Pro Chef Turns Sausage Into 3 Meals For Under $9 | The Smart Cook | Epicurious

Chef Dan Giusti returns for another episode of The Smart Cook, this time showing us just how much is possible with a few links of sausage and some ingenuity. Watch as Dan prepares a day's worth of meals, each taking humble store-bought sausage from the ordinary to something nutritious and delicious. The best part? All 3 dishes cost under $3 a serving.
Dan Giusti, formerly the head chef of Noma, is the founder of Brigaid, a company that places professional chefs into institutional food spaces like public schools. Brigaid chefs bring their experience, knowledge and technique to institutional kitchens to improve food quality. Similar to how Brigaid works--by bringing professional chefs into institutional spaces to apply their knowledge to new environments-- The Smart Cook intends to do the same by bringing Chef Dan's experience and knowhow into your home with delicious recipes prepared on a budget.
Learn more at www.chefsbrigaid.com
Follow Dan on Instagram at @dan.giusti and @brigaid
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0:00 Introduction
1:00 Breakfast - Chicken-Fried Sausage Breakfast Sandwich
6:35 Lunch - Sausage And Veggie Skewers With Pearl Barley
13:31 Dinner - Rigatoni With Spicy Sausage And Broccoli
18:08 Conclusion
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[@danielgiusti6731]

Hello Everyone!!!! Thanks for taking some time to watch this episode!! I’ve made a few of these now and will continue to make more. I’d love to hear what you think and if you have any suggestions for some new topics! Thanks again!!

[@londondanceboo]

This video is amazing!!

[@danielgiusti6731]

@@londondanceboo thank you :)

[@Rath460]

Ingredient suggestions for future videos: Instant ramen Mushrooms Onions Garlic Cabbage Tomatoes Celery Cheap deli ham slices

[@danielgiusti6731]

@@Rath460 great suggestions! Thank you!!

[@NYCgirl644]

Keep ‘em coming! I love these

[@DouglasCarrollMusic]

The “awkward wait dancing” is a new but welcome addition to the format. I dig these segments. Very helpful for families trying to find budget friendly options that don’t take too much time. Thanks for this!!!!

[@danielgiusti6731]

Hahaha glad you liked the “awkward wait dancing”…

[@randangbalado]

This segment is become more and more like "it's alive" from bon appetite yt channel

[@marianctes]

I came to the comments for this! The dancing got me…entertaining and adorable.

[@fabiocenteno2209]

It seems like his mind send him to the 60s to ride some waves 🏄🤙🤙

[@GwynneDear]

“One pot wonder!” Proceeds to use three pots lol! I’m a chef and my husband knows those feels.

[@a.s.8671]

Best format on here. Love his humor.

[@jska731]

We all know Dan Giusti can cook, but can we all take a moment to appreciate how great he is in front of a camera? I'm vegetarian and I'll never try any of these, but Dan makes this video so interesting that I'm ready to rewatch it.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thanks for such nice words!!

[@elaineisthatyou]

@J Ska, I made the rigatoni for my vegan month using the Impossible italaian sausage. It was good!

[@jska731]

@@elaineisthatyou thanks for the tip! I need to check if it's available in Poland 🙂

[@spamcan9208]

​@@elaineisthatyou came here to say this. I'm not a vegetarian but I prefer the impossible sausage to its meat based counterpart. At least when it comes to the more inexpensive stuff. You aren't sacrificing taste and texture, it broke my brain when I first tried it. In the future economies of scale will kick in and the impossible type products will cost less than meat and my guess is it will be the preferred option for most shoppers. It might take a decade or two but it would not surprise me to see meat become a specialty product.

[@Bacchusmbt]

I want to marry him!

[@DJL78]

Give this man his own channel. This was superb! 🍷👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you :)

[@Keykeymon]

100% Or at the VERY LEAST - a playlist auto generated so we can all just binge the Dan content.

[@Jennifercox]

I’ve been a vegetarian for 26 years… still watching this because of Dan. It’s my favorite cooking show 💙

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you!

[@spamcan9208]

Try using the impossible brand plant based sausage.

[@craftypod]

I could watch these all day. Dan's next-level creativity is so inspiring and accessible. A video on rice would be interesting, since I have a 10-lb bag in my pantry. :) Also, sweet potatoes.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you and thanks for the suggestions!!

[@meshkatabedi4681]

I love how accessible the ingredients and the techniques are,but result is delicious.thank you so much! I only follow this channel because of your series.

