Easy Weeknight Italian Sausages

I no longer buy what I call "grocery-store ground beef". Lately, I have not been happy with it. Instead, I buy the pre-formed hamburger patties and use that. It is quality beef, not something leftover that the store grinds up to get rid of. It has been worth the extra money. Until now. 

On this day, I had planned on getting one pound of ground beef. But one pound of those pre-formed patties hovered at ten bucks! No thanks!

It upset my dinner plans and shopping. What to do? Voila! Italian sausages were on sale for 4.99 a pack. And it was a brand I like. I scooped them up along with a large green pepper, red onion, and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, a loaf of Italian bread.

Dinner!

This can be done stovetop. You could put it in the oven, but if you're home it is satisfying to have something simmering on the range. Going back and forth to see how it's doing. A taste here and there ... a bit of seasoning ...

This is not a thick, spaghetti-like sauce. It is more brothy and, I think, cleaner.

Be sure to slice the garlic. It is a bit more mellow as it simmers in the pan. If it's in your budget, colored peppers add a nice touch ... otherwise, green is just fine.

You could certainly also add black olives and/or mushrooms.

I now douse all fresh meat purchased from the grocery store with boiling water. Many processing and shipping measures have been ... "relaxed." IMHO.

• 1 lb. Italian sausages (I used mild) just under one-pound
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into ribbons, some cut in half
• 1/2 large red onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove per sausage, peeled and sliced
• 1 14.5-ounce can "fire roasted" tomatoes (I used Hunts)
• 1 tablespoon Italian spices or "to taste)
• Pinch or two of Aleppo pepper flakes (fewer if using red pepper flakes)
• Water
• Butter

Heat a kettle of water to boiling. Pour over sausages in a colander. Douse a few times. Remove and pat dry.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Add a bit of oil and add sausages. Be prepared for splatters. Over a medium, medium-low heat, fry sausages just until they begin to turn brown on at least two sides.

About halfway, add your onions, bell peppers, sliced garlic. When they begin to go limp, add your can of fire-diced tomatoes with juice. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning of choice. Add about 1/2 can of water. Give a good stir. Reduce to simmer and slowly cook for about 2 hours. 

Just before serving, melt in a couple tablespoons butter. 

Serve as is or over rice/pasta. Great with a side of garlic bread, fresh salad and/or melon.

This is easily doubled or tripled (be careful of the garlic and Italian seasonings, though) and great for a picnic instead of the usual hot dogs.

Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers in the Instant Pot

Pressure cooking simple ingredients such as this ensures the sausages are infused or pressured with flavors one could not get from a traditional long simmer on the stove top. And the sausages remain juicy.

Cut the peppers and onions into wider widths than usual since pressure cooking "shrinks" veggies.

Serve on a hoagie or over rice. Fresh pasta, if you can get it or know how to make it. The veggie/sauce mixture by itself is wonderful piled on a nice thick slice of artisan bread.

• 1 pound Italian sausages (I use Johnsonville brand"mild")*
• 8 ounces sliced onion
• 8 ounces sliced peppers (I used green and red)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, juice and all
• 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 7 ounces (1/2 can) water or stock of your choice
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• A few shakes Ancho chili powder, Cayenne or, my favorite, Aleppo Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

Put a bit of olive oil in the instant pot. Switch on saute mode and lightly brown the sausages. Do not cook through. Remove to a plate. Add peppers and onions. Saute just until they begin to lose their crispness. Add tomatoes and garlic. Mix tomato paste with water in the can. Add to pepper/onion mixture. Add seasonings.

Return sausages to the pot. Turn off saute mode.

Set manual mode for five minutes. When done, do a quick release.

No instant pot? No problem:

Lightly brown sausages in a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven. Remove. Add pepper and onion mixture and stir until they lose their crispness. Add tomatoes and garlic. Mix tomato paste with water in the can. Add to pepper/onion mixture. Add seasonings. Cover and simmer for at least one hour. Add more water if needed.

*I suggest mild or hot sausages. I have used "sweet" but the dish lacks in flavor. 

Update 2023: Consistency is now rare for American food products. Use sausages you love and know to be good. 

