Venison Summer Sausage Recipes

A lot of the yearly venison harvest goes into venison summer sausage recipes. The venison is usually combined with pork or beef to improve the texture and flavor. Curing salts and flavorings are added, and the sausages are smoked at a low temperature.

Making Venison Summer Sausage

Grinding the Meat

The process of making summer sausage begins with coarsely grinding the venison. The pork or beef are ground, then the different meats are mixed together. (the meat kept cold until it reaches the smoker)

The Meat is Cured
Next, the curing salts are added and mixed into the meat. It takes several days for the salts to cure the meat. During this time the meat is kept refrigerated, and is remixed at least one time each day as it cures.

Seasoned and Stuffed Into Casings...
The flavorings are mixed into the meat mixture after the cure is complete. The meat is ground again then and stuffed into casings. Traditionally, beef middles are used, but synthetic fibrous casings 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter are common.

Then Smoked
The stuffed summer sausages are smoked, usually with the temperature gradually increasing throughout the smoking process. The low temperature in the smoker gently cooks the sausage, preventing the fat from rendering out.

After smoking, the sausages are rinsed in cold water to chill them and stop the cooking process. They are then dried and ready to be eaten or stored.

Home Sausage Making Shortcuts
Shortcuts can be taken by home sausage makers to speed up the process and make it easier. The curing time is often cut short, and the sausages are smoked at a high temperature, or even baked in the oven. These shortcuts affect the texture, flavor and keeping quality of the finished summer sausages.

Venison Summer Sausage Recipes

Here are a few venison summer sausage recipes, some traditional, and some not-so traditional.

Hickory Smoked Venison Summer Sausage
Peppery Venison Summer Sausage
Hickory Venison Garlic Summer Sausage
Oven Baked Venison Summer Sausage
Sweet 'n Smoky Deer Summer Sausage
Spicy Deer Summer Sausage Recipe
Smoky Summer Sausage with Bacon
Spice 'n Wine Spiced Deer Sausage
Traditional Venison Summer Sausage

Try one or two of these venison summer sausage recipes. I think you'll enjoy them.

SBI!