Venison Italian Sausage

This Recipe make 5 lbs of sausage. You can seperate into 1 lb batches for easy meal prep.

Manual Process for Preparing Venison Sausage

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs venison
• 1 lb pork fat
• 3 ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• 5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 teaspoon onion powder
• 5 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 5 teaspoon paprika
• 5 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for hot sausage)
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional for hot sausage)
• 5 teaspoon fennel seed (toasted)
• 2 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 teaspoon sugar
• 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Tools Needed:

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Freezer-safe tray or sheet pan
• Meat grinder (manual or electric)
• 10mm (coarse) grinding plate
• 4.5mm (fine) grinding plate
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Soap and running water
• Ice cubes (if necessary)

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Important Note on Food Safety:

Before starting and after handling raw meat, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. This practice is crucial for preventing the spread of bacteria and cross-contamination throughout the sausage preparation process.

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Step 1: Cube the Venison and Pork Fat

1. Trim the venison: Remove any silver skin, sinew, or excess connective tissue from the venison to ensure a smooth sausage texture.
2. Cube the venison and pork fat: Using a sharp knife, cut both the venison and pork fat into 1- to 1.5-inch cubes. Consistent size helps with even freezing and grinding.

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Step 2: Freeze the Meat and Fat

1. Spread out the cubes: Place the cubed venison and pork fat in a single layer on a freezer-safe tray or sheet pan. Ensure the pieces are not touching, so they freeze individually.
2. Freeze for 30-45 minutes: Transfer the tray to the freezer. The meat and fat should be firm but not frozen solid.

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Step 3: Prepare the Spice Mix

1. Measure the spices: While the meat is in the freezer, combine all the spices (salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne, fennel seed, oregano, thyme, and sugar) in a small bowl.
2. Mix in the vinegar: Add the red wine vinegar to the spice mixture and stir until everything is well combined. Set this aside.

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Step 4: Grind the Meat (First Pass)

1. Set up your grinder: Attach the 10mm coarse grinding plate for the first pass. Make sure the grinder is secured tightly to a stable surface.
2. Grind the venison and pork fat: Remove the cubed venison and pork fat from the freezer. Feed them into the grinder, alternating between venison and pork fat to ensure even distribution. Collect the ground meat in a large mixing bowl.

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Step 5: Season the Meat

1. Add the spice mixture: Pour the prepared spice and vinegar mixture over the ground meat.
2. Mix thoroughly: Use your hands (or a spatula) to mix the spices into the ground meat. Ensure that the mixture is evenly distributed.

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Step 6: Grind the Meat (Second Pass)

1. Set up your grinder again: Attach the 4.5mm-6mm fine grinding plate for the second pass.
2. Grind the seasoned meat: Pass the meat through the grinder a second time using the finer plate. This step is essential as it helps fully incorporate the seasoning and achieve a consistent texture throughout the sausage. If you notice the meat starting to smear or become mushy during grinding, add a few ice cubes to the meat mixture. The cold temperature helps prevent smearing and keeps the texture of the sausage firm.

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Step 7: Rest the Sausage Mixture

1. Refrigerate the mixture: Cover the sausage mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight, to let the flavors develop.

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Step 8: Test the Seasoning

1. Cook a small patty: Before forming the sausages, fry a small patty of the sausage mixture to check the seasoning. Adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed.

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Step 9: Shape or Stuff the Sausages

1. Form into patties or stuff into casings: You can shape the sausage into patties or stuff it into natural casings if preferred. For Italian sausage casings, I prefer 35mm hog casings.
2. It’s important to prick each link a couple of times, approximately every 2-4 inches to allow air to escape during the cooking process and prevent splitting.

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Step 10: Store or Cook

1. Cook or freeze: If using the sausage right away, cook it in your preferred method (grill, pan-fry, bake, etc.). To store for later, place the sausage in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 year.
2. For best freezing results: wrap in butcher’s paper and then vacuum seal.