Oh no, just the opposite! I welcome you to try any variations that might make it better for others! PLEASE DO experiment around with it! It's an 8-2-1 recipe; 8 parts salt, 2 parts black pepper, 1 part rubbed sage, if you can get rubbed. I don't vary from those proportions, but will vary from the amount added to meat. Now, my son likes it at ¼ oz/lb. vs.½ oz./lb. I grew up with it as it is, but for him he likes it that way. No problem! We will do sausage a week before Thanksgiving, freezing it in ziploc's, plus a 2 lb. bag for the turkey stuffing!