Smoked Venison Sausage with Garlic and Sage

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 3

Total Time 4

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, European

Servings 10 (makes about 4–5 pounds of sausage)

Meat Grinder A manual or electric grinder will work. Choose one with coarse and fine grind plates.
Sausage Stuffer You can use a dedicated stuffer or a grinder attachment with stuffing capabilities.
Smoker Any smoker—charcoal, electric, or pellet—will work. If you don’t have one, you can cook these in the oven and add liquid smoke, but the flavor won’t be quite the same.
Mixing bowls For seasoning the meat.
Sharp knife & cutting board To prep meat and ingredients.
Digital thermometer Essential for checking internal temperature during smoking.
Baking Sheets & Cooling Racks For holding sausages before and after cooking.

3 pounds ground venison shoulder, leg, or trim from deer loin or backstrap can be used
2 pounds ground pork belly or pork shoulder for fat content

½ cup ice-cold water
1 tablespoon sugar helps with browning and flavor balance
1 tablespoon curing salt such as Prague Powder #1 – optional but recommended for longer smoking and storage
Natural hog casings about 10 feet, soaked and rinsed

Start with very cold meat and fat. Dice into small chunks and partially freeze for 30 minutes. This helps the grinder perform better and ensures your sausage doesn't get mushy.

Using the coarse plate on your grinder, run all the venison and pork through once. For a smoother texture, you can do a second pass through a finer plate. This combo offers a perfect blend for those who love country sausage recipes or farmers sausage recipes.

In a large bowl, mix the ground meat with garlic, sage, salt, pepper, and remaining spices. Add the cold water and mix well with your hands until the mixture becomes slightly tacky and uniform. This emulsion helps the sausage hold together when cooked.

Before stuffing, fry a small patty in a pan to taste-test seasoning. Adjust salt, sage, or spice levels if needed. This is a great step whether you're making deer hamburger meat recipes or a venison sausage recipe dinner.

Thread your hog casing onto the stuffing nozzle. Carefully fill the casings with the meat mixture, being careful not to overstuff. Twist into 6–8 inch links. Tie off the ends with butcher’s twine if needed.

Let the stuffed sausages dry on a rack in the fridge uncovered for at least an hour, or up to overnight. This helps form a pellicle, allowing smoke to adhere better.

Preheat your smoker to 180°F. Use hickory, oak, or applewood chips for a balanced flavor. Smoke sausages until they reach an internal temp of 155°F. This takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Let them rest 15 minutes before slicing or storing.

Smoked sausages can be stored in the fridge for a week or frozen for up to 3 months. You can also vacuum-seal them for longer shelf life, similar to venison summer sausage recipe standards.