sausage recipes and tips?

[buzzbomb]

All that talk about smokers has got me thinking this might be a good place to learn some new tricks.  I make sausage more often than I used to.  Instead of just making deer sausage once a year, I use that gear instead of just having it laying around . I started making beef and pork sausages and experimenting a bit with herbs and onions.  I've been making fresh sausage every 2 or 3 months and I still haven't made my deer sausage from '03 just because it's fun to make and  everyone seems to like it so much.  It exercises the pioneer ethic!  Get a drink and turn up the polka music!  So  do any of you guys have any sausage recipes or tips you 'd like to share with the class?

[fozsey]

We make homemade sausage all the time. Deer, pork etc. I usually use the seasoning I get from fareway. I am too chicken to try adding anything too drastic. I do use some onions and peppers and a little Michelob for a little bit of it. I put it into medium casings and cold smoke it for about 3 to 4 hours. I like it. I buy 70lb boxes of pork from a wholesaler. It comes from IBP (Tyson) here locally. The quality can't be beat.

[bushbunny]

Check out the book "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" by Rytek Kutas.  It is a hardcover book, about 1` 1/2" thick.  It covers absolutely everything from the reasons for using certain additives, recipes for  virtually every kind of sausage, curing ham & bacon, to doing fish, including shellfish.  I learned the sausage making craft from my father, a German immigrant, but feel that I have improved on that education with this book!!!  Buzzbomb, I am originally from Humboldt, Sask, home of the Broncos  and and the centre of Canada's second largest German settlement. 

[buzzbomb]

Rytek's book is indeed the sausage bible, but I  use it the same way as the internet - get some ideas then make my own recipe. He's the one who sold me on Prague powder, though.     I started making pate out of deer liver and bacon ends this year and it came out really good.   I don't keep the livers from big bucks anymore because of the strong taste and concerns over heavy metals from crop spraying, but even from a doe, liver and onions gets old after a couple of times. Fry the bacon and grind, cook the liver in hot water and grind, add butter, black pepper, thyme, and a shot of cognac and mix really well .  Give it a taste, and if it isn't rich enough add more butter then chill for 24 hrs.  It doesn't need salt because the bacon ends already have lots.  It keeps refrigerated for about a week to ten days. How fine or course it is depends on how well you mash it up.  Bushbunny, I'll pm you about Humboldt....gotta see if we're related. Also check out North West Smoking.   The url I have doesn't work but you can search it or link up thru Smokin Jim's  site

[Bobberstop]

Try This One Is Yummy                                                                                                                                 Hunter's Venison Sausage

4 lb. ground venison
4 lb. ground pork
2 tablespoons salt(tender quick)
2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix venison and pork together.  Add approx. 1/2 cup hot water to meat to gain
desired texture for sausage press.  Add spices and mix well.

Remember to increase the amount of spice proportionally to the amount of meat

[Bobberstop]

  Summer Sausage


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   5      pounds        deer meat (ground)
   4      tablespoons   morton's tender quick
     3/4  teaspoon      onion powder
     3/4  teaspoon      garlic powder
     3/4  teaspoon      dry mustard
   1 1/2  teaspoons     coarse ground black pepper
   1 1/2  tablespoons   ground cayenne pepper
   1      tablespoon    soy sauce
   2      tablespoons   worcestershire sauce
   3      tablespoons   water

After mixing all ingredients shape into rolls and place in ice-box (Refrigerator) 24 to 48 hours to cure. Place rolls on smoker and smoke with low heat (180 )  45 minutes.  Turn over and smoke another 45 minutes. Increase heat in smoker to 300 degrees after 45 minutes turn over and cook another 30 minutes.  Sausage is now done.

[Bobberstop]

 VENISON SAUSAGE FOR BREAKFAST

2 lbs. venison                               1/2 lb. bacon
1 tsp. salt (tender quick)                                 1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. sage

Chop the bacon and dice the venison, then mix in the salt, pepper, and sage. Refrigerate the mixture for a few hours before use.  Shape the mixture into thin patties.  Pour a little oil into a skillet or onto a griddle and heat to medium high.  Grill the patties for a few minutes on each side.