This is a rich, country-style venison sausage recipe where the dominant spices are ground bay leaves and garlic. They taste great when grilled because bay seems to go well with the flavors of cooking over an open fire.
I like this as a coarse sausage, but you can grind it finer if you’d like. I also like a mix of venison and pork. If possible, use pork that has never been frozen. This is important, because never-frozen meat, when ground, binds to itself better than pre-frozen meat.
And you will be judged on how nice your bind is with sausages. No one likes crumbly sausage. More on this in a bit.
You will want fatty pork shoulder or pork belly, or a mix of both. You can use beef fat, too, if you prefer; use fat trimmed from steaks and roasts.
As for the venison in this venison sausage, you’ll want to use trim, mostly. There’s no need to make a sausage out of backstrap, but I do sometimes add the “chain” off of a whole backstrap. Stew meat, stuff between the ribs, neck bits, the odd and ends from squaring off roasts and steaks.
If the butcher cut up your deer, I would use the roasts or stew meat to make venison sausage.
Deer meat sausage is a tasty treat for hunters and meat lovers alike. This hearty sausage pairs well with eggs sandwiches pasta, and more. While store-bought deer sausage certainly has its place, there’s nothing quite like the flavor of homemade. If you’re lucky enough to have venison on hand, follow these simple steps for turning it into flavorful deer sausage right in your own kitchen.
Getting Started
Before you can make sausage, you need deer meat. If you’re a hunter you likely have access to venison. You can also check with local butchers to see if they have ground deer meat available. Once you’ve got the venison, you’re ready to get cooking!
You’ll need a meat grinder to get the proper texture for the sausage. Consider investing in a quality grinder that can handle tougher meats like venison. The uniform grind is key for consistency. Alternatively, ask your butcher to freshly grind the meat for you.
For the best flavor, use a mixture of 80% venison to 20% pork fat. The pork adds richness and binding power since venison is so lean. If need be, you can substitute beef fat. Beyond the meat all you need is a simple spice blend to bring out that signature sausage taste.
Creating Your Custom Blend
Experienced sausage makers recommend mixing the ground venison and pork fat by hand. Use a large bowl or container and really work the fat into the venison. Get in there with your (clean!) hands and massage those flavors together.
Once the meat mixture comes together, it’s time to add the spices. For a tasty deer sausage, try a blend of:
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons dried sage
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
These spices enhance the natural flavors of the venison beautifully. The brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness while the sage and black pepper lend an earthy, robust taste. Feel free to experiment with small batches using different spice combinations to create your own signature blend.
Mix the ground meat and spices together thoroughly – again by hand works best. You want everything incorporated evenly for the most consistent flavors and textures. Once it’s all blended, do a taste test of the raw sausage to adjust seasoning as desired.
Cooking Up Your Creations
Now comes the fun part – cooking your deer sausage! There are several easy cooking methods to try:
Oven or Grill: For basic sausage patties or links, cook at 350°F, turning occasionally, until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Grilling over indirect heat works great too.
Stovetop: Cook sausage crumbles in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Great start for eggs or pasta sauce!
Slow Cooker: Add raw sausage to chili, soups, casseroles, etc. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until sausage reaches 160°F. Infuses dishes with flavor!
Smoker: For authentic hunters’ sausage, try smoking the links at 225°F for 2-3 hours until fully cooked. Apple, hickory, or cherry wood chips impart wonderful smoky notes.
No matter which cooking method you choose, using a meat thermometer ensures the sausage reaches a safe internal temperature. Venison sausage can be enjoyed fresh or frozen for later use. Be sure to let it cool completely before freezing for optimal freshness.
Serving Suggestions
Once your deer sausage is cooked, it’s time for the best part – eating! Here are some tasty ways to serve your homemade venison links and patties:
- Breakfast sandwiches with egg and cheese
- Scrambled into eggs or breakfast burritos
- In pasta sauce or lasagna for a meaty kick
- Baked beans or soups – adds hearty flavor
- Sausage gravy over biscuits for a real treat
- Burgers or meatballs – mix with ground beef
- Pizza topping – nice alternative to boring pepperoni
- Lettuce wraps or in tacos for a lighter meal
The possibilities are endless when cooking with your own handcrafted deer sausage. Get creative with recipes and ingredients to find new favorite dishes. Share the bounty with family and friends – homemade venison sausage also makes a thoughtful gift.
