If you love meat and potatoes, well here you are. This dish serves as a hearty breakfast or a welcome hot dinner after outdoor adventures. The cast iron gives such a wonderful texture to the sausages, making them plump and crispy. The pre-cooked potatoes fry in the butter and oil from the sausages giving them great flavor.

Sausage and Smashed Potato Skillet
Serves 4:
1 1/2 lb small golden potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and cracked pepper
2 tablespoons butter (plus more if needed)
1 lb Italian sausage (I chose a mild Italian chicken version)

Prep It:
Pre-cook the potatoes (you can bake whole: coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then cook for about 20 minutes at 450F) OR you can boil them (about 15 minutes: this really depends on the size, the smaller the baby potato the faster it will boil) Boil until fork tender.

You can back pre-boiled/baked potatoes to take with you. I find this saves me so much cook time later and also gives me a terrific ingredient that works in skillet meals, soups, for hot breakfasts, and as easy sides. To pack, I just put the cooled potatoes into a large ziplock and pack in my cooler.

Make it at the Campsite:
When you’re ready to cook, begin by heating a cast iron on medium heat on your grill grate or campfire stove. Add in your butter and sausages. Fry the sausages for about 3 minutes per side until browned all around and cooked through (around 15 minutes). Remove to a side plate and cover with foil.

Smash your potatoes with the back of a spatula and add to the reserved butter and oil from cooking the sausage. Heat the potatoes until golden brown and warmed through (about 5 minutes per side). Add additional butter as needed. Finish by returning the sausages to the pan. Serve warm.