It’s week two of being a restaurant owner. Of being a real chef. And I’m loving it! I’ve unexpectedly become somewhat of a morning person and connected with so many people over good food. We already have regulars and people even calling to rave about how good the food is. We’ve got a long way to go, but it feels inspiring. The biggest hit so far has been my maple blueberry sausage. We even had people this weekend who heard about it already. It’s a bit of work, but it’s worth it.

Maple Blueberry Sausage

I started way back when by picking out a Boston butt. The same cut of meat I used for my pad Thai rolls, which I’ve been thinking about making again. I love a good braised, slow-cooked hunk of meat on tacos, sandwiches, and pasta. For this purpose, though, I requested a 3.5 lb butt (pork shoulder) from the grocery store, which I picked up on my way to the cafe. They were out, so they gave me a 6-7 pounder instead. For no extra cost! It was a good omen.

I spent a long prep day making so many things. But it all started with cutting up the Boston butt. Off the bone into small, manageable pieces for my blender. I knew I wanted to grind my own sausages for our brunch and breakfasts, but I didn’t have a meat grinder. So I did some research and learned that you can grind meat in a high-speed blender if you freeze it first. So I endeavored to do just that. Butcher the Boston butt and freeze it on a sheet tray while I prepped other things. 

Grinding Pork Shoulder

The flavor profile needed to be sweet, savory, and spicy. Like all great breakfast sausages. And I wanted to honor Maine by infusing it with maple syrup and blueberries. I had a gallon jug of real maple syrup at the ready, so when I finished cutting the beast up with my dull knife I decided to marinate it in maple syrup. I gave it a good glug and covered the meat with my hands. It rested in the freezer for a few hours. I hope the maple syrup would tenderize it in addition to imparting a sweet flavor.

The next step after getting it out of the freezer was to try and break it apart with my bare hands. A difficult task for me lately. I’ve dealt with joint issues my whole life, so being a chef now is putting a lot of strain on my arms and wrists. I’ve had carpal tunnel in my left thumb and now I’m dealing with good old tennis elbow in my right. So what turned into an hour-long meat grinding project really did a number on me. It was worth it though. I used my trusty Ninja blender to pulse a few handfuls of meat at a time, which churned violently and loudly. 

Cinnamon, Maple, and Maine Blueberries

I just gave it a few pulses at first to keep it from getting too blended. Slowly but surely I piled up the mountain of meat on my sheet pan. But it wasn’t the ground pork texture I was used to. So when I was finally done, I pulsed it all one more time. The meat turned more pale pink and formed into a ball, which was my sign to shut the blender off. It was perfect. A fresh mince perfect for maple blueberry sausage. Or dumplings, burgers, or meatloaf. I want to invest in a meat grinder going forward, but it worked. And I was happy!

The next step was more enjoyable. I took my ground pork in a big prep bin and mixed in a few different spices. Cinnamon for warmth and sweetness. Rosemary and sage for complexity. And of course more maple syrup and Maine blueberries. Frozen, but picked in Maine. I added a bit of salt and pepper and mixed it all up into a perfect ball of pink. All that was left to do was form my patties into pucks and place them on parchment paper before service. I wanted to make them slightly large and generous for our brunch crowds. And I kept them stacked in the cooler. 

Becoming a Chef

We cooked them many times during our first brunch services. It was like everyone ordered them, even though it was the first time, like they knew they’d be good. We received many compliments right away. The airport manager said they were “insane”. One woman said it was the best sausage she’d ever had. It blew me away, honestly. I’d never made them before, so it was so exciting and gratifying to know my maple blueberry sausage was a hit. I think going above and beyond to grind the meat myself did the trick. As well as the spices, maple, and berries. 

Just yesterday, a week later, we had a family come in that said they heard how good the sausage was. Already! It’s our second week ever serving them so we’re off to an amazing start. Another woman, while eating, turned around to me with a joyous look on her face and said “the sausage is amazing!” So, needless to say, the recipe is here to stay. Our first signature item. Going forward I hope to overcome my carpal tunnel and buy a meat grinder so I can spend more time mixing sausages rather than grinding them.