[@sevvvered3294]

I will never not click a video with Dan Giusti in it! This series is fantastic!

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you!!!

[@skyrockettothestars]

I'm always looking forward to these segments--so helpful for starter families like mine. Chef Dan's off-script dancing and all are added bonuses!

[@richyaintrich]

I’ve been following these videos for a bit and this is my favorite chef to watch.

[@naufalfahmi4917]

These videos would always made my day, even if I watch this video midnight here it's still would cheer me up in the morning. Love these videosss:DD

[@alexlandsbergs]

did a Sausage based penne dish recently. was kinda funny tho that sausage in casings was cheaper than buying just ground sausage. considering it took like 2 seconds to de-case.

[@willstokes7266]

Probably my favourite show on this channel! Love to see the creations!

[@Rebeccaac]

I’m right now eating one of Dan’s chick pea recipes which became part of my regular rotation. I love how practical his ideas are and how they’re infused with creativity and helpful cooking techniques that apply outside of a singe recipe. Plus they’re so doable with use of a lot of pantry and frozen ingredients! Strategies not gimmicks! 👏😀

[@danielgiusti6731]

That’s awesome to hear!!!!!

[@Rebeccaac]

@@danielgiusti6731 more pantry and freezer friendly recipes would be great! Canned beans, vegetables, fruit, fish, chicken-I need more ideas so I avoid takeout temptation-I made an ok canned chicken soup recently but nothing like what you would create! I’d also like to learn more porcini recipes which are pantry storage but not wallet friendly…And getting more out of frozen vegetables so they’re appealing to eat is one of my life goals. If you did a collab with the Anyday pan it would be awesome because I can’t get in the groove with it and how it’s supposed to elevate microwave cooking. You could definitely make that accessible!💯

[@_Noirscape]

I think I'd like to see an episode on white rice. I have an abundance of it in my pantry and don't really know what to do with it.

[@kale9269]

you can eat it with like everything

[@MoronTheFirst]

risottos or rice porridge (i like congee best) are always good, but for variety maybe horchata? rice is soooo versatile.

[@speciale517]

It's even great with fish sauce or even ranch dressing. I know people are cringing at the ranch dressing but my mother got me hooked on it. Mix it rice,corn,diced chicken or ham. Throw in some Texas Pete and you're set.

[@BabyMakR]

Cook it up and add it to a tin of your favourite soup. This makes up the majority of our Cyclone supplies. Also, add a tablespoon of stock powder to the water when cooking, add some diced ham an egg and frozen vegies just before it's finished then stir in a tablespoon of butter and you have a cheats fried rice.

[@chadloveland2821]

Even though I know a lot of uses for rice I agree. Watching the creative things Dan would do with simple rice would be incredible!

[@alva7701]

With all respect but I love this chef, he help school and children with healthy food and because he is funny, cute man. ~.~ he makes the different with his good heart soul, bless.

[@esdietsch]

love these videos, always happy when a new one comes out! admire mr. giusti for his aims of making homemade food accessible in both price and technique to the average, non-pro home cook. if i could offer some constructive criticism: sometimes the dish choices, like the breakfast sandwich here, aren't the most nutritiously sound. lots of calories and not a lot of nutrients. that is the problem that most folks with a small budget and minimal cooking skills face when they resort to fast food as their best option, so why replicate that, you know? it would be better to emphasise (more consistently across the board) the ways in which humble, budget-friendly food can be good for your health, too. like in that breakfast sandwich maybe dial down the sausage and include a green or some fresh or roasted veg.

[@krystynscrbic]

I made the chicken fried sausage breakfast sandwiches, although I used croissants instead of buns. My goodness, very delicious! Very filling. Highly recommend.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Nice!!!!!!

[@CeitidhD]

Could you do vegetables for an upcoming episode? I’m trying to cook with more whole ingredients and seasonal veggies. What do I do with a whole cabbage? It seems impossible to use up!! Any veggie episodes would be great! Also would love episodes on cheaper cuts of meat, and recipes that freeze well. Love what you are doing with these - thanks for what you do! I’ve learned so much from these and really appreciate that you don’t make us feel bad for being on a budget.

[@mormonday]

Cabbage would be such a good one!

[@gayathriiyer4318]

I would suggest "About to Eat" channel as well. There's an ongoing series on it where Andrew cooks a large amount of one type of food (vegetable/meat) using them in different types of dishes. Loved the cabbage episode hence recommending it.

