You can use up to 5 pounds of venison. Substitute more pork or venison for the organ meat, if desired. This is a mild Italian sausage. Add another 1½ tablespoon cayenne pepper or 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes if you want a hot Italian sausage. Substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar. Use fatty pork, like pork butt or pork shoulder.
This is a mild Italian sausage. Add another 1½ tablespoon cayenne pepper or 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes if you want a hot Italian sausage. Substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar. Use fatty pork, like pork butt or pork shoulder. Pro tip: If grinding your own meat, use partially frozen meat if possible.
For a leaner sausage with an 80/20 ratio, use 2 pounds of venison, and 1/2 pound of pork fat. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a glug of olive oil and, once hot, toss in the yellow onions.
We like to make our Italian sausage links with venison. Like our Texas Hot Links and Brats, we prefer a 50/50 blend of venison to pork butt or shoulder for the texture, but blend yours however you like. The higher the percentage of venison, the drier the finished sausage will be.