Ever tried to shopping for chemical free sausage or bacon at the grocery store? It’s rare to find!

With a little time in the kitchen and a source of ground pork from pastured hogs, you can create your own batch of perfectly seasoned pork patties to fry up for breakfast (or anytime), knowing that you and your kids are eating a healthy MSG-free meal with zero nitrates.

Want to learn how? Here you go! From the great folks at The Prairie Homestead:

Savory Maple Breakfast Sausage — No Nitrates or MSG!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of ground pork (or ground turkey, venison, beef or antelope)
• 1 small onion, minced very finely
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons dry, ground sage
• 1 teaspoon dry, ground mustard
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl (I just use my hands).
2. Stick in fridge a couple hours to help flavors develop, or, use it right away.
3. There are several mouth-watering ways to use your wonderful lump of seasoned pork:
4. Cook it up like ground beef and add to soups, skillet meals, breakfast burritos, or casseroles.
5. Shape it into a log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for up to a week (or place in freezer for later).
6. Slice off a patty when you need it, or shape into individual patties to freeze or fry up.

Source: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/07/making-sausage-at-home.html

From the Farm:

After chores were wrapped up one evening, the Bartlett family gathered around the supper table enjoying Lynn’s freshly fried pork patties using this recipe. Not only were they moist, but they had a sweet maple flavor reminiscent of eating them with pancakes. Maple syrup in the recipe is a great way to add deliciousness to the sausage, and avoid the urge to top with other condiments.

Jim’s comment was, “Wow, was that good!”

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments!