Blaine's Venison Sausage

Deer season pays off right here.

This is a straightforward, no-nonsense sausage recipe built for hunters who need to turn a pile of ground venison into something worth eating all winter long.

Six pounds of venison gets mixed 50/50 with lean ground pork for moisture and fat, then seasoned with salt, black pepper, cayenne, sage, and a half cup of honey that adds just a whisper of sweetness to balance the gamey meat.

Mix it up, portion it out, and freeze what you don’t cook right away.

Pro Tips

• The pork is essential. Venison is extremely lean and will be dry and crumbly as sausage without the added fat from pork.
• Add the hot water and mix thoroughly before adding the spices. Getting the meat well combined first gives you a better texture.
• The honey isn’t just for flavor. It helps bind the sausage and gives it a subtle caramelization when you cook it.
• Portion into 1-pound packs before freezing so you can thaw only what you need.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of smoked paprika for a deeper, smokier sausage.
• Stuff into natural hog casings for link sausages instead of keeping it as bulk.
• Mix in a teaspoon of fennel seeds for an Italian-style venison sausage.