Sausage Strata Brunch Do Ahead Recipes

HOLIDAY SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, crumbling it with a spoon, until mostly brown but still a little pink, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel; reserve the sausage fat separately.
• Butter both sides of the bread with the butter. Arrange half of the bread in 1 layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half the sausage, followed by half the Gruyere. Repeat with another layer of the remaining bread, sausage and cheese.
• In a bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, 2 teaspoons of the salt and some pepper. Pour the mixture over the layers of bread, sausage and cheese. Cover in plastic wrap and weigh down the strata with a couple sacks of rice/beans in a zipper top bag to compress it. Refrigerate overnight.
• The morning of baking, remove the plastic wrap and weights. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Toss the broccoli with the reserved sausage fat, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Dot the top of the strata with the broccoli florets so the broccoli tops are still visible (to look like trees) but the stalks are submerged in the custard. Bake until the edges pull away from the dish and the center is puffed, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Right before serving, sprinkle with the Parmesan to mimic snow on trees.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Using 1/4 cup butter, spread one side of each bread slice with butter. Place half of the bread, butter side down, in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms and onions in remaining butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon half of the mushroom mixture over bread in prepared pan. Top with half of the sausage and cheese. Layer with the remaining bread, mushroom mixture, sausage and cheese. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, nutmeg and ground mustard. Pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

OVERNIGHT SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Drizzle with butter. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mustard, Italian seasoning and pepper; mix well. Pour over bread. Crumble sausage over top; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE STRATA BRUNCH (DO AHEAD)

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Scramble fry the sausage meat until cooked, drain off all the fat.
• Line the greased dish with 6 slices of bread.
• Sprinkle in the cheese.
• Pour the fried sausage meat over the cheese layer.
• Cover meat with remaining slices of bread.
• Beat the eggs together with milk, salt, pepper, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, & mustard powder.
• Pour over the bread in the baking dish.
• Cover & refrigerate overnight.
• When you are ready to bake it preheat oven to 350°F Have the strata dish close to room temperature (so you don't crack the baking dish with it being too cold). Bake for approx 1 hour or until set.

EASY SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside.
• Layer bread cubes, sausage, and Cheddar cheese in a lightly greased 7x11 inch baking dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt, and mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cube mixture. Cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• The day before:.
• Grease a 9"x13" baking pan.
• In a large skillet, saute sausage and peppers. Break up the sausage, stirring and frying until it is well-browned. Drain off the fat. Stir mustard into the sausage.
• Arrange 6 slices of bread on bottom of baking pan. Top with 1/2 of the sausage and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, sausage, and cheese to make a second layer.
• Beat eggs in large bowl. Beat in milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour beaten mixture over layers in the baking pan.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
• On serving day:.
• Remove baking pan from refrigerator one hour before cooking to reach room temperature.
• Bake uncovered at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until center seems set. Serve immediately.

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH COUNTRY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Brush a large gratin dish with some of the oil.
• To cook the sausage, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until it begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and red and yellow bell peppers and saute until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.
• To assemble the strata, place half of the bread cubes in the prepared gratin dish and top with half of the sausage mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the grated cheese over the sausage mixture and top with the remaining bread cubes and sausage.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, sage, and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the custard over the strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the chilled strata stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Bake the strata for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese; continue baking until the strata is puffed and golden brown, an additional 20 to 25 minutes. (If the top of the strata starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.) Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve hot or warm.