Sausage has a reputation
There’s an old line about not wanting to see how sausage is made, and for a long time it was fair. Sausage was where the leftover cuts went, and the package rarely said much about where any of it came from.
This one you can read in one breath: chicken, chicken hearts, spices, sea salt and garlic powder. The chicken comes from one farm, Mike and Connie Hale’s in Campbell, Texas, and the hearts are named right on the label.
Windy Meadows Family Farm · Campbell, Texas
Raised by Mike and Connie Hale
Mike and Connie have farmed in Campbell since 2001, raising their chickens on pasture in mobile shelters they move to fresh ground every day.
Meet Mike and Connie HaleGround Italian Chicken Sausage
Questions about this sausage
Is this plain ground chicken?
No. It’s ground chicken sausage with Italian seasoning already blended in.
Is it spicy?
No. The Italian seasoning is mild, with no heat, so it works well for kids and anyone who doesn’t like spice.
Does it come in links or casings?
No. It’s loose ground sausage with no casing, ready to crumble into a pan or shape into meatballs.
How is this different from grocery store chicken sausage?
It comes from one family farm, Windy Meadows Family Farm in Campbell, Texas, where Mike and Connie Hale raise the chickens on pasture. It has five ingredients: chicken, chicken hearts, spices, sea salt and garlic powder. The chickens eat a custom non-GMO ration made without corn or soy.
Why does it contain chicken hearts?
Chicken hearts are part of the Windy Meadows blend. Sausage has long been a way to use more of the animal, and a heart is a working muscle that cooks and tastes much like dark meat.
What are the chickens fed?
Windy Meadows feeds a custom non-GMO ration made without corn or soy, and the chickens are raised on pasture in mobile shelters moved daily.
Does it contain preservatives or MSG?
No. It has no preservatives, no artificial ingredients and no added MSG.
Is this chicken sausage healthy?
Here’s what we know about it. It has five ingredients, no preservatives and no added MSG. Mike and Connie Hale raise the chickens on pasture and feed a custom non-GMO ration made without corn or soy. Like most small family farms, Windy Meadows doesn’t lab test for nutrition values, so we don’t have those numbers to share.
Is it gluten-free?
None of the five ingredients contain gluten. The package isn’t labeled gluten-free and hasn’t been tested, so we can’t call it gluten-free.
What can I make with it?
Brown it for pizza, stir it into marinara for pasta, layer it into lasagna, roll it into meatballs or cook it with white beans and greens.
How do I cook it?
Brown it in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until it reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Color alone isn’t a reliable test for ground poultry.
How should I thaw it?
Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. For a faster thaw, keep it sealed in a bowl of cold water, change the water every 30 minutes and cook it as soon as it thaws.
How long does it keep?
It stays safe as long as it stays frozen; for best quality, use it within 3 to 4 months. Once thawed in the refrigerator, cook it within 1 to 2 days.
How do I get it in Dallas–Fort Worth?
ROCK member families order in advance for local pickup or home delivery across our eligible Dallas–Fort Worth service area.
Most weeknight dinners are about getting food on the table. Pizza night is the one in our house that takes a little longer, on purpose.
The sausage browns on the stove while the kids roll out the dough, and everyone gets a say in what goes on top.
Know the farmer. Honor the food. Gather the family.