Venison Breakfast Sausage Recipe

Compared to traditional breakfast sausages, my homemade venison sausage is low in fat, high in protein, and rich in sweet, smoky flavor. In fact, this simple, tried and true recipe will forever be a staple at my breakfast table.

Well, not just breakfast. With a couple of small adjustments, my venison sausages can be incorporated into other meals through the day.

Think of swapping out the maple syrup and for garlic and cheese. Then, tossing the sliced links onto a bed of spinach and pasta.

Or even better, add beer, minced onion, and marjoram to the recipe and serve the sausages fresh off the grill, on a toasted bun bathed in mustard and sauerkraut.

That recipe tastes even better when you're eating in front of the TV watching a Sunday afternoon football game.

When you get a hang of it, venison sausage is so delicious and easy to prepare, you’ll get carried away thinking about all the possibilities.

Have fun with endless flavor options. Add fruit, honey, or cinnamon for sweetness and swap out spices, vegetables, and herbs for more savory varieties.

Trust me, the process of making homemade venison sausages isn't nearly as daunting as it sounds. If you're new to this, you will need some patience and a couple pieces of equipment.

Under my guidance, you will be a sausage making expert in no time!

Getting Started With Homemade Venison Sausage

The first thing you need to do is invest in a good meat grinder.

Pro Tip: Grinders with aluminum bodies and rust-resistant stainless steel blades are the most durable and sanitary.

Some models come with extra plates or sausage making attachments, which keep you from having to buy a sausage stuffer or jerky gun to fit your meat into its casings.

For improved texture, leave your plates in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to grinding any meat.

Next, you will need sausage casings. The 19-21 mm casings are an excellent size for breakfast sausage links.

Natural casings are produced from collagen that's naturally found in the intestines and are the most tender, while synthetic collagen casings are a less expensive alternative.

A meat mixer is a godsend when it comes to adding seasonings to create a perfectly balanced flavor in your sausages. However, the tool is not a necessity.

With plenty of elbow grease, plenty of care, and a little extra time, its job can still be done by hand.

Combining Wild Game with Pork: The Perfect Balance

This is a venison sausage recipe, but the addition of pork fat keeps the lean deer meat from drying out during the cooking process.

Pro Tip: We use pork because it has a much more neutral flavor than beef and won't overpower the natural venison taste.

Pork butt, bacon, pork belly, or pork back fat are what keep the lean meat juicy after cooking.

For the perfect wild game sausage, I recommend a ratio of 70% ground venison to 30% ground pork. This balance preserves the rich, distinctive flavor of the venison while ensuring your sausages remain moist and juicy after cooking. If you prefer a leaner sausage, you can adjust to 80% venison and 20% pork, but I wouldn't recommend going any leaner than that.

Remember that different cuts of your deer will have different characteristics. Shoulder meat tends to have more connective tissue and a stronger flavor, while backstrap and hindquarter cuts are more tender with a milder taste. I like to use a mix of different cuts for a more complex flavor profile.

Now that you know exactly what you need to make the perfect venison sausage links, I will walk you through the most important part of the process, (no pressure) correctly stuffing the casings with your ground meat.

Take your time and be careful not to overstuff and potentially break the casing.

When done the right way, the casing will look sort of baggy around the ground meat, almost like there's room to add more. Don't add to it!

Once you have a long sausage rope, (no longer than four feet) it will be time to twist it, creating individual links at the length of your choice.

During this step, you will see the casing begin to fit tighter around the meat. This is also where you will thank me for telling you not to overstuff it.

Once you have your desired amount, your sausages are ready to cook, refrigerate, or even freeze.

Form Perfect Venison Sausage Patties

Not interested in stuffing casings? No problem! Venison breakfast sausage patties are just as delicious and significantly easier to make for beginners.

After mixing your ground venison and pork with your chosen seasonings, simply form the mixture into uniform patties about 3-4 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Using a kitchen scale helps ensure consistent size (aim for 2-3 ounces per patty).