[@CeitidhD]

@@gayathriiyer4318 Thank you! I will look it up!

[@Scootenfruity]

Aaron and Claire has a video with four recipes about cabbage. Really good stuff

[@wondering8923]

Dan: I admire you on so many levels, starting with your work with Brigaid. And this series is amazing…your chicken thighs with bean soup recipe is awesome. Here’s a question on this sausage episode. You use the term “neutral flavored loose sausage.” I don’t know what that means. At the grocery I can buy “breakfast sausage” which means lightly flavored with sage, or Italian sausage which usually has some fennel in it. Which of these two are you referring to? Thanks!

[@zhisu2665]

its just meat as is. no seasonings.

[@bethanycooke2115]

The sausage and vegetable skewers with the pearl barley looked so good!!!!

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you!

[@plaguetree5067]

Such a good series. Thanks for the ideas chef!

[@titanictelevision]

DAN G! This is my absolute favourite cooking series, im seriously too impatient waiting for the next installment!!! Would absolutely love these to be like an hour long each - Ive made a few of your dishes so far, they tasted divine and so cheap! Thank you for all the wonderful tips and ideas, never in a million years would i have been able to think these things up out of such humble ingredients. Thank you thank you thank you. Would also enjoy some big batch cooking tips or receipes! Would love to pck your brain regarding brigade and all the inspirational school meals. Way to feed future generations. You go Dan G!!

[@sambanville]

i love that series and Dan is good! Keep them coming!

[@tworedtornados]

Living on my own for the first time and learning how to really cook. These videos help so much. If my food tastes good i might actually eat it!

[@OldJimboX]

Fantastic. These are step by step do-able dishes, and they really are good.

[@katrussell6819]

Thanks for these ideas. I am vegetarian and recently discovered a plant-based sausage that I like. The pasta dish especially will be on the menu.

[@meshkatabedi4681]

I keep coming back to these videos!

[@Reinolds_Recipes]

Love it! Going to try this… keep up the good work and thank you again for sharing!! 🥰❤️

[@rhondasummer]

I don't like sausage, but this just proves how great your videos are, for I watched every minute with great interest. I was so happy to see that you came back so quickly with a new video. Also the dancing and humor are the icing on the cake. :)

[@JanisOnTheFarmette]

As a vegetarian, I avoided this episode for a while until I reminded myself that it’s not that hard to make substitutions AND I really like the newer versions of plant-based sausages. I thoroughly enjoyed all of Dan’s presentations, and look forward to modifying to suit my dietary preferences. BTW, one of my favorite “sausage” meals is a sheet pan supper with Beyond sausage, gnocchi, and whatever roastable veg I have on hand, which has included some combination of tomato, onion, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers, carrots, green beans, delicata squash, etc. Now, that’s a one-pan wonder! 😉

[@azilbean]

Every dish looks easy, yummy, and perfect!!

[@awsomehotgirl1234321]

By far the best video of Dan!!😍🤌🏼

[@mikemorrissey5467]

Brilliant! Adding some of these dishes to my menu at work. Thanks for sharing.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Awesome!

[@alexashton6501]

"to finish things off we are going to do a 1 pot wonder" - with 2 pots and a roasting pan... got it...

[@SpookyScaryBats]

always need more Dan in my day! Thank you!

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you ☺️

[@offcenterconcepthaus]

This is one of their best series.

[@EmmaDuncan8740]

That one pot dinner had suspiciously more than 1 pot 😂 I love these videos sm

[@danielgiusti6731]

Hahah I got carried away!

[@enomine22]

Your personality coming through more and more, loving it

[@michaelwardle7633]

Dan’s series is essential. One of the best there is.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Wow! Thank you so much!!

[@dadcelo]

Love this series 😍

[@bareusbareus3689]

i already said this on another one of these videos but, NEED MORE OF THIS AWESOME Series please!!!

[@danielgiusti6731]

More videos are coming :)

[@bareusbareus3689]

@@danielgiusti6731 Dude you are awesome! I really enjoy watching your series Chef! Thanks for the great content I look forward to more Sir!

[@theepenguini4767]

Can't wait to try these!

[@saraherber1887]

I enjoy your delivery of instructions. You are very clear. You tell how and why which builds knowledge for me as a home cook. I appreciate the budget approach and use of ingredients. Your recipes with black beans have become family favorites. I am sure the sausage pasta will be a hit as well.I would love to see what you can cook with autumn squash like kobucha or the small pumpkins that don grocery shelves . I know how to make a casserole or a pie. It would be great to know what you would cook. Thank you for your very good, complete and factual content.

