medium bowl. Drizzle ¼ cup maple syrup over the sausage bites. Stir to coat.
- Pour back onto parchment paper-lined sheet pan and spread apart. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes to prevent burning.
- Serve on toothpicks or in a bowl. Drizzle with pan drippings. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you already have breakfast sausage made up, you can use that instead of mixing in the spices.
- If your ground meat already has fat ground in, you can skip the lard.
- Keep an eye on the sausage bites in the oven once you toss them in maple syrup. There's a fine line between perfectly caramelized maple syrup and burned maple syrup. If you're not sure, err on the side of less cooking to make sure they don't burn.
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