Pasta with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Spinach and Sage

The days are shorter; the nights, cooler. Salad days are waning. Melons are disappearing from grocery-store shelves and farm stands. It's the season of chrysanthemums, monarch butterflies, school buses and summer memories.

When I have a hectic schedule, which means eating on the run, I reach the point to where I just want a good, filling, home-cooked meal. And one that re-heats easily for leftovers. Pasta always feeds those requirements.

Here, it is summoned with Italian sausages, spinach, mushrooms and earthy sage in a velvety and garlicky sauce that nourishes the most basic of hungers. And more.

Some tips about pasta dishes: it is imperative "to taste as you go." Salt a little at a time as you go through the recipe. Many pasta dishes can be bland, even with the brightest and most savory of ingredients, without the distillation of salt. Allow the dish to rest so the pasta can absorb the flavors and to allow the starches to thicken the sauce. As such, always keep a bit of the pasta water on hand or some extra stock to add as needed.

For this recipe, I used Johnsonville Italian sausages, three hot and three mild. I ended up using all but 1/4 cup of a 14.5 ounce can of chicken stock. Add the stock gradually to give the recipe time to absorb and thicken.

• 1 lb. (about) Italian sausages (I used six links, hot and mild)
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 3 cups lightly-packed fresh spinach leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 20 fresh sage leaves, rough-chopped
• Red pepper flakes, just a pinch
• 1 cup cream
• 1, 14.5 oz. low-sodium chicken stock 
• 10 oz. linguine or spaghetti 
• 1/2 cup (or more) Reggiano Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Butter

Bring to the boil a large pot of salted water.

In a large pan, fill with water just to cover sausages. Simmer about ten minutes. Remove to cool. Add the sausage water to the pot of pasta water. When sausages are cool enough to handle, slice into pieces. Add a bit of oil to the pan and cook sausage pieces just until brown. Remove.

Add a bit of oil and butter to the pan. Add the onion and cook until soft and just beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to reduce. Add the garlic and sage and stir just until fragrant. Salt to taste.

Add the cream and about one cup of the chicken stock. Simmer on low until it begins to thicken a bit. Add the sausage and allow to simmer. Taste and add more chicken stock/salt/garlic if needed, remembering that the pasta will mellow your sauce. At this point, I add a pat or two of butter. Last, add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted. Cover to keep warm.

Cook the pasta. Drain. Add the pasta to the pan, a little at a time. Mix with two forks. Add grated cheese and mix. If necessary, add a bit more stock as pasta absorbs the liquid. Also, taste for salt. Pasta can take quite a bit of salt.

Plate. Garnish with additional sage leaves. Serve. Enjoy!

Yes. I made the dish. The design is based on an Ojibway design I copied
from the Chicago Art Institute. I have six plates, different colors.

Notes: I used up a lot of leftover pasta for this recipe, including whole-wheat spaghetti. I'll do that again since I liked the visual play of textures. Add the thicker pastas to the boiling water first, then the thinner a minute or two later.

Homemade Sausages

A plastic bag replaces the familiar casing that a sausage
is packed into. It is then poached in water.

One of the joys of visiting Europe is sampling the many sausages that are a part of their everyday culture. Recipes differ from town to town, region and country. They are a staple of "pub" food. We all know "bangers and mash."

Unfortunately, that's not the case in the United States. Here, we are limited to several mass-produced "corporate" varieties found in supermarkets and they are usually limited to Polish sausage, smoked sausage and Kielbasa. If one is able to find fresh, uniquely-seasoned sausages they are not cheap.

Ziploc "Brats" with boiled potatoes and spicy mustard.

Since I don't have a meat grinder or casings, and since I'm not planning to produce gargantuan supplies of links, I settled on pre-ground pork that is about two bucks a pound and will make four sausages. A real bargain in today's economy of high-priced meats, especially beef.

I went through dozens of recipes scaling them down to fit the quantity and to satisfy my taste buds. As first, I simply fried them. But the heat and oil woefully compromised the taste and often masked the subtle flavors of the spices. What to do?

That's when I hit upon the idea of using plastic bags and poaching the sausage. It worked like a charm!

Be sure to use name-brand bags for freezer or for cooking.
They are less likely to leak at the corners than generic.
Pictured here: Spicy Kielbasa.

