# Old Family Sage sausage Recipe



## blaise (May 22, 2017)

Made 20 lbs. of old fashioned sage sausage (some call it breakfast sausage) this past weekend. I understand why some people claim it's the most popular sausage in the world------no matter the type sausage I make -----this is the one I always go back to. 

   Couple notes of interest----the recipe was written on an envelope found in my great-great grandfathers Bible----the letter inside stated that my Grandfather would receive an $8.00 pension for his service in the Civil War, it was dated 1891.

   Why it was written down at all is a mystery, because he wasn't a farmer. The farmers were on the Maternal side of the family.

Here is the exact wording:

  Sausage

100 pounds

2 and half pound English salt

three quarter pound crack pepper

half pound sage

 A scribbled note beside said:  Throw some tyme and nutmeg if Gott.

   You can break this down into 5 or 10 lb. batches and try it---- I usually add more salt and sage.

Not absolutely sure what English salt means----Pa. Deutche seem to call all non-Germanic, English.

Not exactly sure about crack pepper either-----I use what's called table grind or fine grind.

  Interestingly----this recipe or very similar ones, appears on many farms throughout South Central Pa.---Probably spread on the "Early" internet.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Blaise


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## bluewhisper (May 22, 2017)

Looks good. I always loved "breakfast" sausage and I was delighted to learn how easy it is to get that flavor.

No matter how much salt I've added, I still haven't come close to the saltiness of the popular brands of breakfast sausage. As for fat, I don't add it or trim it out, it just is what it is for the meat I'm using. I seldom wind up with fat pooling in the skillet.

Oh yes I have sage growing in the garden now and I still have some of last years, dried.


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## crankybuzzard (May 22, 2017)

BLaise, that's a very cool story and it's really a lot of fun to find old recipes like that one!

You're correct about that recipe being seen in a lot of places, it's truly one of the most popular sausage recipes in the US and it doesn't seem to vary much from state to state.

Hold on to that envelope, folks later on down the line in your family will cherish it as much as you do.


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## BGKYSmoker (May 22, 2017)

Magnesium sulfate.


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## shyzabrau (May 22, 2017)

nepas said:


> Magnesium sulfate.


I've not heard of anyone using Epsom salt in sausage.


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## dward51 (May 22, 2017)

I've also seen the term "English salt" applied to sea salt flakes.  There is a couple of companies in England that still market "English salt" which is premium sea salt.  Maldon is one example.

https://www.thespicehouse.com/maldon-english-sea-salt-flakes

So I'm thinking any sea salt flake would be good in this (and lend to burst of salty concentrated goodness from the flakes?).  Crack Pepper would most likely be common cracked black pepper. Magnesium Sulfate on the other hand is not good in those levels.  It has a laxative effect and can actually be dangerous in higher concentrations.  I would bet money the original recipe was referring to a premium sea salt as we know that would work very well in breakfast sausage!

Broken down to the 1 pound level (with spices in grams for easy scale use) this is how the original recipe works out:

1 pound - Ground Sausage meat (pork)
11.34 grams - "English salt" or flake sea salt
3.40 grams - cracked black pepper
2.27 grams - sage (presumed ground which is roughly 1.5 to 2.5 times more concentrated than rubbed sage)
As compared to Fassett's Breakfast Sausage (from POP's on this forum) which is a well known and loved recipe from back in the day, this one kicks up the spices a bit but they are very similar:

*Fassett's Breakfast Sausage Recipe (courtesy of Pop's)*

1 pound - Ground Sausage meat (pork)
10.3 grams - salt
2.6 grams - cracked black pepper
1.3 grams - ground sage
I would get that envelope matted and framed as that is a piece of family history that can never be replaced and should be passed on.


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## blaise (May 23, 2017)

OK guys ----my brother has kept the envelope and letter safe and sound, apparently because the postage stamp is pretty rare, issued by a bank---go figure!

