9 replies to this topic

[slonezp]

My buddy gave me about 20 lbs of venison.So, for my first time making sausage, I opted for a kit I bought a Cabelas. Comes with cure, spices, and casings. Cracked pepper and garlic. Did 6lbs of meat. 4lbs deer, 1 1/2 lbs pork and 1/2 lb pork fat. The casings with the kit hold about 3lbs each. They need to sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours. I wil be smoking them tomorrow afternoon. Results to follow.




Anybody have some good sausage recipies? Italian or bratwurst? I still have plenty of deer meat left. Some is going for jerky and some for stew and chili.

[Bluebasser86]

Excited to hear how this turns out. I love summer sausage and I have plenty of hamburger for it.

[J Francho]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

[flukemaster]

I used to make my own spice mix but I find it much more cost effective to buy a mix these days. The best mix company that I've found is Legg's Old Plantation.

I'm probably preaching to the choir but don't over smoke them. I smoke mine for about 1/3rd of the cook time. I use fruit wood like apple and peach and they come out heavenly.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I have never made summer sausage but I have made snack sticks and jerky. That brand you bought has some good products. I use thier Jalepeno snack stick mix. Works great. Made about 50lbs this year.

Let us know how it goes!

For me deer is too dry for brats or breakfast sausage. I tried it by mixing about 30% pork. It was still too dry for my taste.

[slonezp]

Had hickory smoke on them for about 1hr. Found it difficult to smoke at the lower temps the recipie recommended 1hr @ 120F without smoke, 1hr @ 140F with smoke, 1/2hr @ 160F with smoke and 170Fwithout smoke unitl meat temp reaches 156F (oven recipie said 180F until meat temp reaches 156F). I couldn't get the smoker below 175. I may have overcooked it. Meat temp was 170 when I pulled it. Going to cool it down overnight, and report back tomorrow.

[flukemaster]

It should be ok. I smoke mine between 225 and 250 until the meat is 165.

[slonezp]

The verdict....Tastes like garlic bologna, not summer sausage. Thinking it has to do with the texture. Would you guys agree, or do you think i I should have had a higher ratio of pork and fat? My grinder has 3 dies, coarse, med, and fine. I did it on med. It doesn't really have a gamey taste which is good. Tastes pretty good on a Ritz cracker with some pepperjack cheese.

[nick76]

If I had to guess it could be a a couple of things. I like to grind my meet and fat really cold. This keeps the fat from melting as I grind. I also like to keep mine a little on the course side for summer sausage. I find the finer grinds to be more bologna like. Just my two cents.

[flukemaster]

If I had to guess it could be a a couple of things. I like to grind my meet and fat really cold. This keeps the fat from melting as I grind. I also like to keep mine a little on the course side for summer sausage. I find the finer grinds to be more bologna like. Just my two cents.

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