A Tasty Addition to Your Favorite Brunch Recipes
Are you a brunch fanatic? A pro-pancake-flipper? An expert at eggs? Absolutely! And as such, we’re certain that you’ve sautéed up plenty of breakfast sausages to serve alongside your delicious breakfast creations.
However, this weekend, we challenge you to take your brunch game to the next level by pairing your go-to recipes with the very best breakfast sausage. Unsure which brand is truly the best? No worries—our Test Kitchen experts have done the hard work for you.
How We Determined the Best Breakfast Sausage
At the Test Kitchen, we take product testing seriously. Our culinary team conducted a blind tasting of six different brands of breakfast sausage links. With images of their ideal Saturday morning feast in mind, our experts judged each link based on three key characteristics:
- Flavor: How does the sausage taste? What spices and herbs are discernible? Is it the kind of sausage you’d love to enjoy with pancakes or eggs?
- Texture: What is the texture like? Does the casing provide a satisfying snap? Is the meat ground to perfection or a bit coarser/finer?
- Appearance: How do the sausages look once cooked? Are they evenly browned and visually appealing?
Our Test Kitchen’s Preferred Brands
Four brands stood out from the rest. We hope you consider adding one of these Test Kitchen favorites to your breakfast table.
Best Classic Breakfast Sausage: Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Links
A good breakfast sausage must tick all the right boxes: golden-brown exterior, savory and tender interior, and spices that satisfy your breakfast cravings. Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Links check all these boxes and more.
These pork sausages caught our Test Kitchen’s attention with their exceptional taste. They boast a delightful pork flavor complemented by a blend of spices including black pepper, sage, salt, and a hint of rosemary. Achieving such a harmonious combination of flavors is no easy feat, but our testers unanimously agreed that Bob Evans nailed it.
While these links are slightly smaller than other options, the size won’t matter to our Test Kitchen. You can always add an extra link to your plate—especially when it’s as tasty as this one.
Best Snap: Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Little Pork Sausages
When you slice into a breakfast sausage, you’re seeking that satisfying snap as you break through the casing. That crunchiness adds texture and is often an indication of good things to come. Our Test Kitchen ranks Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Little Pork Sausages as the top contenders in terms of snap and exceptional taste.
Each of these links boasts a crispy exterior and a tender interior with just the right amount of spice and salt. Testers couldn’t resist asking for a second or even third link to sample.
These all-natural breakfast links are also sugar- and gluten-free, making them suitable for various dietary preferences, including gluten-free, paleo, and keto.
Best Sweet and Salty Combo: Johnsonville Original Recipe Breakfast Sausage
At breakfast, many of us crave the perfect sweet and salty combination, especially when it involves the flavor of maple combined with salty bacon or breakfast sausage. If this irresistible pairing has you constantly longing for more, get your hands on a pack of Johnsonville Original Recipe Breakfast Sausage.
These plump sausages cook up beautifully with an evenly browned, caramelized exterior, which is simply irresistible on your plate. As for the flavor, testers detected a hint of sage (a must in any breakfast sausage) along with a dash of maple. This touch of sweet maple flavor complements the savory sausage perfectly. Our Test Kitchen suggests serving this brand alongside pancakes, waffles, or French toast—basically, any breakfast that calls for maple syrup. Johnsonville breakfast sausage is the perfect match for these dishes.
For Grill Fanatics: Smithfield Hometown Original Breakfast Sausage
If you’re the kind of person who loves to grill your sausages, you’ll want to give Smithfield Hometown Original Breakfast Sausage a try.
These breakfast links have a slightly smoky, grilled flavor that had our testers contemplating grilling up a few brats for a cookout. While this departure from the taste of traditional breakfast sausage may surprise some, it was a welcomed change for many. Imagine the deliciousness of smoky sausage links cooked on your indoor grill and served alongside a hash or indulging in blueberry-cinnamon campfire bread.
If you’re looking for something a little different, grab a pack of these sausages from Smithfield. They still provide that satisfying snap we all crave from breakfast sausage.
Please note that if you’re interested in a plant-based meat alternative, our team recommends Beyond Meat’s Beyond Breakfast Sausage. In our blind tasting, our testers could tell that these links weren’t made from pork sausage, but they appreciated their texture. While they could’ve used a touch more seasoning, they definitely weren’t bland like some vegan “meats” are rumored to be.
How to Cook Breakfast Sausage
When you’re ready to indulge in your breakfast feast, there are two simple methods for cooking sausage in the morning (or evening in the case of breakfast-for-dinner recipes):
- In a Skillet: Add thawed sausages to a skillet over medium heat. Cook until heated through (approximately 10 to 15 minutes), making sure to turn the sausages to brown all sides evenly.
- In the Oven: Place thawed sausage links in a shallow baking dish and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the sausages halfway through cooking to ensure even browning. The internal temperature should reach at least 160°F. A meat thermometer comes in handy for this purpose.
Remember, there’s no need to limit your sausages to just a side dish. Sausage links work wonders in recipes like toad-in-the-hole, frittatas, and breakfast skewers.
So, grab a pack of the best breakfast sausage links and treat yourself to a brunch feast that will delight both your taste buds and your brunch-loving heart. And for more delicious recipes and information, visit Hook’d Up Bar and Grill.