Summer sausage made from deer is one of the most unusual summer sausages available. It stands out from other meat delights of this type because of its rich, earthy flavor. However, you may be wondering whether deer sausage is cooked or not.
Summer sausage is dried or cured with salt or smoked. It has been “cooked” already. It’s not even necessary to keep it chilled. Pork and other meats, such as beef or venison, are commonly used to make summer sausage.
In this article, I’ll go over everything you need to know about making deer summer sausage so you can get the most out of it.
Is it necessary to cook venison summer sausage?
You’ll almost certainly find the answer on the label or package. Summer sausages have already been seasoned, cured, dried, cooked, and are ready to eat.
The long shelf life of this sausage kind is attributable to a mixture of preservation processes. As a result, the end-user does not have to conduct any cooking.
If you want to spice things up a little, give your venison sausages a brief smoke or fry in a skillet.
If you buy raw meat intending to make deer summer sausage, the story is quite different.
Deer Summer Sausage Cooking Instructions
You may be a hunter with more deer meat than you know what to do with, or you may have purchased some from a local store. Making homemade deer summer sausage is a great way to preserve deer meat.
In a nutshell, venison summer sausage is cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. It could take anything from an hour and a half to three hours to complete the operation.
To begin, gather the following ingredients to make these delectable sausages:
- Meat
- Spices
- curing salt
- Meat processor
- Casings
- wood chips
- Smoker
Meat thermometer
Here are some helpful hints for making the sausage more delectable.
- Because deer meat is so lean, you may want to add some pork to help it along. Pork shoulder, hind, or trimmings are the best cuts to use because they contain the most fat.
- You can adjust the pork ratios to suit your preferences. If you want to stay true to the deer flavor, don’t use more than 30% pork. Otherwise, the pork will overpower the deer, and you’ll end up with something that resembles pig sausage.
- Both the deer and pork meat should be kept cool. Before grinding, place both of them in the refrigerator. The meat will not form appropriately if it is not chilled.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, including the cure. It will allow the remedy to melt and disperse evenly.
- Soak your casings in water for 20 minutes, then rinse and pack sausages.
You’ll need five tablespoons of meat cure, a pinch of your chosen spices (mustard seeds, black pepper, garlic, or thyme are all excellent options), 1/8 cup of sugar, and 1/3 cup of sea salt. You’ll also require a cup of water. As previously said, you can adjust the meat ratio to your liking. I recommend using at least seven pounds of venison and five pounds of pork trimmings.
Once you’ve gathered all of your supplies, follow these steps to make a great handmade deer summer sausage:
- Soak the casings in water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Separately grind the meat. Then combine everything and grind it again, but this time all at once.
- In a bowl of water, combine all of the ingredients, including the remedy.
- By hand, combine the ingredients with the meat, or ground them together in a mixer.
- Remove the casings from the water, rinse them, and pack them with the sausages.
- Refrigerate the casings for one to two days to allow the meat to absorb all of the flavors.
- Smoke the sausages for at least three hours the next day on a smoker set to 140°F. Fully cooked sausages should have an internal temperature of 160°F. You can also bake the sausages in the oven at 185°F, but the flavor will be different.
- Allow the sausages to cool to room temperature before storing them in the refrigerator or freezer.
It’s better to vacuum-seal the sausages if you’re going to keep them in the freezer for a long time. That will keep the meat from getting freezer burnt by preventing air from getting in.
What duration should one smoke the Venison Summer Sausage?
If you’re using store-bought, ready-to-eat venison summer sausage, chuck it on the smoker with any other meat you’re smoking for a few minutes to warm it up.
When making handmade venison summer sausages, you should smoke them for at least three hours in a smoker. It’s ideal for smoking for the first hour at 140°F, then rising to 160°F the next hour. Finally, preheat the smoker to 180 degrees Fahrenheit until the interior temperature reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit. To check the temperature of the summer sausage, place the thermometer where it is thickest.
Cool them down after smoking the sausages by spraying them with cold water or submerging them in ice water. The interior temperature should be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That will prevent the meat from becoming overcooked.
The temperature for Cooking Deer Summer Sausage
Deer summer sausage must attain an internal temperature of 160-165°F before being thoroughly cooked, whether cooked in the oven or over a smoker. Preheat the oven to 185°F for oven-cooked sausages and bake until the sausage reaches the required temperature. A meat thermometer is used to determine when the sausages are fully cooked.
If you’re using a smoker, preheat it to 140°F before placing the sausages on it for an hour. Then raise the temperature to 160°F, add the hickory wood chips, and smoke for an additional hour. Set the temperature to 180°F at the start of the third hour and check the inside temperature more frequently.
In the interim, you might want to brush some water on the meat. It will cool the crust and keep it from burning while the inside continues to cook.
How to tell if a smoke sausage is cooked
Use a meat thermometer to determine if a whole smoked sausage is fully cooked. Aim for 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the link. That’s where the safe zone is. Cook until the center of the sausage reaches 165o F for more mild sausages, such as smoked turkey or chicken sausages.
It also helps to keep track of your cooking times. If cooked on the grill’s ‘hot zone,’ grilled sausages are usually done in 6 to 12 minutes. Sausages roasted in the oven may take 20 to 25 minutes to cook.
With just your eyes, you can tell a lot about your food; the sausage’s exterior should be slightly charred but never burned, and slicing a sausage should expose a pink, hot core. Of course, never rely solely on sight or smell to determine whether or not your meal is thoroughly cooked. The good thing is that most smoked sausages are precooked or cured, so all you have to do is reheat them to taste.
Frequently asked questions
Is it necessary to keep deer summer sausage refrigerated?
Summer sausage is a delectable dry-cured sausage that may be stored without refrigeration. Summer sausage is frequently made from a combination of pork and other meats like beef or venison. Summer sausage is almost always cured with some salt, whether it’s dried or smoked.
Is it possible to eat summer sausage raw?
Sausages are available, either raw or cooked. Uncooked sausages containing ground turkey and chicken are supposed to cook to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Sausages that are ready to eat can be dry, semi-dry, or cooked. Smoked, unsmoked, or cooked dry sausages are available.
In addition, how do you consume summer sausage? It’s usually served thinly sliced, and it goes well with both wine and cheese. It’s also delicious on sandwiches. Summer sausage is also fantastic fried or in a casserole, but the natural beauty is that it’s easy to make, ready to eat, and tastes great at room temperature.
Is it true that smoked means cooked?
Although meals that have been hot smoked are frequently reheated or cooked further, they are usually acceptable to eat raw. Once properly smoked, hams and ham hocks are fully cooked and ready to consume without any additional preparation.
Is deer summer sausage healthy?
Even yet, venison is significantly more nutritious. Although turkey and chicken are lower in calories and fat than venison, venison has less cholesterol than white meats. Venison is healthier than beef because of the way deer and cattle store fat.
Conclusion
You could be wondering if deer summer sausage is cooked or not before reading this post. Now that you know store-bought deer summer sausage is appropriately seasoned and cooked, all you have to do is serve it with crackers, salad, or mashed potatoes.
On the other hand, cooking raw sausages takes some time – be sure to follow my advice above. This essay should have given you more confidence in preparing your deer summer sausage and sharing your newfound knowledge with your friends and family.