I've been trying to post these recipes for Game Sausage forever. I even got out a package specifically for it...thawed it in the fridge, then got mastitis and Marius ended up cooking it. Since then, I haven't cooked it in patties, if we've eaten it it's been cooked crumbled up.
*Note, these recipes have not been tested stuffed in sausage casings, just frozen in 1 pound hunks for sausage patties or crumbled up sausage meat.*
I can't tell you how many ways I like to use sausage meat. It's like having really well seasoned ground venison around at all times! This is the first year I've made it, and no recipe sounded appealing enough for me. So I winged it. On 20-25 pound batches of meat. Boy was I brave and boy did they turn out well! You can make this with ground beef as well! Or any other game meat! I personally used a very lean venison.
Now let's talk fat, you need to have fat in sausage. No fat=Dry Sausage. Dry sausage=why bother. I got the idea from my sister to buy smoked pork jowls and grind them up (I have a meat grinder, I think you could do this in a food processor is small batches, partially frozen) into the meat. The flavour. OH THE FLAVOUR. If you can't find smoked pork jowl, ask the butcher counter. If they can't get it, try to get plain pork fat. It won't have the smoked flavour, but it will still be wicked awesome.
A note about spices, we buy them from Mountain Rose Herbs. We love their quality, their price and that they're organic! Can't be beat.
All the ingredients have their place, so don't omit willy nilly here! The wine/lemon/lime juice is the 'acid', it's what makes the flavour pop. If you don't like wine? Well, you wont taste it. If your family doesn't use wine? You could use lemon juice, different flavour but will be equally tasty. I would add ½ the amount though. It also may seem like a lot of salt, but spread out it's not much, and I guarentee you there is more salt in the packaged stuff! I used fresh lemons and limes, because you need the zest anyways. I prefer organic fruit when I'm using the peels, but I actually couldn't get any this time. Oh well!
In lieu of a picture of the sausage, you're getting one with me with a deer! I mean really, just picture some ground meat with flecks in it...you got it!
Maple Fennel Game Sausage
Ingredients
- 20 pounds lean venison (4 pounds)
- 5 pounds smoked jowl, (1 pound); If using pork fat, use â…” this amount
- 12 large garlic cloves (3 cloves)
- 4 large onions (1 medium onion)
- ⅔ cup smoked chile flakes (2 ½ tablespoons)
- 1 cup fine sea salt (3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 1 cup whole fennel seeds (3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 60 turns fresh ground black pepper (12 turns)
- 1 cup red wine (3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- ½ cup maple syrup (1 tablespoon +2 teaspoons)
Instructions
- (On the left is amounts for a 25 pound batch, the right is numbers for a 5 pound batch.)
- If you have a meat grinder, run the meat, then fat, then onions, garlic and dry spices (including fresh rosemary) through the grinder.
- Mix it well and add in liquids.
- Let sit 30 minutes then taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.
- If you don't have a meat grinder, use pre ground meat.
- Use a food processor to finely chop partially frozen jowl to small uniform pieces.
- Then run onions and garlic through with dry spices (including fresh rosemary).
- Do in batches as needed for size of machine and batch.
- Stir in liquids and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.
Nutrition
Lemon Rosemary Game Sausage
Ingredients
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (3 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (2 teaspoons)
- 16 lbs lean venison (4 pounds)
- 4 lbs smoked pork jowl (1 pound) if using pork fat, use â…” this amount
- ¾ cup sea salt (3 tablespoons)
- 60 turns fresh ground black pepper (15 turns)
- ¼ cup smoked chile flakes (1 tablespoon)
- 4 large onions (1 large onion)
- 12 garlic cloves (3 cloves)
- 4 cup fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 â…“ cup dry) (1 cup fresh or â…“ cup dry)
Instructions
- (On the left is amounts for a 25 pound batch, the right is numbers for a 5 pound batch.)
- If you have a meat grinder, run meat, then fat, then onions, garlic and dry spices (including fresh rosemary) through the grinder.
- Mix well, add in liquids. Let sit 30 minutes, taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.Â
- If you don't have a meat grinder, use pre-ground meat.
- Use a food processor to finely chop partially frozen jowl to small uniform pieces.
- Then run onions and garlic through with dry spices(including fresh rosemary).
- Do in batches as needed for size of machine and batch.
- Stir in liquids and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.
Nutrition
Cumin Lime Game Sausage
Ingredients
- 16 lbs lean venison (4 pounds
- 4 lbs smoked pork jowl (1 pound) if using pork fat, use â…” this amount
- 4 tablespoons zest lime (1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup lime juice (¼ cup)
- 4 large onions (1 onion)
- 15 garlic cloves (4 cloves)
- 30 turns fresh ground black pepper (8 turns)
- ½ cup smoked chile flakes (2 tablespoons)
- ¾ cup fine sea salt (3 tablespoons)
- 1 cup whole cumin seeds (¼ cup)
Instructions
- On the left is amounts for a 20 pound batch, the right is numbers for a 5 pound batch.
- If you have a meat grinder, run meat, then fat, then onions, garlic and dry spices (including fresh rosemary) through the grinder.
- Mix it well and the add in liquids.
- Let sit 30 minutes then taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.Â
- If you don't have a meat grinder, use pre-ground meat.
- Use a food processor to finely chop partially frozen jowl to small uniform pieces.
- Then run onions and garlic through with dry spices(including fresh rosemary).
- Do in batches as needed for size of machine and batch.
- Stir in liquids and then let sit for 30 minutes.
- Taste test by frying a small patty, adjust as needed.
- Package in butcher paper, freezer bags or vacuum pack.
Nutrition
wendyjv
Sounds fabulous, Kate. I, too, have my favourite recipes for making with ground pork and I always have some in the freezer in bulk rather than in casings. We use it for everything from pizzas to spaghetti and pasta to Mexican food, to whatever we can invent. But these recipes certainly sound like they are worth a try!
mamabuckwheat
Hmmmm...I saw that recipe on Korena's blog! I'd forgotten about it. I'll look it up and try it with venison! I do really want to learn to make actual sausages, for now, this is fast and easy!
Korena in the Kitchen
These sound really yummy! I love making the above-mentioned Italian sausage with ground pork... perhaps I should try to branch out 😉
mamabuckwheat
They are yummy! I couldn't pick a favourite if you asked me too!
Kaeleigh
Made the cumin lime sausage with venison this weekend, followed the recipe for a small batch with the addition of curing salt (0.06 oz per lb but follow your curing salt package instructions). Made sausage rings and smoked them. This recipe is DELICIOUS. Can't wait to share this with all the hunters in my life!