Chef John'S Breakfast Sausage Patties - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound coarsely ground pork shoulder
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, or more to taste - lightly crushed
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Place pork, fennel seeds, orange zest, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg into a bowl and stir very lightly with a fork to combine. Do not overmix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Check seasonings before using: Shape about 2 teaspoons sausage into a small patty and fry until brown in a skillet over medium heat. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes and taste for seasoning.
Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap. Divide sausage into 6 equal pieces, roll into a balls, and wrap each ball with plastic wrap. Press flat into patties and discard plastic.
Place a heavy skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook patties in hot skillet until meat is no longer pink in the center and the sausage is browned, about 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.