[@JB43186]

Excellent recipes. Thnx!

[@HEIDYBLACKSTAR]

Love your videos !!

[@tracylee4442]

❤️ can’t wait to try them

[@TonInter]

Can't wait to try the rigatoni recipe, thanks!

[@feeeyniac]

My new favourite dude in this channel. Bro enjoying his kitchen

[@vadalia3860]

Educational AND entertaining- love the dancing and the "2 oz" portion, until he realized there was a camera on the scale lol

[@danielgiusti6731]

Hahaha :)

[@deltrino]

Love this video

[@nigellaubsch4499]

Excellent vid!!

[@mousiebrown1747]

Brilliant! Thanks, Chef!

[@danielgiusti6731]

You are very welcome!

[@tristamyers1910]

I literally just made a creamy sausage rigatoni pasta tuesday night for dinner. It was delicious and our sausage was fresh, as in my step dad makes his own sausage. Delicious!

[@lukeschollmeyer8811]

Great stuff!

[@elenieisreading]

The Smart Cook is my favorite show from Epicurious! I also have a waiting dance when I'm cooking lol

[@kinggeedorah8953]

charming and informative. thank you

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thanks for watching!

[@sparkletits7669]

Someone tell this man I love him and his cooking

[@ReindeerD]

This guy ran Noma and now he’s teaching us how to cook multiple meals for less than what I assume a glass of lemon water costs there. The internet is truly amazing 🌭

[@eldoradocanyonro]

Just shows how overpriced Noma must be

[@kishouarima3730]

The slap at 6:11 was so crisp and echoey 👌👏👏👏

[@Reaper1947]

I've only watched a couple of Daniel's videos and I've learned a great deal already. I just subscribed so I'll be back ASAP. Thank you, Chef Daniel TheReaper!

[@momentz_tz]

Made the pasta tonight for dinner and it was amazing🙌🏾😋 Easy, cheap and tasty!

[@laurailg3635]

Omg, you are so funny and always dishing out New awesome recipes to try💛

[@MissingmyBabbu]

So in the clip of breakfast, Dan cracked four eggs to scramble. But he also used eggs in the breading station. Is the idea in practice to bread your sausage patties with the eggs you're going to scramble? Otherwise, the end cost would be short by an egg or two. The added eggs wouldn't take the total over the $3/serving, either way. I'm just curious.

[@Lampshadx]

No. I personally wouldn’t care but from a good safety angle, that would be a huge no-no. Those eggs will never reach a temperature where the raw meat that was in contact with the eggs will be ‘safe’

[@MissingmyBabbu]

@@Lampshadx Okay, that makes a lot of sense. I was just wondering, because he mentioned an egg per sandwich, and also used eggs to bread the sausage patty. But the end cost only counted the four eggs for the topping. I suppose if you were REALLY attached to using just four eggs, you could use one to bread, and have just a smidge less egg on each sandwich.

[@DamianMartins]

It was 8 eggs. They were wrong on the bill.

[@thecanadiangirl]

I like this series.

[@smartin5888]

I love this series

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you!

[@smartin5888]

@@danielgiusti6731 thank you for the meal ideas!

[@allankaangtv6350]

Wow,, so nice and looks delicious, 😋😋😋

[@markwarnaar]

I love this series Dan. How about ground turkey?

[@rethastrom7391]

Hi Dan!! Can you do a video on Italian breads? Would love to learn what Italian breads are best with which Italian dishes. But, obvious ones like pizza dough would be great fun

[@lenkafiala5336]

I would love an episode of Dan vs Frank ;)

[@ellatoler4046]

I'd like to see Dan and Frankie working together.

[@TheGheseExperience]

Perfect video for my lunch time.

[@aimeewynhausen9924]

Ok this one cracked me up. Everything looked awesome.

[@cawcawcawculator9067]

very charismatic, i like seeing that

[@Nirrrina]

Thank you for using basic powdered seasonings a lot. It's much simpler to have on hand more often & it's also quite cheap. But it's still good.

[@millenium.2000]

I would love to work only one time in my life with Dan, I just think that he has so much knowledge that he's sharing in a very positive way. He and the Mexican Chef ( I think it was Saúl ) are the reasons why I follow the challenge, very entertaining and interesting.