SAUSAGE ADVICE

1. Use name-brand, pint-sized plastic bags. Generic are usually thinner and the corners leak so you will lose the poaching liquid inside the bag resulting in a very dry sausage. Name-brand, such as Ziploc, do not contain BPA, a harmful chemical.
2. Use less, not more, of each spice if in doubt. You can always add more later on. Keep a notepad nearby to record what you add.
3. I actually prefer dried spices and herbs, but prefer fresh garlic that is smashed into a paste. Use fresh cheese, not canned/powdered which can dry the sausage.
4. After mixing, place a good teaspoonful on a plate and microwave for about 30 seconds or until no pink remains in center. Taste. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
5. The ideal sausage mixture is 70/30. Pre-ground pork is 80/20, but it's okay. If you have a friendly butcher, he will be more than happy to grind some fresh suet for you. You can also add ground bacon. Allow it to partially freeze, cut into chunks and grind in your food processor. But remember it will alter the taste of your sausage.
6. As the sausages poach, they will shrink. Sometimes the bag will, too.
7. Be sure to add the water to your mix. This adds moisture and helps to incorporate the spices. You may also add olive oil, which I find myself doing more and more.
8. If possible, refrigerate your mixture for several hours or overnight before forming into sausages.
9. These freeze beautifully. I allow mine to thaw before poaching. 
10. If you want, carefully remove sausages a bit before they are done and brown in a bit of butter/olive oil. 
11. Smoked paprika adds great smoky taste to homemade sausages.
12. Because they are lower in fat than regular sausages, condiments work well with Ziploc sausages.
13. If your sausage mixture ends up too strong in spicy flavors, form into patties and fry. Frying reduces the strong tastes. 
14. Here's a great site for sausage recipes and even supplies: Len Poli's Sausage Making - Homemade Sausage Formulations and Recipes

Put 1/2 cup sausage mixture in bag and using the the side
of your hand at a bit of an angle,
push into the bottom to begin forming
the sausage.

Roll to for a round sausage.

Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Try to keep
tops of bags upright.

Allow poached sausage to sit in their pouch
for 5- 10 minutes to absorb liquid.

RECIPES

Adjust seasonings to your taste for recipes. Sometimes I divide the meat into half-pound amounts and add something different to one to see how it turns out. Be sure to add water. I like to mix the meat mixture with the back of wide metal spoon, pushing down and sliding it forward.

BRATWURST

1 pound ground pork sausage

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground caraway seed

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaf, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons water

These are especially good served with sauteed onions and peppers and, of course, spicy mustard. I also make a sandwich out of them by slicing them thinly lengthwise and then placing on bread with a bit of Dijon.

 SAVORY POLISH SAUSAGE
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon crushed onion flakes
1 good teaspoon fresh garlic, pressed
1- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon allspice, preferably whole berries, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper--several grinds
1/8 teaspoon crushed, dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon thyme flakes (scant)
a few pinches of: dried mustard
pinch of sage
2 pinches Cayenne pepper (optional)
Drizzle of olive oil
3 tablespoons water

This is especially good with a side of horseradish for dipping. Serve with boiled potatoes and sauerkraut. Makes a great sandwich on rye spread with horseradish.

It's difficult to know the the fat ratio of pre-ground chicken. Serve with a simple side of mayonnaise for dipping, homemade mayo is even better!

CHICKEN SAUSAGES

1 pound ground chicken

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

pinch of thyme

pinch of savory or sage

2 tablespoons water

CHICKEN SAUSAGES
WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND SPICES

1 pound ground chicken

1 1/2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes that have been soaked in water and squeezed dry (save the water)

2.5 ounces finely diced onions or 2-3 teaspoons dried

1 teaspoon coriander seed

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons tomato water

ITALIAN SAUSAGE

1 pound ground pork

1-3 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fennel seed

1/8 teaspoon coriander

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

1 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons water

Once poached, slice and serve with your favorite marinara sauce over pasta. 

After poaching a bit, I sauteed this Italian sausage in a bit
of olive oil and butter to brown it (but first I sliced off
an end to eat!).

Enjoy making sausages. They are inexpensive and it's fun to experiment with ingredients. They make for a great dinner. Simply remove from the freezer. And they make great "gifts, " too.