Recipe: Iron Skillet Breakfast with Homemade Sausage or Chorizo (like scrapple)

IRON SKILLET BREAKFAST

4 cups water
1/2 lb. Homemade Sausage (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (optional)
Dash cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup cooked black beans (optional)
Flour
Butter or bacon fat
Scrambled eggs (for serving)
Maple syrup (for serving)

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large, heavy pan; add sausage, onion, salt, thyme, and cayenne pepper. (If extra spicy sausage is used, omit seasonings, if desired.) Cook, stirring to break up sausage, for 15 minute.

Mix cornmeal with cold water; stir into sausage mixture gradually. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and cornmeal softens, about 30 minutes.

Rinse beans, if using, under running water; stir into cornmeal.

Rinse a loaf pan with cold water; pour hot mixture into pan, smoothing surface. Cover and chill until firm.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Cut into 1/2-inch slices; dip in flour. In a large skillet, fry in butter over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve with scrambled eggs and maple syrup.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

HOMEMADE SAUSAGE
Makes 24 servings

3 lbs. lean ground pork
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine pork with salt, herbs, and pepper, mixing well. Cover bowl or put meat mixture into plastic food storage bags; refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to blend. Shape into 3-inch patties, about 3/4-inch thick. Cook in skillet over medium heat until done, turning once, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

VARIATION:

CHORIZO (MEXICAN STYLE SAUSAGE):
Replace herbs with a mixture of 1/3 cup hot Mexican style or mild chili powder, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. dried oregano and 1 tsp. cumin powder. Refrigerate overnight.

Source: Marlboro Country Cookbook