Adding Sausage To Waffle Batter Is The Sweet-Savory Twist You Didn't Know You Needed

Come breakfast time, there are those who like it sweet, while others prefer it a little saltier, craving something a bit more savory. But as with so many things in this life — you don't have to settle for a binary. For there are some still, who like it both ways. Once you try this hedonist's delight, marrying both salty and sweet, you may be spoiled for anything else. The quickest route to achieving such satisfying breakfast bliss is by adding a sausage to your batter (waffle, pancake, or Danish aebleskivers will do).

The reason this showstopping hack works is quite simply the sausage. The beauty of salted breakfast meats is that they're often smoky with hints of maple or brown sugar, and spiced with the tiniest bit of heat, along with sage, thyme, garlic, and black pepper. All of which are complimented by the addition of creamy whipped butter and warm sweet syrup. And in the case of true Belgian yeasted waffles, this epic pairing results in bite-after-bite of crispy-edged, fluffy-soft, and subtly malted-maple toned, vanilla-scented waffles, brimming with a lightly greasy umami kiss of meaty goodness, soaked in the rich sweetness of maple syrup in every mouthful. 

The best way to achieve this blissful alchemy is to first, whip up some batter while heating up your sausage (don't overcook them). Then, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add half of your batter to your heated waffle iron, before topping with juicy sausage pieces and covering it in your remaining batter, cooking until done. 

If it sounds like you could be into sausage-stuffed waffles but there's something holding you back, just remember the key to any culinary encounter is to get it how you like it. Try bacon, ham, or any ground meat. Not into links? Try crumbling cooked ground meat directly into the batter, or stuff the whole patty inside, for a no muss, no fuss rendezvous. 

On the go, but you still gotta have it? Cook one egg omelet-style, folding it over, and slip it inside with some shredded cheese, and the meat of your choice (browned in maple syrup). Skipping the meat? Try stuffing your waffle with vegan sausage, faking bacon, tofu, or seitan. Or make it meatless, with caramelized onions or asparagus, and some crumbled chèvre and herbs, before topping with lavender honey.

Everything from the type of batter to the sweet topping and everything in-between can be swapped to match your mood in this breakout brekkie. Got a hankering for a steak and cheese? Add thin slices of cooked steak, provolone cheese and diced bell pepper and onions to your batter, then top with pepper jelly syrup. Love chicken and waffles but wanna take it next level? Top your sausage-stuffed waffles with fried chicken and drizzle with hot honey. Or take things south of the border, adding cumin, cilantro, and cayenne to your batter and stuffing your waffle with rich, leftover mole chicken, before topping with a drizzle of chocolate chili syrup. Muy Caliente!