I turned this year's Toms into 15 pounds of quality breakfast sausage using this recipe from Steve Rinella. I wouldn't hesitate to serve this for dinner with a simple cream gravy made from the pan drippings. Great way to spread that bird over many meals throughout the year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=LlVoDc0GyGgWild Turkey Apple Sausage
2 pounds skinless, boneless turkey legs (or a mix of legs and breast), cut into 1˝-inch cubes
14 ounces thick-sliced bacon, cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large onion, diced
2 medium sweet and tart apples, such as Honeycrisp, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 to 2˝ tablespoons packed brown sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Zest of 1 lemon
Freeze the turkey meat and bacon on a baking sheet for 30 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the apples and continue to cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, spread in a thin layer, and let cool in the refrigerator.
Grind the turkey and bacon into a large bowl set over a large bowl of ice. Add the cooled onions and apples, the sugar, thyme, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Mix well with your hands. Pinch off a small bit of the sausage mixture and cook in a little oil in a skillet to test for seasoning. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Form patties with a slightly wet hand. I like to make them 3 inches in diameter because they’re easy to throw on the grill or in a pan, but you can make them any size you want. Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium heat and put a little oil in the pan. Working in batches, sear the sausage patties until browned on both sides and cooked throughout, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Note: To freeze, stuff sausage into poly meat bags in ˝-pound or 1-pound quantities, depending on how many people you typically serve.
