How to Make Delicious Venison Sausage at Home

If you are an avid hunter or just love the taste of venison, then making your own venison sausage is a great way to up your cooking game. Homemade venison sausage tastes amazing and it’s a healthy alternative to meat sausages sold in shops. Plus, you get to control the ingredients used in making your sausage. It’s a win-win situation that you don’t want to miss out on.

Making venison sausage might seem daunting, but it’s actually pretty easy. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment or expertise to make delicious sausage out of your venison meat. In this article, we will take you through the steps of making venison sausage so that you can enjoy a tasty and wholesome meal. So, put on your apron and let’s get started!

Making Venison Sausages: The Ultimate Guide

Venison sausages are a great alternative to traditional pork sausages, with a distinct flavor that is sure to impress your guests. Making your own venison sausages is easier than you might think, and in this article, we’ll show you exactly how to do it.

1. Acquire High-Quality Venison

The key to any good sausage is using high-quality meat. When it comes to venison, the quality of the meat is especially important. Look for lean meat that is free from sinew and gristle, and try to avoid any cuts that are too tough to grind.

2. Choose Your Flavors

Venison has a unique flavor that can be enhanced with a variety of different spices and herbs. Popular choices include garlic, thyme, and rosemary, but feel free to experiment with your own flavor combinations.

3. Prepare Your Meat

Before you start grinding your venison, you’ll want to remove any silver skin or excess fat. Be sure to also remove any sinew or connective tissue, as these can cause your sausages to become tough.

4. Grind Your Meat

Once your meat is prepared, it’s time to start grinding it. You can use a hand-cranked grinder or an electric one, depending on your preference. For the best results, grind your meat twice – once with a coarse grind and once with a finer grind.

5. Add Your Seasonings

Now it’s time to add your seasonings to the ground meat. Make sure to mix them in thoroughly, so that the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the sausage.

6. Stuff Your Sausages

Once your meat is seasoned, it’s time to start stuffing your sausages. You can use a sausage stuffer or a piping bag, depending on what you have available. Make sure to pack the meat tightly into the casing, to prevent air pockets from forming.

7. Tie Your Sausages

After your sausages are stuffed, you’ll want to tie them off into individual links. You can use butcher’s twine or a special sausage tying tool, depending on your preference.

8. Let Your Sausages Rest

Before cooking your sausages, it’s best to let them rest in the fridge for a few hours. This will allow the flavors to meld together and will keep your sausages from falling apart during cooking.

9. Cook Your Sausages

You can cook your venison sausages in a variety of ways – pan-fried, grilled, or roasted in the oven. Regardless of the method you choose, you’ll want to make sure your sausages reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F to ensure they’re safe to eat.

10. Enjoy Your Homemade Venison Sausages

Congratulations! You’ve successfully made your very own venison sausages. Serve them up with your favorite sides and enjoy the unique flavor that only venison can provide.

Choosing the Right Venison

If you plan on making venison sausage, it’s important to choose the right meat. Venison is a lean meat, which means it’s low in fat and can easily become dry if not handled properly. Here are some tips to help you choose the best venison for your sausage:

Go for Fresh Venison

Venison is meat that can easily spoil, so it’s crucial that you buy fresh meat. When choosing the right venison, go for cuts that are bright red in color, with no brown spots. If the meat has a foul smell or there is any greyish-brown coloring, it’s an indication that the venison is not fresh and has begun to rot.

Get Venison from a Well-Raised Source

When purchasing venison from a store or website, make sure it comes from a well-raised source. A well-raised source means that the animal was treated humanely and was given a natural diet. You can ask the seller about the source, and if it’s not clear, opt for a different supplier.

Cut Meat into Uniform Pieces

Once you’ve purchased the venison, it’s time to cut it into uniform pieces. This helps ensure that the meat is cooked evenly and that your sausage is consistent. Cut the venison into small chunks, about 1 inch in size, removing any connective tissue, tendons or fat as you go.