[@mikel6989]

I make a dish that just uses 2 or 3 brats unskinned, a box of chicken stuffing and some cheese and an onion. Cook the onion and sausage then remove sausage and cook stuffing. After stuffing has cooked add the sausage and onion mixture and mix to combine. Put it in a 9" square pan and top with cheese and bake at 350/400 for 20 mins or so. Super good, really easy and really cheap.

[@kaylarotondi1293]

you should do more cabbage recipes! you’re right it’s very underrated i love it i just never know what to do with it besides cabbage rolls haha

[@vickipetrarca3617]

Looks great! I love low carb

[@ale1550]

The one-pot pasta wonder turned out to be a 3 pot pasta. Still loved it

[@CypressJoker]

in 3...2...1...let's sausaaaaaage!

[@THESUIGUYS]

We need this dude on the 4 levels

[@xShib]

More of this pleaseee

[@danielgiusti6731]

There will be more!

[@mithilaum]

More Dan Giusti please!

[@seannebrada3266]

watched the same day posted

[@jeanettela6897]

"One Pot Wonder" proceeds to use roasting pan and 2 pots. Looks delicious though but I gotta call ya out!

[@beantownbonanza]

Wow so good

[@GinosIceCreamRolls]

Genius ideas and look so tasty 😋

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you!

[@TheRealAMJ06]

Dan - Let me start by saying that these dance breaks being incorporated into the video? Top notch. Fire. 10 out of 10, would recommend. Keep bringing the heat! 😂 As for these dishes: - Breakfast Sandwich: Genius idea, but a lot of effort for an early morning unless fried the night before. And then, it won't be as crispy, no? Also, can a girl get some aioli up in here for that sandwich?! - Skewers: Broiling Kabobs in the oven? MIND BLOWN. 🤯 Great suggestion. I would say that the cabbage could've used some spice or something (cayenne, maybe), to give it a lil' pop. Cuz oily charred cabbage doesn't sound like the move. But what do I know. - Pasta Dish: BABYYYYY....just yum. Also, frozen broccoli is my jam and never hurt anybody (that I'm aware of). And...was a glass of red wine not in the budget??? Love this. And yes...we need more outtakes.

[@danielgiusti6731]

Thank you! I like the outtakes too :)

[@statgirl2]

I come for the food but stay for the DAN. 🙌🙌 I learned how to make chicken cachitorri on a fried egg on sourdough because of this man. PLEASE MAKE A CHANNEL 😂

[@jasonbean2764]

This is great, because I just bought three large portions of sausage. Two were a BOGO from Publix. The third is from my nearby butcher shop. All pork. I'll try at least one of those recipes.:)

[@kaemincha]

"that was a joke, i was joking" gotta love Dan

[@olid7947]

Yay this is heaven for college students

[@doodlekaboodel]

I think my top suggestion would be an episode on recipes using day-old bread? I feel like so many grocery stores have them and all I ever do is make stuffing or dip it.

[@danielgiusti6731]

There is an episode on this…check it out !!

[@AsianThunder0]

HELL YEA! LOVE THIS DUDE! I'm making all these, on god

[@danielgiusti6731]

Nice!!! Thank you!!!

[@rodrigoavila5089]

Missed opportunity to not try and deglaze the baking tray were the sausage and broccoli were cooking, after cooking the sausage and letting the veggies steam a bit with that ice evaporating plus the tomato paste after you get some cooked residue in your pan and if you add the pasta water there and gently scrape with a wooden spoon or Spatula it will get all that extra flavor out and help out the sauce you were making

[@marbleriver3365]

That bothered me too! All that fond gone to waste??

[@huggledemon32]

I love languages and cooking videos, and whenever I watch American cooking videos in particular it always fascinated me how state to state and in this case country to country, the English language can change! (I’m this case, I flinched everytime he said “sausage” because in my country that word is only used to describe a single cased sausage- not “pre-seasoned sausage meat” other examples “cilantro, aubergines, corvettes/summer squash, red peppers(?) )etc etc etc

[@_Toxicity]

I might actually make that chicken-fried sausage one day. YUM!

[@danielgiusti6731]

Give it a shot!

[@talktothecop]

I love how Epicurious pays attention to comments, I for one mention in every dan video that we need more videos of him, I am sure I am not the only one. And in the past few weeks we got more videos of him. Thanks Epicurious, being a college student and having a passion to cook food, Dan really is an inspiration to me, cheap meals, taste good. Voila also 17:20 pretty good.