I broke down yesterday and went to the freezer for the penultimate package of Fike’s maple-brown sugar sausage. And we ate those sausages with both joy and sorrow – joy because they were so good, and sorrow because we only have one package left.

For the past few summers when we’ve rented “our” cabin on a quiet lake in Maine, we’ve been able to get all our meat at Fike’s Custom Cutting, a small butcher shop on a quiet country road in Readfield. Brandon always had such outstanding meat – steaks, burger meat, chops – and out of all the sausages he made, the maple-brown sugar sausage quickly became our favorite. Every summer we would bring home several packages to ration over the winter. These sausages have a deep, complex flavor from the maple and brown sugar, and a nice hint of spicy heat that complements the sweetness.

Sadly, however, on such an out-of-the-way road, Brandon decided he could no longer keep his small retail shop stocked. They still butcher livestock and game – deer, moose, and bear! – but this past summer, sadly, we bought our last packages of maple-brown sugar sausages.

On a happier note, though, I am sure this recipe will be wonderful with other sausages, whether pork, turkey or chicken, or, perhaps, even vegan. I baked them in the oven with wedges of onion and apple, and a few prunes tossed in the pan as well. I added some mustard and maple syrup to give it some moisture, and after the pan came out of the oven, I removed the sausages and added some hard cider to supplement the sauce. We served them with baked sweet potatoes, and, with bittersweet feelings, enjoyed our second to last package of Fike’s maple brown-sugar sausage.

Roast Sausages

Serves 2-4

Just out of the oven, before taking the sausages out of the pan.

1 pound sausage – experiment with different kinds
1 large, firm apple, cut into 12 wedges (I used Granny Smith)
1 medium onion, cut into 12 wedges
10 prunes or other dried fruit
1 garlic clove, sliced
3-5 thyme sprigs, or try other herbs, such as rosemary
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon Dijon or other mustard
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup hard cider, or try substituting chicken or vegetable broth or other juice

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Select a flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof sauté pan that will hold all the ingredients tightly in a single layer. Place the sausages in the pan first, then tuck the onion, apple, and prunes between and around the meat. Scatter the garlic and thyme sprigs on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (If there is space between the ingredients, there will not be enough liquid and they will burn in the oven.)

Mix the maple syrup, mustard, and olive oil together in a small cup, and drizzle over everything.

Bake for 40 minutes, until the sausages are cooked through. (They should feel firm when pressed.) Remove from the oven, and if using a sauté pan, place an oven mitt on the handle to remind you that it’s hot. Remove the sausages from the pan to a plate, as well as some of the other ingredients if you want them to hold their shapes. Turn the heat to medium-high under the pan and add the cider. Allow the sauce to simmer for 1-3 minutes to reduce slightly. Serve the sausages with the apples, onions, and prunes, with some pan juice poured on top.

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Roast Sausages