There's nothing quite as rewarding as harvesting your own deer and transforming it into some delicious smoked sausage. In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the entire process—from the venison trimmings to the finished smoked sausage. With a few key ingredients and the right tools, you'll be able to craft your own flavorful 25 lb batch of smoked deer sausage that will impress anyone.
Let’s get started!
To see the process in action, watch our video tutorial on The Bearded Butchers YouTube Channel: How to Make Smoked Deer Sausage at Home with The Bearded Butchers! (DIY).
What You'll Need:
Ingredients:
- 20 lbs of deer trimmings
- 4 lbs of pork trimmings
- 1 lb of pork fat
Dry Ingredients (Included in The Bearded Butchers' Jalapeño Cheddar SMOKED Sausage DIY Kit):
- 1 pack of Sea Salt and Pepper Seasoning (9 oz for 25 lbs of meat)
- 1 pack of 32mm Smoked Sausage Collagen Casing (2 strands for 25 lbs)
- 1 pack of Dried Jalapeño Flakes and Powder
- 1 pack of High Temp Diced Cheddar Cheese (2.5 lbs to add to 25 lbs of meat)
- 1 pack of Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor Powder (3 oz for 25 lbs of meat)
- 1 pack of Pink Sodium Nitrite Curing Salt 6.25% (1 oz for 25 lbs of meat) (Optional: Use Natural Celery Powder & Cherry Powder Cure instead of Sodium Nitrite Curing Salt)
Tools:
- Meat Lug (container for mixing)
- Meat Grinder
- Stuffing horn and sausage stuffer
- Smoker (with a temperature probe)
Step 1: Prepare Your Meat Lug and Ingredients
Before you begin mixing, get your meat lug ready by inserting a liner. Spray a little mineral oil on the inside of the lug to prevent the liner from slipping while you mix the ingredients.
Now, gather your meat trimmings! You’ll be combining 20 lbs of venison with 4 lbs of pork trimmings and 1 lb of pork fat into the meat lug.
Optional: Curing Salt or Natural Powder Cure
At this point, you have the option of adding either Pink Sodium Nitrite Curing Salt or the Natural Celery Powder & Cherry Powder Cure.
- Pink Sodium Nitrate Curing Salt prevents bacterial growth, enhances color, texture, and improves the shelf life of the sausage.
- Natural Celery Powder & Cherry Powder Cure uses naturally occurring compounds to provide similar benefits as synthetic curing salts.
Step 2: Add Seasonings & Cure
- Sea Salt and Pepper Seasoning: Dump the entire pack of sea salt and pepper seasoning into the meat lug and mix it in thoroughly with your hands.
- Celery Powder & Cherry Powder Cure or Pink Sodium Nitrate Curing Salt: If you're using the natural cure, sprinkle in 2.5 oz of celery powder and 1 oz of cherry powder. If you are using the Pink Sodium Nitrate Curing Salt, sprinkle 1 oz into the meat mixture. Mix well.
- Hickory Smoke Flavor Powder: Add the hickory smoke flavor powder to the mixture and stir it in thoroughly for a smoky taste that infuses every bite.
Step 3: Grind the Meat:
- Prepare the Grinder: Use a meat grinder to grind your seasoned meat. If you're using a dual-plate grinder (like the Made With Meat One Horse Duel Grind Grinder), you will need only one pass. First, the meat will coarse-grind, and then it will fine-grind. Make sure the meat is ground twice to ensure an even mix.
Step 4: Add Jalapeños and Cheddar Cheese
- After grinding the meat, add the dried jalapeño flakes and powder to the mixture. Stir them in well for an even distribution of heat.
- Add the High Temp Diced Cheddar Cheese: Stir in the cheddar cheese, making sure it's evenly mixed into the sausage. The high-temp cheese won’t melt during the smoking process, so it will hold up nicely in the sausage.
- If the mixture feels too dry, you can add some cold water to help lubricate it and make mixing easier.
Step 5: Stuff the Sausage
- Prepare Your Smoked Sausage Casings: Place the collagen casings onto the stuffing horn, tying a knot at the end to seal them off before you begin stuffing.
- Stuff the Sausage: Using your sausage stuffer, stuff the casings with your sausage mixture. Pack it in tightly to prevent air pockets, but be careful not to overstuff.
- Tie the Casings: Once the casings are filled, tie off the open end of each casing.
Step 6: Smoke the Sausages
- Preheat Your Smoker: Place the sausages into your smoker, making sure they’re hanging properly and not overcrowded. We’re using an Enviro-Pak Martini 280 Commercial Smoker, but you can use any smoker that can accommodate your sausages.
- Set the Temperature: Set your smoker to a temperature that will cook the sausages gradually. We recommend smoking for 5-6 hours at a low temperature, checking the internal temperature regularly.
- Monitor Internal Temperature: Insert a probe into the thickest part of a sausage to monitor its internal temperature. The sausages should reach 160°F before they are considered fully cooked and ready to enjoy.
Step 7: Chill and Enjoy!
Once your sausages reach the desired temperature of 160°F, remove them from the smoker. Allow them to cool and chill them before eating. Chilling helps the sausage set and gives it the perfect texture.
Conclusion:
That’s it! You’ve now successfully made your own Jalapeño Cheddar Smoked Deer Sausage at home. Whether you’re sharing with friends or enjoying it yourself, this homemade sausage is sure to be a hit.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more DIY recipes and tips to continue crafting delicious homemade sausages and more!
Happy smoking!
Looking for the ingredients?
You can find The Bearded Butchers' Jalapeño Cheddar SMOKED Sausage DIY Kit and all the supplies you need on our website!
