I ran out of my home made breakfast sausage last week, so it was time to make another batch. I usually take trimmed pork butts and grind them for this, but this time I went another route. I used pork loins instead. Yes, it's a leaner cut, but my original though was I can add pork fat to get the fat ratio up some more. Problem was the local Kroger had pork fat for $2.28 a pound and the loin was only $1.78 a pound at Sam's Club. No way I'm paying more for fat than I did for the meat! So plan "B" was just add bacon, you get the double bonus of extra fat and flavor! And the bacon was only $1.99 a pound in bulk multi packs.
So I picked up two pork loins totaling about 17.25 pound, and 4 pounds of Smithfield bacon (comes packaged that way) from Sam's Club. Took 13 pounds of loins and 2 pounds of bacon for a 15 pound batch of breakfast sausage. I used AC Legg #10 seasoning mix for this.
Some of the meat (other loin is not in the photo).
AC Legg #10 seasoning mix measured out (one bowl is for a 10lb batch and other is 5lb)
Cut the pork loin into roughly 1" cubes and cut the bacon into 1" sections to mix in. This is the first 10lb batch.
Ready for first grind in large 3/8" plate in the Kitchener #12 grinder. All the meat is in the large clear lug with seasonings mixed in. Plan is a rough grind at 3/8" and then a second grind in the 3/16" plate.
Rough grind. You can still see the spice mix in the grind.
Final grind in the 3/16" plate. Came out real nice.
Made this into a gajillion sausage patties on cut sections of wax paper. Froze them and then put them in pint size vacuum bags in "weekend" batches. Once frozen you can vacuum pack them without deforming the patties. The wax paper keeps them from sticking together and I can just pull a set out of the freezer on Friday nights to eat over the weekend. I've probably got close to a 6 month supply on hand ready made now. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the patties.
Now what to do with the remainder of the pork loin. I ended up cutting this into 1" thick loin chops. Figured they would be good for supper tonight slow cooked in the crock pot. I ended up using a combination of two recipes for the loin chops.
The cut loin chops were first patted dry and then coated with a flour and spice mixture. Mixture I used was:
- 1 cup Wondra flour
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp of my home made pork rub
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Mixed the above and poured it into a gallon zip lock bag. Then put the loin chops in the bag shaking to coat. The coated loin chops were then browned on the Blackstone 28" griddle, with a little butter/oil as griddle prep lubricant.
After searing both sides, the loin chops were put into 3 layers in the slow cooker. Layer of loin chops, then sprinkle part of a package of ranch dressing mix on top, add 1/3 of a family size can of cream of chicken soup, sprinkle with diced onion (I was going to use fresh, but was out), and repeat until all three layers are in.
So now I'm waiting on the slow cooker to do it's thing.....
So to the seared pork loins this is what I added:
- 1 packet of ranch dressing mix powder (divide between layers of chops and sprinkle on top of each layer)
- 1 family size can of condensed cream of chicken soup (do no add water and divide between layers)
- Sliced onion or dried minced onion (amount of your choice - I was out of fresh and used minced).
Slow cook until done and fork tender.....
