Spanish Sausage (or Venison) All the Cooking Details & the Recipe!

Spanish Sausage

I should explain.

We put 4 pigs in the freezer last fall.  Before you tell me I am off the hook for raising pigs this summer you should know that 2 of the 4 pigs were ground into 100% sausage.  No chops.  No bacon.  No ribs.  No tenderloin.  No ham.  No steaks.  Just sausage.

Now, that’s A LOT of sausage.

So, when one finds themselves with a freezer filled with sausage, one must find some creative ways to consume sausage.  I’m tired of breakfast patties.  I’m tired of lasagna.  I’m tired of spaghetti.  I’m tired of sausage biscuits.  I’m tired of sausage & eggs.

In my search for ways to consume sausage, I came across this fabulous Spanish Sausage Recipe.  It is an adaption from my wonderful cookbook “The Modern Family Cookbook,” by Meta Given from 1942.  Girl knows how to cook some sausage.  I don’t follow her recipe exactly so if you happen to have the cookbook you may notice some changes in my recipe below.  🙂

If you enjoy Cuban Cuisine you’ll love this recipe.  

It has all the fresh flavors of Spain, a little spice, a little sweetness, a little tang. A side of rice & beans and a loaf of Cuban bread would suit this flavorful dish perfectly!  Since I live in the middle of nowhere Kentucky – Cuban bread is not an option and all I have in the house is pasta.  So, I’m serving this beauty up with some pasta.

Speaking of spice…

Since, there are 5 deer keeping my 4 pigs company in the freezers I threw some ground venison in with my sausage. Throwing some venison in the mix is going to help me to control the spice level.  Even though I ordered my sausage “mild” it does have quite the kick.  Kicks are great when you are feeding adults and big kids.  Small children in this house are big babies about spicy food.

You could cut the sausage with ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork or use ground venison like me.  I used a 2:1 ratio – 2 parts sausage: 1 part ground venison.

If you like spice and don’t have small, complaining children in your house,  just go 100% sausage.  It will be superb.

First, I formed my patties.  These are about the size if a burger.  Then I browned both sides in my cast iron skillet in some lard (of course).

Once nice and brown remove the sausage patties from the skillet and set aside on a platter.  You don’t have to cook them through – they are going back in the skillet in a few minutes.

Pour off half the fat.  Toss the onions, peppers & celery in the remaining fat.  Stir them around until they begin to soften & brown.  Yum!

Add 1 can of tomato juice, salt, pepper, and sugar.  Here’s how I canned my own tomato juice last summer.  Stir and bring to a simmer.

Once the simmering begins add the sausage patties back to the pan with the veggies & sauce.  All this to simmer on low for 30-45 minutes.  While this is hanging out bubbling wonderfully, get some penne pasta going in another pot (if you would like to serve over pasta).

After 30 minutes it is time to thicken this sauce a bit.  Add 2 tablespoons of flour (or starch) to 1/4 cup water.  Mix until smooth & add this to the skillet with the sauce & sausage patties.

Stir everything around & allow the sauce to thicken.

I have eaten this dish over pasta, rice, and spaghetti squash – it is delicious any way you serve it.

You can dish this up traditional Spanish style with some rice & beans and Cuban Bread…. or if you are me and live in the country and haven’t seen Cuban bread since you lived in Tampa, Florida 16 years ago you can serve it over penne pasta & top with green onions.

Either way, you’re gonna be happy.

This dish is a disco party.  The sausage gives it some spice. All those browned veggies are doing their foodie thing.  That tiny bit of sugar just sends it over the top with a hint of sweetness.  AND because we thickened the sauce it is a lovely consistency that just clings to the pasta.  Not watery.  Not ordinary.  Not your average pasta dish.

Good stuff.

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Print Recipe

Spanish Sausage

This dish is a disco party. The sausage gives it some spice. All those browned veggies are doing their foodie thing. That tiny bit of syrup just sends it over the top with a hint of sweetness. AND because the sauce is thickened it is a lovely consistency that just clings to the pasta. Not watery. Not ordinary. Not your average pasta dish.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Italian, Sausage

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs sausage
• 1 quart tomato juice
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 1/2 cup green pepper diced
• 1/2 cup celery diced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• dash pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp Flour or starch for thickening
• Parmesan cheese grated - for topping (optional)
• chives fresh - for topping (optional)

Course Main Dish Cuisine Italian, Sausage Servings people Ingredients 1 1/2 lbs sausage 1 quart tomato juice 1/2 cup onion diced 1/2 cup green pepper diced 1/2 cup celery diced 1/2 tsp Salt dash pepper 1 tbsp maple syrup (or cane sugar) 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp Flour or starch for thickening Parmesan cheese grated - for topping (optional) chives fresh - for topping (optional)

Recipe Notes

Shape sausage into patties & brown in hot skillet.  Set aside.  Pour off half the fat & add onion, green pepper & celery.  Cook until veggies are soft.  Add tomato juice, maple syrup, and seasonings.  Place sausage patties back in skillet with sauce.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Blend flour (or starch) and water until smooth then add to skillet.  Stir into sauce & allow to thicken.

Serve sausage patties over rice or pasta.  Spoon sauce over sausage patties and top with parmesan cheese & chives (if desired).

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