This Venison Summer Sausage is so delicious. It is a smoked sausage that is great for appetizers or in sandwiches and the like.
The art of sausage making is a preservation form that has been used for many centuries. The first reference that has been found was by Homer in his Odyssey. That was some 900 years before Christ.
Presumably, humans were looking for a way to make less desirable cuts more flavorful (think of organs such as stomach and intestines, which are still used in sausage making today) and to help preserve meats without refrigeration.
It is said that in northern countries, this semi dry sausage had a long shelf life and was made for use in the summer months. Hence the term “Summer sausage” was born. In these early times salt was used to preserve the meat.
Although salt is still used today, we also use cures and fermentation enhancers (such as sweeteners), and non fat dry milk and Fermento which are dairy based additions that not only enhance flavor but aid in the fermenting process.
We have learned a lot about the safety of sausage making since these early times so only use a trusted source for your sausage making endeavors. Botulism is a serious disease and can prove fatal.
What is Fermento?
Fermento is a starter culture. It aids in the production of lactic acid and beneficial bacteria which are required in the fermentation process. It is important to use in summer sausages that are either semi dry or dry.
What you need
- venison – grind with meat grinder with a 3/16th inch grinder plate
- pork – grind with meat grinder with a 3/16th inch grinder plate
- salt – use kosher salt or sea salt
- powdered dextrose – a sugar to feed the Fermento
- Prague Powder No 1 (sodium nitrite)
- black pepper
- coriander – use ground or whole coriander and then grind it in a spice mill.
- ginger – use ground ginger
- mustard – use ground or whole mustard seed and then grind it in a spice mill.
- garlic – use garlic powder
- corn syrup solids – a sugar to feed the Fermento
- Fermento – adds the signature tang to summer sausage.
Optional additions
- marjoram
- onion powder
- high temperature cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, etc.
- hot peppers, like jalapeno – these will give your sausage a nice kick
- liquid smoke – not necessary unless you aren’t smoking.
How to make it
The cardinal rule. Never smoke a sausage that has not been cured!
Most importantly when making any kind of sausage. Keep the meat cold at all times.
It even helps to freeze the sausage and grinding attachments to keep the meat extra cold. If you have food safe gloves, use them or make sure to keep your hands clean.
After grinding place the meat back in the refrigerator to get cold it again. Grinding the pork semi frozen will help when you mix it so that the mixer doesn’t get gummed up with fat.
Before stuffing, soak the casings in water. Make sure you open them up and that the inside of the casing is soaked too.
Smoking
Do you have to add pork fat?
Technically speaking, no you don’t have to add pork. Having said that, we recommend using the pork. Since venison is so lean, the sausage will by dry and it will fall apart when sliced.
What type of pork to use
We use pork trimmings or pork butt or pork shoulder. They have enough fat to do the job.
How much pork to add
Some sausage makers will tell you to add 50/50 mix venison or elk to pork ratio. We feel this sausage tastes too much like pork. We like to use 80/20 or 75/25 ratio of game meat to pork. This will give you the best flavor yet still add enough fat to hold the sausage together.
Do you add water to help you mix the spices in?
For fresh sausage, an easy way to make sure your spices get incorporated evenly is to mix them with water to dissolve the cure and distribute spices evenly.
This is not recommended with smoked sausage however. You don’t want the water content too high for food safety and textural reasons.
Do you have to dry the sausage before smoking?
This is an important step. If you try to smoke the sausage before drying, you will not be happy with the outcome.
Before you are ready to smoke you need to dry the sausage. You must hang the sausage (or place them separated on racks) for 4-5 hours at room temperature so that they can dry.
You can speed this time up by placing a fan near them and rotating the sausage to dry all sides. They must be dry to the touch. If they have any wet spots, they will turn gray in the smoker.
What is the shower for?
The shower is used when using natural beef middles casing.
It isn’t technically necessary to shower the sausage after smoking for food safety but this preserves the casing. After smoking the casing can shrink and shrivel so the sausage won’t look as appetizing.
Shower the sausage immediately after removing it from the smoker because this shriveling can happen quickly. Spray all sides with cold water and cool it to at least 120 °F.
You can “shower” with your hose outside, or you can just place small batches in a large bowl or your clean kitchen sink with ice water. Keep adding ice or keep the cold water running slowly to keep the water cold.
Pro tip; If your casings do shrink too much before you cooled them down, you can usually get it back with a hot water bath. 160°-170°F for a little bit. After they plump back up, immediately get them under the shower.
What is the “bloom”
Blooming your sausage means nothing more than air drying it at room temperature until your desired color is reached.
You can get creative with this. Hang them back on the smoke-sticks and hang between your cabinets or a couple chairs. An old fashioned clothes drying rack also works great for this. Place some newspaper or a towel or something underneath them to catch any drips of water.
The longer you bloom them, the darker they become. One to three hours is generally enough.
How to store summer sausage
The summer sausage has a pretty long shelf life. It will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator. If you see any mold growth or it smells off, it’s best to discard it.
It is best stored in vacuum sealed bags in the freezer. We like to eat frozen sausage within 3 months for best flavor. Vacuum packing can extend this period to nine months. Within one year it is ok, but flavor isn’t as good as it was.
How to serve summer sausage
One of our favorite ways to serve this summer sausage is on our grazing boards. Add a small bowl of your favorite honey mustard and a nice sharp cheddar cheese.
Specialty tools and products you need
- gas grill / smoker
- Prague powder No. 1
- powdered dextrose
- corn syrup solids
- fermento
- 2 ½” diameter fibrous casings
- hog ring pliers and rings
- high temperature cheddar cheese
More venison recipes
- Venison brisket
- Venison roast
- Shepherd’s pie
- Canned venison
- Italian sausage
- Chorizo
- Venison breakfast sausage
More smoking recipes
- Steelhead trout
- Pulled pork
- Smoked ribs
- Beef brisket
- Brisket tacos
- Chipotle peppers
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
