Venison Summer Sausage

Why Venison Makes Great Summer Sausage

Venison’s lean nature and deep, beefy flavor make it an ideal protein for homemade summer sausage. Since wild game meat is typically very low in fat, we recommend blending it with beef or pork fat to give your sausage the right balance of moisture and richness. In this recipe, we use beef fat off of a strip loin—a flavorful, fatty cut that helps prevent dry or crumbly sausage.

You’ll also notice this isn’t just any old seasoning blend. We’re using the LEM Backwoods Summer Sausage Blend as well as LEM High Temperature Cheddar and LEM High Temperature Hot Pepper cheeses which gives the sausage that tangy and cheesy flavor you expect from summer sausage. It’s a shortcut the pros use, and it works beautifully here.

The Key to Smoking Summer Sausage

One of the most important elements of summer sausage is the low-and-slow smoke. The goal is to slowly raise the internal temperature while letting smoke flavor soak into the meat. That slow climb helps the fat stay emulsified and keeps the sausage tender with a uniform texture.

We smoke this sausage on a Yoder Smokers YS640s pellet grill at a relatively low temp, gradually increasing until the internal temperature reaches 155°F. This method mimics the slow cooking process you’d get in a traditional smokehouse, but it’s achievable in your backyard with the right tools.

This Venison Summer Sausage recipe is a great entry point into the world of homemade cured meats and smoked wild game. Once you make a batch yourself, you’ll see why so many hunters skip the processor and go DIY. With a reliable seasoning blend, the right ratio of venison and pork, and a steady cook on the smoker, you’ll end up with sausages that are perfect for gifting, snacking, or stashing in your cooler for the next road trip.

Getting Started

Ready to get started? Watch the video, gather your gear, and dive into one of the most satisfying ways to preserve and enjoy wild game.