SAGE AND BOURBON WHISKEY SAUSAGE WITH CHERRY TOMATO CHUTNEY

Sage and Bourbon Whiskey Sausage with Cherry Tomato Chutney image

Categories Sauce Sandwich Bourbon Tomato Side Cherry Sausage Whiskey Chill Kosher Sage Simmer Boil

Yield serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

Sausage
14 ounces ground pork
2 ounces salt pork, fat only, minced
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black, white, or green pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste, if needed
Chutney
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2/3 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chile
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 cups red cherry tomatoes, such as Sweet 100s, or grape tomatoes
1 1/3 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Buns, split, if making sandwiches

Steps:

To make the sausage, place all the ingredients except the salt in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Cook and taste a small sample, then add the salt if needed. Leave in bulk or stuff into hog casing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm and to blend the flavors, though 4 hours or even overnight is better.
To make the chutney, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and stir until the seeds begin to pop, about 1 minute. Add all the remaining ingredients, stir to mix, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, until almost all of the liquid is gone but the mixture is still a bit moist, about 35 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, cover, and chill slightly before using to allow the flavors to coalesce.
To cook the sausage, prepare a medium-hot grill. If using in bulk, form the sausage into patties each about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter or into balls each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter.
Place the patties, balls, or links on the grill rack directly over the heat source. Cook, turning once or twice, until no longer pink in the center but still quite moist, 15 minutes or so, depending on the shape and thickness.
If serving the sausage in buns, toast the buns, cut sides down, on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Spread each half with some of the chutney and sandwich a sausage patty or link between them. Or, arrange the sausage balls on a warmed platter and serve with the chutney on the side.