Spoke to my sister----her Mother-in-law was as Deutche as they come. She always referred to English salt as a heavy grained, very white salt----mostly used on soft-pretzels. Today it is most often referred to as "pretzel salt"

  

Have seen the Fassett recipe on here. Your breakdown shows so little difference, I doubt most people could taste a difference.

   By the way, I almost always add crushed pepper flakes to mine----not to hot, just a little kick and color.

Blaise


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## blaise (May 23, 2017)

Got to thinking------if English salt and pretzel salt are referring to the same beast----well, my Mother used to make home made soft pretzels quite often and sure enough in the back of the pantry----pretzel salt.

 Check out the photo---pretzel salt on left, regular salt on the right.

Not sure why such large grain salt would be desirable in sausage.

Blaise













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__ blaise
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## HalfSmoked (May 23, 2017)

A while back listed under thread sugar cured hams and shoulders and side meat I listed a sage sausage recipe from my grandmother that is over 100 years old. It so great to find and use these old recipes. Thanks for sharing yours.

Warren


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## DanMcG (May 23, 2017)

Very cool of you to share Blaise, thanks!


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## indaswamp (May 23, 2017)

Blaise said:


> Got to thinking------if English salt and pretzel salt are referring to the same beast----well, my Mother used to make home made soft pretzels quite often and sure enough in the back of the pantry----pretzel salt.
> 
> Check out the photo---pretzel salt on left, regular salt on the right.
> 
> ...


From wiki:


> Pretzel salt is compacted salt, smaller crystals, compacted to grains about the same size as Kosher salt. The taste is different because of the rate at which it dissolves in the mouth.


My guess is that pretzel salt was used because it dissolves very easily...


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## blaise (May 24, 2017)

According to an old retired butcher "English Salt " is probably referring to saltpeter. In 1890's  England was a Superpower, producing huge amounts of gunpowder (black powder) a main ingredient---saltpeter.

 In this time period, you didn't make 100 lb. batches of fresh sausage without a way to preserve it----add saltpeter and smoke it. Refrigeration and freezing would have been rare.

This explanation makes alot of sense to me.

This recipe works well as a fresh sausage---using plain salt-----please don't try it with saltpeter---can't guarantee the safety.

Blaise


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## shyzabrau (May 24, 2017)

Blaise said:


> According to an old retired butcher "English Salt " is probably referring to saltpeter.



Where does/did this retired butcher live? Remember that this particular usage is come from Pennsylvania Dutch country.


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## indaswamp (May 24, 2017)

Blaise said:


> According to an old retired butcher "English Salt " is probably referring to saltpeter. In 1890's  England was a Superpower, producing huge amounts of gunpowder (black powder) a main ingredient---saltpeter.
> 
> In this time period, you didn't make 100 lb. batches of fresh sausage without a way to preserve it----add saltpeter and smoke it. Refrigeration and freezing would have been rare.
> 
> ...


Hmmm...interesting. I doubt 'english salt' is 100% salt peter but salt peter cut with salt; much like the cure #1 we use today. Were it 100% salt peter the amount called for in the recipe would be  would be way too high a concentration of salt peter in the recipe.

Thanks for posting, very interesting discussion here....


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## bluewhisper (May 24, 2017)

When grinding pork for breakfast sausage, have you tried grinding it together with fresh parsley?


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## HalfSmoked (May 24, 2017)

I posted a thread some time ago under sugar cured hams and shoulders and side meat that came from my grandmother recipe (over 100 yrs. old recipe) it also had her sage sausage recipe.

It did not contain any curing salt but the ham recipe contained salt peter so I would say in a measured amount it was probably safe. How ever it is no longer on the market in most places. Dave omar sent me a place to buy it not to long ago. But I think I will saty with the safer curing salts.

Its great to find and use old family recipes. Some of my grandmothers are very amusing to read because they would say $.02 of this and $.05 of this seasoning.

Warren


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