Time to chop it up.
SERVES: 2-4 | PREP TIME: 30 MIN | COOK TIME: 30 MIN
This recipe: blueberry sausage and French toast fingers, was an idea of mine born while in a cabin up in northern Minnesota. This summer, we ran into a big ol’ pile of incredibly plump blueberries. Once I end up with lots of anything, the wheels start turning, and I inevitably try to integrate them with wild game. (It’s about ¾ of the protein we eat at home.)
The sausage was a test run that ended up working really great. I utilized a bit of cinnamon, herbs, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt to come together. Cooking down the berries meant I not only had something for my sausage but also a great sauce for drizzling over some French toast. (We’d nabbed a great loaf of sourdough bread that was a few days old, a little dry, and ready to soak up the egg.)
Recipe: Backstrap and Tortellini
That's a sweet sauce.
When making French toast, letting the bread soak for a bit means more flavor down in the middle of the bread. So, let it go until it feels really well integrated. You can just dunk and let things sit a minute but longer is better with heavier breads.
In fall, the flavors that define a lot of our foods are sweeter breakfast treats, and yes, Pumpkin Spice lattes are the same — cinnamon, nutmeg, tiny bits of clove, some ginger, and maybe allspice. For your French toast, feel free to integrate any and all of these fall spices, and even a little juniper if you have some. You could also just use what’s labeled as pumpkin pie spice, especially if you don’t regularly have all of those sitting around. Instead, pick up one bottle of spice, and feel free to sub that for straight cinnamon in the sausage.
Recipe: Venison Breakfast Burgers
Spice it up!
One of the things I found that really brought this recipe full circle was some fresh lemon zest, peeled and chopped finely, but you could also use a zester or fine grater if you have one. I happened to be traveling, so I just had a knife set.
Lastly, be sure the sausage is right before cooking it all. I’ll always do a nice little mini patty to get a judge on to see if it’s salty enough, and also to see what temp it likes to cook at. Having some sweetness to this sausage — it will burn if cooked too hot.
Recipe: Missouri Hot Roast Dip
What a spread.
DETAILED RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Sausage:
- 12 oz. of ground venison with at least 20% fat (6 oz. meat per person is about right)
- Tablespoon of fresh-chopped sage, rosemary and thyme, or dry poultry seasoning
- ½ – 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (or black pepper for less spice)
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon or fall spices (allspice and juniper can be a really nice addition)
- Optional: juniper berries ground fine and allspice to taste
Sauce and Toast:
- 12-16 oz. of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- Sourdough bread, sliced into 1-inch thick fingers (three to four fingers per person)
- 1 lemon (peeled for zest or squeezed for liquid)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 pats of butter
- 2 eggs or an egg per person
- ¼ cup milk per person
- Tablespoon of fall spices (more if you want)
- Cooking oil or butter
Slice it and dice it.
DETAILED RECIPE STEPS:
- Simmer down the berries on low heat with half of your lemon zest, butter, honey and some thyme (if you have it).
- Stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
- Turn off once finished (about 5 minutes).
- Whisk up eggs, milk, and fall spices.
- Slice bread (into desired thickness) and soak in egg mixture for a few minutes.
- Turn in mix every couple minutes for even soaking.
- Chop herbs finely for sausage (if using fresh).
- Mix venison with all the sausage seasoning and ⅓ of the berry syrup. (Save the rest for the toast.)
- Heat pan to medium.
- Mix until tacky and test a tiny piece in a pan on medium. Make sure your salt levels are where you want them.
- Make sausage patties or links and brown in a little bit of cooking oil.
- Remove and let rest.
- Add new oil or butter to the pan and cook the French toast on each side until lightly brown.
- Plate French toast in a nice pile, sauce with berries and a little lemon zest, and plate the sausage on the side.
That's perfection on a plate.
It’s time to feast!