Safety First
When handling and cooking with any raw meat, proper food safety is a must. Here are some tips for safely preparing your deer sausage:
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Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces thoroughly before and after use.
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Refrigerate raw sausage at 40°F or below and use within 3 days.
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Cook sausage patties and links to an internal temp of 160°F.
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Allow cooked sausage to rest 3 minutes before cutting to retain juices.
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Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3-4 days.
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When freezing, package cooked sausage in portions to make thawing easier.
Follow these guidelines during prep, cooking, and storage for safe enjoyment of your venison creations.
Satisfying Sausage Made Simple
From hunting to grinding to seasoning, making your own deer meat sausage is deeply satisfying but surprisingly simple. With high-quality venison, flavorful fat, and homemade spice blends, you control everything that goes into the sausage. The finished result is tender, deliciously flavored sausage that will be the star of breakfasts, dinners, and everything in between. Get creative with recipes and ingredients to craft sausage masterpieces perfectly suited to your taste.
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Coarse or Fine Grind?
If you want your venison sausage to be coarse, use “cleaner” meat. If you do make it from tough meat, grind it finer. Regardless, I grind twice. This will give you a more tender sausage. I prefer to grind with a 8 or 10 mm die, then again with a 6. 5 mm die.
If you prefer a fine grind, take it down to the 4. 5 mm die on a second or third grind.
You’ll see dry milk powder in the ingredients. It’s totally optional, but dry milk powder is used to retain moisture in smoked sausages; you can also use products like carrot fiber, which work well to help sausages retain moisture.
Skip these if you don’t plan on smoking your venison sausages — likewise with the Instacure No. 1. This is a curing salt that protects the meat from bad bacteria while you’re smoking it. No need for curing salt if you are just making sausages for the grill.
I’ve also varied things by using narrow hog casings and making large coils of sausage, which you then stab a long wooden skewer through on each axis, making a cross that you can then use to flip the coil whole. Then you just slice off as much venison sausage as your guests want.
Of course, even though this recipe calls for deer sausage, you can make it with pork or any other mix of meats.
Consider this venison sausage recipe as a master, a model to play with. You can make it bigger or smaller, and you can change everything in it except the salt level. The 34 grams in this recipe will give you a sausage with 1. It has about 5% salt by weight, which most people like. Keep in mind that salami and other dry-cured meats need to have a higher salt content.
If you need to watch how much salt you eat, you can cut the amount down to 23 grams, which is close to 1%. Low for most people, but not awful.
New to making sausage? You can find my detailed tutorial on how to make sausages at home here.
Here are some other venison sausage recipes you can play with, once you get the basic technique down:
- Wild boar bratwurst made the way Wisconsinites make “red brats”
- British bangers are a dense sausage that is filled with a small amount of ground grain.
- This venison sausage with sage is like this one, but it has winter spices in it.
- Garlic sausage with basil, a summertime venison sausage.
You’ll find close to 40 other sausage recipes here.
Storing and Preserving Venison Sausage
Once made, the links will stay fresh in the fridge for a week. If you smoke them, they’ll last over 10 days. Venison sausage also freezes well.
How To Cook Deer Sausage
FAQ
What is the best way to cook deer sausage?
How do you know when deer sausage is done?
What is the best way to cook sausage meat?
Is deer sausage good to eat?
How to cook deer sausage?
1. Heat a large skillet or pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of oil. 2. Once the pan is hot, add the deer sausage to the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. 3. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature – it should be at least 160°F (71°C) for safety. 4.
Is sausage casing healthier option to eat?
Cellulose casings and some natural casings are perfectly fine to eat. Sausage casings are used to hold and shape filling inside so that it can be cooked. There are natural sausage casings and synthetic varieties, and most of them are edible. The healthiest way to cook them is by boiling or baking. Sausages provide high levels of vitamin B12 and iron, both of which are essential for healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin production.
Should deer sausage be cooked before eating?
Yes, deer sausage should be cooked before eating to ensure that any potentially harmful bacteria are killed and the meat is safe to consume. Cooking also enhances the flavors and textures of the sausage. How long to cook deer meat sausage? The cooking time for deer sausage depends on the method you choose and the thickness of the sausage.
Can you cook frozen deer sausage?
Against popular belief, cooking frozen deer sausage is feasible and safe. However, it is essential to baking them properly following the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, frozen sausages will take an additional 10 minutes to cook in comparison with chilled ones. Deer meat makes delicious meals and sausage is one of them.