Venison Italian Sausage Recipe

4 from 1 vote

This Venison Italian Sausage Recipe only takes a few minutes to make so it couldn't be easier! Delicious, fresh new use for your deer.

Course entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Resting time 12

Total Time 12 15

Servings servings

Calories 211kcal

Cost $5

Trim venison of all fat, silver skin, blood clots, etc. Slice into long strips that will fit in your grinder hopper. Slice pork too but retain the fat on the pork.
7½ pounds ground venison
Grind venison with the ¼ to ⅜ inch hole grinder plates. Grind pork with a smaller diameter hole like the 3/16 inch.
2½ pounds ground pork
Once meat is ground, return it to the refrigerator.
Measure spices.
5 tablespoons coarse kosher salt or sea salt, 1 tablespoon cracked fennel seed, 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 teaspoons crushed hot red pepper, 1 teaspoon caraway seed, 1 tablespoon ground coriander
Add spices to a covered bowl or container with the ice water. Shake vigorously to mix spices well and let salt dissolve.
2 cups ice water
Add ice water / spice mixture to the container with the meat. Mix thoroughly but gently so the meat doesn't break up too much. If you overwork it the texture will not be as good.
Place meat container back in the fridge overnight up to two days for the spices to distribute.
Case sausage in natural hog casings or vacuum pack in bags for storage in the freezer.

Add a splash of olive oil to a heavy bottom skillet or frying pan.
Brown first side and then flip. Continue browning until all side of links are browned.
For bulk sausage, form patties and fry in olive oil until browned. Then flip and brown second side.

Freeze grinder attachments before starting so that they are cold.
Meat must kept very cold! Always keep the meat in the fridge in between steps.
Grind pork with a smaller diameter cutting blade hole than the venison. This will ensure even cooking.
Use a ratio of 30% pork to 70% venison for best flavor.
Use a pork shoulder or a pork butt instead of pork fat. It will be healthier and will provide better flavor.
The amount of crushed red pepper flakes will determine how mild or hot the sausage is. Use about 3 tablespoon for hot Italian venison sausage. Reduce the pepper flakes to 1 to 2 tablespoons for mild Italian venison sausage.
You can either make Italian sausage links with a sausage stuffer attachment for your meat grinder or just keep the meat bulk, unstuffed for patties.

How to store it

Sausage can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. For longer store vacuum pack, if possible and store in the freezer.

If vacuum packed, meat will have the best flavor if consumed within 3-4 months.

If you don't have a vacuum packer, store in freezer bags, removing as much excess air as you can, for 1-2 months.