OK, my fellow sausage "homies". I'm in need of some advice on using venison. I've eaten what I think are pretty good venison snack stix, venison summer sausage, and venison dried beef. They were done by one of our local small locker plants who is very well known for being an excellent processor. Back in my more youthful days, when I hunted quite a bit, I butchered my own deer. I'd cut out the back straps, hind quarter roasts, steaks etc. and debone the rest and take it to this locker plant for sticks and summer sausage. Since I didn't even consider making any of my own sausage, I never asked many questions. About all I gathered was that they added about 20% pork fat to the deer for the processing.
Now, I no longer hunt, but I'm definately into sausage making. Well, yesterday, a friend called and said he had a deer that he wants to give me to make sausage out of. He does his own cutting and deboning etc. and has that already done, iced down and into a large cooler. He's bringing that over to my place tomorrow. I told him I'd probably have to clean it up pretty good, getting as much sinew, silver skin, etc. removed as possible, cubed, vac packed and into the freezer pronto.
The plan I have, is to make most of it into deer sticks, summer sausage and pepperoni. What would you guys, who are experienced with venison, do to get the right fat content for making the sausages that I'm looking to do? Would you add 20% (by weight) pork fat trimmings from pork butt? Or, would you add 40% (by weight) cut up pork butt? Or, would you use 20% (by weight) pork back fat. Am I on the right track here, or am I "all wet" in my thinking?
I've been using A.C. Legg Old Plantation Snack Stick Seasoning and Old Plantation Summer Sausage Seasoning for my beef sticks and beef summer sausage. I really like how they turn out. I've been keeping the fat content at about 20% and the results have been excellent. Do you think that they will work just as well on venison, or should I look to use a different seasoning. I think I read something about needing a stronger seasoning for venison than for beef. The beef sticks do call for 20% pork by the way. Ya, I'll add cure #1 ,ECA after grinding and smoke to 160°-165°, as usual.
Sorry if I'm being a bit anal about this, but I really want these to turn out well, and I've never made vension sausages before. You guys have always been "spot on" with advice in the past, and I'm in need of your expertise again. Hell, even a friendly little pat on my chubby little head and a reassuring "you'll be just fine, ShortEnd", will do. (nepas will get that one)
Thanks,
ShortEnd
Now, I no longer hunt, but I'm definately into sausage making. Well, yesterday, a friend called and said he had a deer that he wants to give me to make sausage out of. He does his own cutting and deboning etc. and has that already done, iced down and into a large cooler. He's bringing that over to my place tomorrow. I told him I'd probably have to clean it up pretty good, getting as much sinew, silver skin, etc. removed as possible, cubed, vac packed and into the freezer pronto.
The plan I have, is to make most of it into deer sticks, summer sausage and pepperoni. What would you guys, who are experienced with venison, do to get the right fat content for making the sausages that I'm looking to do? Would you add 20% (by weight) pork fat trimmings from pork butt? Or, would you add 40% (by weight) cut up pork butt? Or, would you use 20% (by weight) pork back fat. Am I on the right track here, or am I "all wet" in my thinking?
I've been using A.C. Legg Old Plantation Snack Stick Seasoning and Old Plantation Summer Sausage Seasoning for my beef sticks and beef summer sausage. I really like how they turn out. I've been keeping the fat content at about 20% and the results have been excellent. Do you think that they will work just as well on venison, or should I look to use a different seasoning. I think I read something about needing a stronger seasoning for venison than for beef. The beef sticks do call for 20% pork by the way. Ya, I'll add cure #1 ,ECA after grinding and smoke to 160°-165°, as usual.
Sorry if I'm being a bit anal about this, but I really want these to turn out well, and I've never made vension sausages before. You guys have always been "spot on" with advice in the past, and I'm in need of your expertise again. Hell, even a friendly little pat on my chubby little head and a reassuring "you'll be just fine, ShortEnd", will do. (nepas will get that one)
Thanks,
ShortEnd