Smoked Venison Sausage

Sausage making has come to be one of the prime activities of the deer season in Texas. One of the best recipes I’ve found is a German link sausage, smoked to give it added resonance. Don’t be shocked by the quantity in this recipe. It assumes you are on good terms with a deer hunter.

14 lbs venison
7 lbs pork trimmings (80% lean)
1 cup noniodized salt
1/3 cup coarse-ground black pepper

Combine salt and pepper, sprinkle over meat, then grind once using coarse blade. Mix well with your hands. Stuff into 1 1/2-inch-diameter casing, making each link about 10 inches. Smoke about three days in a smoker until internal meat temperature is 160 degrees. To cook place a link of sausage in a covered skillet with 3 tablespoons water. Turn the sausage until water has evaporated and the link is evenly brown in color. Sausage may be frozen until ready to cook.

This recipe is one of several featured in the August 1978 article The Missing Link.