Mixing Sausage Patties

I wanted to share the recipe here, too, for people to make at home. If you don’t have the time or ambition or equipment to grind the pork yourself, just go ahead and buy ground pork. The important thing is the fat content, which should be about 20-30%. And the maple syrup, blueberries, and spices. I made a batch at home this week to prepare and practice. Thankfully I broke it up into two different days to save my arms. The first afternoon was freezing and blending the meat, which seemed to take forever. I did it after making hand pies, biscuits, hash browns, and more, so I was exhausted. 

The next day I was excited to mix my maple blueberry sausage and cook one (or two) off for my breakfast. It came together in a beautiful gradient of pink and purple and I spent the early hours forming patties onto parchment paper. I froze most of them to have on hand for later. But I was eager and hungry and wanted to see what all the rage was about. I had tried one before, of course, but not relaxed with a full meal to fully enjoy and savor it. I heated up my favorite cast iron pan and went to work. Carefully watching it closely, unlike at the restaurant where we have to cook 10 other things at a time. 

Searing Sausage + Caramelized Berries

I wanted it to be perfect. So after a few careful minutes of listening to that satisfying sizzle, I flipped it and marveled at the caramelized crown. The blueberries were sugary and crisp and the meat was golden and rendered. My recipe has a lot of fat in it, so they naturally shrink when cooking. When I was done I had a gorgeous little puck of pork to eat with my eggs and toast. So I sat down to enjoy the quiet relaxation. The opposite of life at a restaurant, of course.

The spices come through with the scent, too, along with the caramelized blueberries and maple. The maple syrup helps the pork caramelize and get more flavor, too. My first bite of maple blueberry sausage was beautiful. I was shocked to see how buttery it was in my mouth. How quickly it fell apart. Grinding it myself made it super tender. The maple comes through and the blueberries provide a nice pop of acidic sweetness. The spices give it a great depth of flavor – like a classic homey breakfast sausage. I can see why everyone likes them so much! A pop of salt on top really helps bring out the flavors, too.

Check out Nomad in Owl’s Head, Maine!

We served these to many people over the past couple weeks, along with blueberry pancakes, hash browns, everything biscuits, eggs Benedict, and more. I also spent Saturday serving some of my baked goods. My brown butter cinnamon rolls were a big hit, too. In the coming days I’ll be catching up on sleep, reflecting on conversations with strangers, and dreaming of new ideas for pastries and brunch dishes. I’ve already made and tested ham and cheese hand pies, which are to-die-for. And this weekend I’ll be serving a host of new cookies, cakes, and even donuts. I’m so excited to keep going. 

This is only the beginning! Thanks so much for reading. If you enjoy my recipes and paintings, be sure to check out my Etsy for 100’s of art prints and cards. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. And if you’re in Maine, check out my cafe, Nomad, at the Knox County Airport. You can try my maple blueberry sausage in person! Until next time.

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Maple Blueberry Sausage

Fresh pork mince mixed with Maine blueberries, maple, and spices

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry, maple, sausage

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground pork
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup frozen Maine blueberries
• 1 tbsp ground sage
• 1 tbsp ground rosemary
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tbsp ground onion
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

• Mix ground pork with maple syrup and let sit for a few minutes. Then, add spices, salt, and pepper, and mix to combine.
• Add the frozen blueberries and mix evenly, being careful not to over-mix.
• Form sausages into 16 equal balls. Then, flatten each into a thin patty (about 5″ wide).
• Chill sausages in fridge for up to a day if not using, or freeze with pieces of wax paper between each.
• To cook, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high and drizzle with a little neutral oil or cooking spray.
• Cook sausage patties 3-4 at a time, 2-3 minutes on a side until caramelized. Remove from pan and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Notes

• You can serve these with more maple syrup if you want! They go great with pancakes and waffles. 
• I added a small amount of cayenne to the recipe for a touch of heat. If you like more, feel free to add as much as you want!
• If grinding the meat yourself: cut a Boston butt (pork shoulder) into small pieces and freeze if you don’t have a meat grinder. Place pieces of frozen meat in a high-powered blender and pulse for a few seconds until it becomes a thick mince. Then, remove all meat and blend again until a ball forms on the blade. The mince will be lighter pink and well-blended.