Pro Tip: Form your patties slightly larger than your desired finished size, as they'll shrink a bit during cooking. Press a small dimple in the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent them from puffing up in the middle.

For the perfect texture, chill your formed patties in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This helps them hold together better during the cooking process. You can even freeze the raw patties with pieces of parchment paper between them for quick weekday breakfasts.

Cook your venison sausage patties in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Unlike commercial pork sausage, your venison patties won't release much fat, so add a tablespoon of butter or oil to the pan before cooking.

Building the Ultimate Venison Sausage Breakfast

Whether you've made links or patties, venison breakfast sausage is the star of countless morning meals. Here are some of my favorite ways to showcase this wild game delicacy:

Classic Biscuits and Gravy: Nothing complements homemade venison sausage patties like fresh-baked buttermilk biscuits smothered in gravy made from the same sausage. After cooking your patties, leave the browned bits in the pan, add flour to make a roux, then whisk in milk until you have a smooth, thick gravy. The venison adds a depth of flavor you just can't get from store-bought sausage.

Venison Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches: For mornings on the go, sandwich a venison sausage patty between a toasted English muffin or biscuit with a fried egg and slice of cheese. The lean, flavorful venison makes these sandwiches hearty without being greasy like traditional fast-food versions.

Weekend Hash: Dice some cooked venison sausage links and toss them with crispy potatoes, bell peppers, and onions for a rustic breakfast hash. Top with a couple of fried eggs for a complete meal that will fuel a day in the field.

Pro Tip: When properly frozen, your raw sausages can last in the freezer up to a year and no, you don't need a fancy vacuum sealer to prevent freezer burn.

Simply divide your sausages into portions for yourself and your family. Then, tightly wrap the portions using foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper. The goal here is to minimize air exposure (the cause of freezer burn) as much as possible.

Once everything is wrapped up, store the sausages in a freezer safe container or freezer bag.

Even with the previous layer of wrapping, I like to double up on freezer bags. Trust me, these sausages are so yummy and quick to cook, you're not going to want to lose a single link to freezer burn.

Follow the simple recipe below for the best venison breakfast sausage. When you make your own batch, leave a comment and let me know how you enjoyed them!

Venison Breakfast Sausage

Print Recipe

One my frequently cooked meals for breakfast during fall and winter season.  Also perfect for game day cookout!

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

(Makes 10 Pounds of Venison Sausage Links)

• 6 Pounds Cubed Venison
• 3 Pounds Cubed Pork Butt
• 1 Pound Chopped Bacon
• 1 Cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup (Forgot to buy syrup? Use ¼ cup brown sugar instead.)
• 1 Cup Ice Cold Water
• 19-21 mm Sausage Casings Of Your Choice

Sausage Seasoning Mix

• 3 tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 tablespoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 3 tablespoon Ground Sage
• 3 tablespoon Paprika
• 2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (Add more if you like a spicy kick!)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander

Instructions

• Using the medium plate on your grinder, grind your pork, and deer meat.
• Add spices, ice water, and syrup into the meat blend.
• Thoroughly mix all ingredients to achieve the most consistent sausage flavor possible.
• Load the meat into the casings. Remember, you don’t want a tight fit here. Leave the casings a little loose to keep them from breaking.
• Keep in mind that the sausages will be easier to tie if the casings are kept between three and four feet.
• Try to keep your links the same length. Simply pinch the center of your links and roll each one in the opposite direction as the one before it.
• This is where you will see the casing begin to fit nice and snug around the ground meat.
• Repeat these steps until you reach the end of the casings. Then, use knots to tie up the ends.
• Cook venison sausages with olive oil on medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes until they are browned and cooked all the way through.
• Afterward, allow them to sit and cool for about five minutes. This resting period cools the meat and allows it to soak up more juices, resulting in a tastier more juicy bite.
• The maple flavor in these sausages makes them pair beautifully with breakfast favorites like grits, pancakes, oatmeal, and waffles.