Get Rid of the Gamey Flavor

Venison can have a gamey flavor which some people find unpleasant. If you’re one of those people, marinade the meat for several hours or overnight before making the sausage. Adding vinegar, wine, or citrus juice can help remove the gamey flavor.

Consider Mixing Venison with Pork

Venison is lean meat, which means it can become dry and hard to work with. Consider mixing venison with pork, which is fatty meat that helps add moisture and flavor to the sausage. A 70/30 ratio, venison to pork is a classic mix when making venison sausage.

Avoid Freezing and Thawing Meat

If possible, avoid freezing and thawing the meat as this can cause it to become tough and dry. Fresh meat is always the best option, but if you have to work with frozen meat, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator and then prepare it immediately.

Use a Meat Grinder

When making venison sausage, it’s important to use a meat grinder to grind the meat. Using a meat grinder ensures that the meat is evenly ground, which produces a consistent sausage. You can use a hand grinder, electric grinder, or a stand mixer with a grinder attachment.

Select the Right Seasonings

The right seasonings can make or break your venison sausage. You could use a combination of classic sausage seasoning including salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion powders. But you could also be creative and use aromatic spices like cumin, coriander or paprika. Just be wary of strong-flavored spices because they can overpower the delicate flavor of the venison. Experiment with different seasoning combinations to find what works best for you.

Test your Seasoning before Stuffing

Before stuffing your sausage casing, taste the meat by frying up a small patty. This way, you can adjust the seasoning more precisely, adding more salt or other spices if necessary. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to flavoring.

Wash Your Hands and Tools

Lastly, it’s important to wash your hands and tools before and after preparing the venison sausage. This ensures that the meat is hygienic and safe to eat. Use warm soapy water and sanitize your work area, tools, and equipment to reduce the risk of contamination.

The Process of Making Venison Sausage

Once you have all the necessary ingredients, it is time to start making your Venison Sausage:

Grind the Venison Meat

The first step in making Venison sausage is to grind the meat. You can use a manual grinder, an electric grinder, or take it to a professional butcher. To ensure the sausage is of the desired texture, make sure your grinder has different size grinding plates to allow for the meat to be ground to the correct consistency.

Add the Seasoning

In order to make a great Venison Sausage, you need to be creative with spices and flavourings. To add a distinct flavor to your sausage, combine the ground venison with the herbs, seasonings, and salt. The addition of seasonings and spices depends on the taste you want to achieve. The most popular venison sausage seasoning includes cayenne, black pepper, fennel seed, dried herbs, and salt.

Prepare the Sausage Casing

After mixing the meat and spices, it is time to prepare the sausage casing. It is essential to select a casing that is sturdy enough to hold up when cooking but tender enough to be edible. Natural casings made from sheep or hog intestines are the most widely used. Soak the sausage casing in hot water to soften it up and make stuffing easier.

Stuff the Casing with the Meat Mixture

Now is the time to stuff the casings with the meat mixture. It is essential to leave the casing somewhat loose to avoid tearing when cooking. You will need a sausage stuffer to accomplish this step. You can use either a manual stuffer or an electric one, and be sure to keep the meat as cold as possible while stuffing. The ideal temperature is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooking the Venison Sausage

After stuffing the meat, it’s cooking time. Venison sausage can be cooked in one of three ways: grilling, pan-frying, or baking. Keep in mind that the temperature and cooking time will vary depending on the cooking method. Regardless of the method you choose, use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the sausage has reached at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

In conclusion, making Venison sausage can be an enjoyable and delicious experience. When making your sausage, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients, equipment, and take necessary precautions when handling raw meat. Experiment with different seasonings and spices to obtain the flavor that suits you. Enjoy your homemade Venison sausage with friends and family, and don’t forget to store it properly.

That’s How You Make Delicious Venison Sausage!

Now that you know how to make your own venison sausage, you can impress your friends and family with your culinary skills. The best part is, you can customize the recipe to your liking and experiment with different seasonings and spices. Thanks for reading, and I hope you come back soon for more exciting recipes! Happy cooking!