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Pasta with Grilled Sausage

I'll start off by saying, not one of my most stellar meals and I blame that on Johnsonville's Chicken Sausage, but I'll get to that later. The culprit:

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This was one of those new products that you get a coupon for so you figure you'll try it out once. Well, I wouldn't take it again if they paid me. Set up the Mini at around 450 to grill the sausage.

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While all that was happening, I made up a simple pasta that Mrs. G usually makes as a side dish. Just some sketti, butter, freshly grated parm and some parsley chopped up. Looking around the kitchen, I found some cherry tomatoes that needed using up, so they went in as well and some black olives and a few capers.

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Got that all fixed up and threw a few slices of bread on the Mini to toast up since it was already warm.

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Whoop, overdid those a bit, but still edible.

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Got it all plated up and I was excited to chow down.

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The sausage totally killed the meal. In fact, after a few bites, it got pushed to the edge of the plate to be ignored. The meat was totally emulsified, giving it a hot dog like texture. Not what I look for in a sausage. The flavors were just weird, I can't even describe them and to be honest, I think my mind has blocekd them out so that I won't. This stuff is just as bad as their line of fully cooked dinner sausage. I think they should just stick to brats, breakfast sausage and maybe Italian sausage (although I do think mine is better). The pasta was good, though, so it wasn't a total loss and Mrs. G wasn't there to taste the disaster. Oh well...can't win 'em all.

BTW...our rent house has those stupid long flourescent tubes that are recessed in the kitchen. A few went out, so I just replaced them all. The light went from a yellowish color to a "true daylight" color. I'm still trying to adjust, so if my pictures seem a bit off color, that's why. I'll get it figured out.

Rowlett, Texas

Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

 

Comments

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    This appears to be the night for dissapointment.  Oh, well yours looks good just like mine did.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    I have to say that I've tried their pork and chicken sausage and enjoyed it.  Now I haven't tried it on it's own, but I took it out of the casing and fried it up to use as a pizza topping, and then I used the leftovers for nachos.  But it had a sausage look and texture to it. Might want to try that instead.

    image

    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    If you do chicken sausage again, try Bruce Aidell's line. I actually really enjoy it. I grab the larger packs at Costco.
  • SmokinDAWG82
    SmokinDAWG82 Posts: 1,705
    I've not been happy with any of their fully cooked products, I like their brats and Italian sausage. I bet the uncooked type that 500 showed are better than the precooked variety.
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    Sorry to hear the meal didn't turn out so well, it does look great though! 

    I have the coupon but haven't seen it in stores the past couple of grocery trips. I have used the Aidell's chicken sausage that @Eggcelsior mentioned and you can find small packs at Target and I get chicken sausage from the deli at Sprouts, which I don't know if they have stores in Texas but I imagine they would if OKC has two. We have a friend that can't eat pork that we do dinner a couple times a week with, so I am always on the hunt for good chicken sausage. I'll cross this one off the list. 
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    I bet the uncooked one is probably better, but I think I'll be trying my hand at making some chicken sausage of my own instead.

    @Solson005 - we do have Sprouts in Dallas, there might even be one near me. I would occasionally go to the one by our old house, haven't tried the one near us now, though.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,024
    I've had the pork and chicken uncooked bratwursts before, and they tasted good to us. Although I'm no sausage connoisseur. :)
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,024
    By the way, your plate looks delicious! Especially the pasta.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    You might not live as long, but you will enjoy it so much more. Jalapeno & Cheddar Sausage with pork and beef....

     

    image
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Griffin said:

    I bet the uncooked one is probably better, but I think I'll be trying my hand at making some chicken sausage of my own instead.

    @Solson005 - we do have Sprouts in Dallas, there might even be one near me. I would occasionally go to the one by our old house, haven't tried the one near us now, though.

    There is a chicken sausage I buy from Old Timey Meat Market in Columbia--- good stuff. Butcher calls me when he makes a batch. He adds whatever spices and then adds chopped basil and feta in the mix to help keep it from drying out when cooked. It is so goo and flavorful.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    @Mickey - that's my kinda sausage! With a little bit of Bambi in it...YUMMY!

    @Dyal_SC - thanks.

    @Chubbs - bet that feta would go well with chicken.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    edited January 2013
    If you do chicken sausage again, try Bruce Aidell's line. I actually really enjoy it. I grab the larger packs at Costco.
    I was just about to make this recommendation as well. Aidell's line of sausage is pretty good, with a variety of different flavors. I'm just not that big a fan of chicken sausage, so we don't eat it often. When we do, Aidell's is what we get.

    Speaking of poultry proxying for pork, tried Boar's Head turkey pepperoni on some pizzas (pizzae?) this past weekend and actually liked it better than regular pepperoni. It had that pepperoni flavor without all the grease, and much healthier than regular pepperoni. 

    Your plate looks darn tasty though! 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.