Venison Sausage

[redzed]

I received several pounds of ground venison from a friend. The meat was from a black tail harvested locally and processed at a butcher shop. When making sausage I prefer to prepare, select the meat but what the heck, I decided to use the ground meat instead. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth! So I added what I had available which was pork loin from the sirloin end and some back fat and made what turned out a very good sausage. The ingredients are based on a recipe by Ligawa, one of the founding members of the Polish and English language WD forums. The process is mine.



Recipe for 1kg of meat

Venison, 500g
Pork, no more than 20% fat 400g
Pork fat, 100g

Cure #1, 2g
Salt, 17g
Black pepper, 2.5g
Hot paprika, 1g
Coriander, 1g
Nutmeg, .5g
Sugar, 1g
Fresh garlic, 3g

Remove any fat that might be on the venison. Grind fatty pork, pork fat and venison with connective tissue through the 3mm plate. Use the 10 0r 12mm on the lean pork and venison. Add all ingredients and mix well, adding up to 10% water. Stuff into your favourite casings. I used 32-35mm hog casings. Set the sausage by hanging in fridge overnight. The next day bring to room temp, about two hours. Smoke for 3-4 hours at 130-150F (55-65C). Finish by poaching with water temp 170F (77C). Take it to around 68C (155F). Cool gently with cold water, taking care not to chill it too throughly which may result in a tougher casing.

Sausage tastes great sliced and eaten cold or lightly grilled.

[Bob K]

Looks great Chris! Sounds like you had some leg meat, tasty but a good deal of sinew.

[Butterbean]

Looks tasty!