This venison summer sausage recipe is so easy! I love it because it can be made in the oven! No need for a smoker. It does not use casings, so you can literally make it with some seasoning, an oven, and a baking sheet. Really great for when you don't have much equipment but want to get started with wild game sausage. It pairs well with cheese and some savory Ranch Pretzels.
Chef's tip: I like to mix beef or pork with this recipe to make it a bit less dry. You don't want to add deer fat, because it has a higher melting point than beef or pork. So if you use deer fat, it will leave your mouth with an unpleasant coating of fat. You can use 100% venison, but it will be quite dry.
Jump to:
Quick Look: Venison Summer Sausage in Oven
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 8 hours
- ⌛ Total Time: 28 hours (rests 24 hours)
- 🍽️ Servings: 32
- 🔥 Calories: 143 kcal
- 🎊 Perfect for party food, appetizers, holiday snacks
- ✅ Difficulty: Easy
- 🍳 Serving Suggestions: Serve with sliced cheese, pickles, olives, and crackers.
Key Ingredients
- Venison. You can use any type of wild game meat for this recipe: deer, elk, moose, pronghorn antelope, caribou, etc.
- Beef. You can omit the beef but it will be very dry and fall apart easily. This addition adds fat content that gives it that traditional texture.
- Mustard seed. I buy mine at Walmart.
- Morton's TenderQuick. Again, I buy at Walmart, it should be with the spice section. You can probably find it online, as well.
How to make Venison Summer Sausage Recipe
- Step 1: Place all meat into large mixing bowl. Use your hands or a large spoon to break up the meat. Sprinkle the seasonings all over the meat. It will mix in more evenly if you sprinkle it over, rather than just dump it in one spot. Use your hands to mix the meat thoroughly.
- Step 2: Place the summer sausage mix into a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, or cover the container with plastic wrap. Place meat into the fridge for 24 hours. You can adjust this by a couple hours, if necessary, to accommodate your schedule. The last batch I made, I let it set 36 hours because that's just how it worked out.
- Step 3: Divide the venison summer sausage into four equal portions.
- Step 4: Use your hands to knead and squeeze the meat into a roll about 12 inches long. I don't measure these, just use your best guess. You can wrap it in plastic wrap or parchment paper to get a really nice, smooth roll.
- Step 5: Place the formed summer sausage rolls onto a rack placed onto a baking pan. Make sure the pan you are using has sides so any juice doesn't run onto your oven. If you don't have a baking rack, that's ok! Just place some foil on your pan and place the sausage rolls on top. They will bake just fine. (this is how I baked mine, because I forgot to use my racks!) Bake the venison summer sausage at 300 F for 3 hours. When they are finished, let them cool at room temperature.
- Step 6: When the sausage is cooled, wrap it tightly in freezer paper and label. Place in fridge for up to a week, or for longer storage; in the freezer for up to three months. We love to eat deer summer sausage with cheese and crackers, or sliced thin and on bread with mayo for a sandwich.
FAQs
Mix 80/20 ground beef, mustard seed, tenderizing salt, and black pepper with ground venison for summer sausage.
Cook for an hour in the oven or until the internal temperature reaches 150.
Sharp cheddar cheese, crackers, pickles, olives, and red wine are good choices.
Other Venison Recipes to try:
If you tried this Venison Summer Sausage or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Pull up a chair and tell me how it turned out!
Venison Summer Sausage
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground venison
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 5 Tablespoons Morton's Tender Quick Salt
- 2 Tablespoons black pepper coarse ground
- 2 Tablespoons mustard seeds
Instructions
- Sprinkle seasonings over meat, mix all meats and seasonings together with your hands until well mixed.
- Cover and let rest in fridge for 24-48 hours.
- Divide into 4 portions, and form each portion into a firm, even roll about 12 inches long.
- Place meat rolls on baking sheet lined with foil, OR on a baking rack inside a baking pan to catch the drippings.
- Bake at 300° for 3 hours. Let cool and store in fridge or wrap tightly in freezer paper. Freeze up to three months.
My crew is getting ready to out for youth hunt in a few days. If they are successful I'll definitely be giving this recipe a try! Thanks for sharing.