Sunday, May 5, 2013

Tip of the Day: Dealing with Bulk Sausage

Spouse loves bagel sandwiches -- like the kind he used to get at our local bagel shop. Even with pre-made GF bagels, making them is a chore.

And, when I say, chore, I don't mean "my favorite chore" or even "a chore that I don't mind doing too much because it's not horrible."

I mean, "Chore." Capital "C" and all.

One reason it's a chore is because bagel sandwiches require sausage patties. And, getting a pre-made GF sausage patty that doesn't contain maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast, "natural flavors", mysterious "spices, and other forms of evil... Well, good luck with that. Let me know when you find someone who makes them.  I'll buy stock in the company.

Meanwhile, the only way I can get sausage patties is to buy the really nice bulk sausage at Sprouts.  Several forms of it contain only food.

But, it's bulk. That means ickifying your hands, patting the stuff out, getting bits of it everywhere, washing your hands 4 zillion times, having to sterilize your kitchen afterwards. And, no matter how good you are of a patter, the sausages never come out an even thickness.  Bleh. It's just not my favorite task.

But, disgust is the mother of necessity, and thus the grandmother of invention. Maybe you've figured this out long ago, but, for me, the method below is something I've recently figured out.  It's not necessarily the most green way of making sausage.  But, it is a real sanity saver.

Equipment:
  • Wax paper
  • A glass with straight sides
  • Food service gloves
  • Table knife
  • Skillet
  • Spatula
  • Cleaning supplies, including Vodka
Ingredients:
  • Sausage
  • Maybe a little oil for the skillet
Steps:

  1. Put on your food service gloves.

    The nice thing about food service gloves: You can wash them much like you would your hands, without removing all your skin in the process.
     
  2. Place bulk sausage between 2 sheets of waxed paper.
     
  3. Roll sausage to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thickness using the glass.
     
    I don't use a rolling pin because the glass is a lot easier
    to wash, and you don't need the weight and precision you get
    with a rolling pin.
     
  4. Peel back the top layer of waxed paper,
    and cut the sausage into squares.

    Make them a larger than you think you need.

    Sausage is notorious for shrinking.
     
  5. Put a little oil in the skillet and start pre-heating it.
     
  6. Carefully peel the sausage off the bottom layer of
    waxed paper and place sausage in the skillet.
     
  7. Cook sausage until it's done, then use it to make
    a batch of breakfast sandwiches.


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