Meat processing was and still is one of the most intimidating parts of being a hunter, in my opinion. I have the desire to try new things all the time, but then I risk ruining the hard earned wild game that I pursue and that’s scary! Thankfully, after 3 batches of summer sausage, I think I’ve got it down (insert flex) and I’m here to share it with you! I’ll mostly be sharing the steps you take AFTER your meat is ground up; if you need to step backwards and get help grinding your meat, please reference this article. Then, instead of packaging the meat, you’ll jump back over to this article!
Also, before you start, please know that this is usually a weekend project. It’ll take more than an evening after work, I can assure you. I will break it up into 2 days in this article. A lot of time goes into making summer sausage, which is why it’s usually quite expensive to have made through a meat processor. Also, I wouldn’t mess around with making a 1-5lb batch. It’s not worth it. If you’re going to take the time to make a small batch, then you might as well knock out a big one because it’s the same mess and cleanup regardless of size. Plus, when done right, you’ll wish you had more!!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED for a 25LB BATCH
I’ve linked everything I personally use, but feel free to substitute as needed.
Cubing the wild game to be mixed with the pork
Suggested: 15 lbs wild game & 10 lbs pork. We use a pork butt or shoulder roast.
Sometimes this ratio fluctuates based on how much venison we have (this particular batch was 20lbs venison and 7lbs of pork. Yes, it was 2lbs over the suggested 25lb batch, but the casings handled the extra meat when we just added a little extra to each one!
You can also add straight pork fat to plain venison - if you go this route, you’ll have people recommend anywhere from 10-20% fat. It’s personal preference. I wouldn’t get too caught up in exact numbers, just have fun with it!
2-3 cups of water
Summer Sausage Kit: this will include the seasonings, casings & cure for up to 25lbs of meat
High Temp Cheddar Cheese (Use the entire bag)
Crushed Jalapeño Peppers (Use half the bag)
Smoker or Oven
Thermometer (our Traeger has a built in probe that works great for this)
DIRECTIONS
The process is found within every Summer Sausage Kit, but they all vary a tiny bit. The steps below are mostly from the PS Seasoning Garlic Summer Sausage Kit, with a couple of extra steps based on previous batches I’ve made. You can also follow along visually under my Instagram highlight story titled “Meat Processing.”
DAY 1: Grind, Season, & Stuff Casings
Soak casings in warm water for at least 30 minutes before stuffing. I usually soak for close to an hour.
Grind all meat (both wild game and pork at the same time) through 3/8” plate.
Add cure to water and mix into meat. Add seasoning into meat and mix for 4-6 minutes until meat is tacky, adding additional water as needed.
Grind again through 1/8” plate.
Squeeze excess water out of the casings, then stuff meat mixture into prepared casings.
Place casings in refrigerator overnight.
DAY 2: Smoke & Store
Take casings out of refrigerator and allow them to get back to room temperature before placing them in the smoker or oven.
Time to smoke! This step will vary based on what you’re using to cook the meat, but I personally have a Traeger Pro 575 grill and the lowest temperature possible is 165 degrees. Smoke for one hour on 165, then bump up to 180 degrees for several hours, until the internal temp reaches 156 degrees.
Transfer sausage to a cold-water bath for 20 minutes then hang to dry or wipe with a clean towel.
Once cooled, cut the casings into thirds (or desired size) and vacuum seal them. Place in freezer until you’re ready to enjoy!
Pictured here is my snack pack using the previous batch of regular summer sausage. I’m saving the jalapeno and cheese for when I can taste again after having COVID-19!
protein snack pack idea
We’re big on meal prepping and enjoy making our own “protein snack packs” for the week, which includes a combination of summer sausage, raw onion (shoutout to my Texans who love onion with their BBQ), boiled eggs, sliced cheese, avocado slices, and fruit. It’s the perfect mix of protein, fat, and carbs for a healthy snack at work!