Egg, sausage and cheese breakfast burritos

Homemade maple-sage sausage

Makes 1 lb raw sausage; use all of it in the burritos. This is the same sausage as the breakfast pizza.

1. Mix the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Stir the maple syrup into the ice water. Add both to the cold pork and mix until evenly seasoned and a little tacky, about 90 seconds.
2. Cook a small test patty to 160°F and taste it. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Cook the sausage now, or cover and refrigerate overnight for a fuller sausage flavor.

Burrito filling and assembly

1. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up, until cooked through to 160°F. Use a sturdy spatula or meat chopper to make fine, even crumbles. Transfer to a bowl and pour off excess fat.
2. Add the olive oil and shallots to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Add the shallots to the sausage.
3. Whisk the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, adding a little oil if it needs it. Add the eggs and fold gently with a spatula until softly set, with no loose liquid egg remaining, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Fold in the sausage and shallots. Once the filling reaches 160°F, take it off the heat. Taste a spoonful and adjust the salt. For burritos you're freezing, use the cooling directions below before assembly.
5. Warm the tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or in a covered stack in the microwave until flexible. Divide the filling into eight portions. Set one portion just below the center of each tortilla and scatter about ¼ cup cheese over it.
6. Fold the left and right sides inward. Bring the bottom edge over the filling, tuck it snugly underneath and roll forward, keeping the sides folded in. Rest seam-side down. Serve warm with salsa or ranch on the side.

Freeze and reheat

1. For freezer burritos, spread the cooked filling in a shallow container and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking. Once cold, assemble with warmed, pliable tortillas and the cheese. Keep salsa and ranch out of the filling so the wraps stay less soggy.
2. Wrap each burrito snugly in parchment, then foil. Put them in a labeled freezer bag, press out extra air and freeze in a single layer. Use within about 3 months for best quality. You can keep a few refrigerated instead and eat them within 3 to 4 days of cooking.
3. To microwave one from frozen, remove all foil and wrapping. Wrap loosely in a damp paper towel and set on a microwave-safe plate. Heat at 50% power for 3 minutes, turn it over, then heat at full power for 1 to 2 minutes. Continue in 30-second bursts until the center reaches 165°F. Let stand for 1 minute. Times vary with the microwave and burrito size.
4. For a refrigerated burrito, remove all wrapping, use a damp paper towel and start with 1 minute at full power. Turn, then continue in 30-second bursts until the center reaches 165°F. Let stand for 1 minute. For a crisp tortilla, finish the heated burrito in a dry skillet, seam-side down first.