Equipment
Ingredients
Meat and Liquid
- 1130 g boneless venison, chilled
- 450 g boneless pork shoulder, chilled
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 1 sausage casings
Seasoning
- salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- allspice, ground
- cloves, ground
- 2 juniper berries, crushed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 176 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 790 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 105 mg
- Potassium
- 452 mg
- Calcium
- 12 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 275 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 6.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.45 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.55 mg
- Niacin
- 8.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 106 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Trim membranes, nerves, and cartilage from the venison.
Cut the trimmed venison and pork shoulder into 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes.
In a large bowl, mix the cubed meat with salt, pepper, allspice, cloves, crushed juniper berries, and red wine until thoroughly combined.
Pulse half of the meat mixture in a food processor until it reaches a ground texture similar to hamburger meat.
Repeat the processing for the remaining half of the meat and combine both batches in the bowl.
Fill the sausage casings using a stuffer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Tie off the ends.
Tie string at 15cm (6-inch) intervals to create individual sausages.
Wrap the sausages in plastic and refrigerate overnight (12-24 hours) to develop flavor.
When ready to cook, separate the sausages and prick the casings all over with a small pin.
Grill or broil the sausages for 15 minutes, turning regularly, until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F).
Chef's Notes
- Keep all meat and equipment chilled during the grinding process to prevent the fat from melting, which ensures a better emulsion.
- Always cook a small 'test patty' of the mixture before stuffing to verify seasoning levels.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Vacuum seal for best results.
Reheating: Pan-fry or grill until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F).
Troubleshooting
Sausage casings burst during cooking
Cause: Sausages were overstuffed or not pricked before cooking
Fix: Reduce heat immediately to prevent further bursting
Prevention: Leave slight slack when stuffing and ensure casings are pricked to allow steam to escape.
Sausage is dry and crumbly
Cause: Insufficient fat content in the pork or meat was over-processed
Fix: Serve with a sauce or condiment to add moisture
Prevention: Use pork shoulder with visible fat and keep meat near freezing while grinding.
Cultural Context
Venison sausage making is a tradition rooted in the necessity of preserving game meat, particularly in North American and European rural communities. Historically, hunters would grind and season venison, often with pork fat for moisture and flavor, to create sausages that could be stored and enjoyed long after the hunting season. This recipe reflects a modern approach to this age-old practice, balancing the lean, earthy flavor of venison with classic sausage seasonings.
