A homemade Elk summer sausage recipe is the perfect snack for any outdoor adventure. With the right balance of meat and fat this snack is great for trips, camping or hiking. Forget store-bought versions and take matters into your own hands. This gives you ultimate control over the ingredients and flavors. In this blog post, I will guide you through the process of making your own batch of this homemade Elk summer sausage recipe.
Key Takeaways:
- Author Expertise: Laurel Rodgers is the creator of Boondocking Recipes. She is known for her fire cooking journey and delicious results with her recipes.
- Favorite Snack: Summer sausage, Ritz crackers, and cheddar cheese make the perfect snacking combo.
- Homemade Benefits: Making your own homemade Elk summer sausage recipe allows you to control ingredients and spice levels.
- Meat and Fat Ratio: A ratio of 20% fat to 80% meat is recommended for this recipe.
- Optimal Temperature: Keep meat and fat cold throughout the sausage-making process.
- Choice of Fat: Pork fat is traditionally used, but beef fat works well too.
- Meat Options: Elk, deer, bear, or pronghorn meat can be used for this Elk summer sausage recipe.
- Equipment Recommendation: An inexpensive and convenient meat grinder like the Cabelas Deluxe Meat Grinder is suitable for making this recipe.
FAQ For the Elk Summer Sausage Recipe
What is an the homemade Elk summer sausage recipe?
Elk Summer Sausage is a snack made from a mixture of elk meat and fat, seasoned with various spices, and traditionally smoked to enhance the flavor.
How do you make the homemade Elk summer sausage recipe?
To make Elk Summer Sausage, you start by grinding cold elk meat and fat using a coarse plate, then mix in spices. Next, stuff the mixture into casings and smoke at specific temperatures for a delicious final product.
What are some tips for making a successful batch of Elk Summer Sausage?
A: Keep your meat and fat very cold throughout the process, maintain the right fat-to-meat ratio, use quality spices, and ensure proper smoking times and temperatures. Following these tips will help you achieve a fantastic batch of homemade Elk summer sausage recipe version.
Other Elk Recipes to Try
Easy Elk Stew and Vegetables Recipe
Easy Campfire Elk Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Gathering Ingredients For the Elk Summer Sausage Recipe
Choosing Your Meat
The right meat is the first step to making your homemade Elk summer sausage recipe. When choosing meat the best place to look is the Elk in your freezer. Ever meat gives a unique flavor profile to the sausage and Elk is always my first choice. We recommend using elk meat for a delicious Sausage.
Selecting the Right Fat
Fat plays a key role in the texture and flavor of your Elk summer sausage recipe. While most prefer pork fat, both bear and beef are usable alternatives. Make sure the fat is cold and well-mixed with your meat to maintain the desired consistency in the sausage. The ratio of 20% fat to 80% meat provides the perfect balance for a good sausage
Preparation Steps
Spicing It Up
. After grinding, it’s time to add the flavors that make this elk summer sausage stand out. The perfect mixture of salt, garlic, pepper, will give the summer sausage the taste you want. Once the spices are added run the entire batch through a food processor to mix the results.
Testing the spices is important to get the exact flavor you want in your Elk summer sausage recipe. Experiment with different amounts to find the one that suits best. Get creative with your spice choices. Remember to keep track of the amounts used for future reference. Once you get the perfect summer sausage you want to be able to duplicate the results
Smoking Process
Temperature and Time Guidelines
The smoking process for Elk Summer Sausage is what gives it the right flavor and texture. The table below outlines the recommended smoking temperatures and times to achieve the best results:
| Smoking Temperature | Smoking Time |
| 160°F | 6 hours |
Tips for Optimal Smoking
For the best Elk Summer Sausage, follow these tips for optimal smoking:
- Keep your meat and fat very cold throughout the smoking process.
- Avoid letting the fat separate by ensuring the temperature is consistent.
- Use a reliable meat grinder with a coarse plate for the best texture.
Time and attention to detail are the keys when smoking your Elk Summer Sausage. Any deviations in temperature or time can affect the final outcome.
Elk Summer Sausage Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Twine
- mixing bowl
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Grill Grate
- knives
- Campfire Cooking Utensils
- Campfire Serving Utensils
- Campfire Fork Or Tongs
- fire proof cooking gloves
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- foil paper
Ingredients
- 8 lbs. Elk meat cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 lbs. pork fatback cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 6 tbsp. kosher salt
- 4 tbsp. dextrose
- 2 tsp. curing salt often sold as pink salt # 1
- 1-1/2 tbsp. mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp. dry mustard
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 cup Fermento
- 1 cup water
- Four 2-1/2-by-18-inch collagen casings
Video
Instructions
- In a big basin, mix together the game meat, pig fat, and all the other ingredients save the Fermento, water, and casings. Use your hands to mix until well combined. If you find that you need to work in smaller batches, go ahead and do so. The meat may be quickly cooled by returning it to the fridge, freezer, or an ice-filled cooler.
- Transfer the ground beef mixture to a bowl and place it over ice. Use the 1/4-inch plate on your grinder to do this. To mill the mixture again, swap out the grinder plate with the 3/16-inch plate.
- Put the Fermento into the water and whisk it with a spoon until it dissolves. Incorporate into the ground beef mixture by hand or by placing in the bowl of a standing mixer and mixing on low speed until well combined.
- Make sure there are no air bubbles on the surface of the meat by pressing a piece of plastic wrap. After that, cover the bowl with an additional layer of plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to let it ferment for two days. To ensure that you have used the correct ingredients, make a small test patty and fry it in a sauté pan. Change them as needed. Once you have the casings prepared, load them with sausage using a sausage stuffer. Place the filled shells in the refrigerator to air dry for at least one or two hours.
- After the filled sausages have rested for 20 minutes, soak some applewood chips in a pan. Smoker should be preheated at 112°-130°. Place the smoking pan with the chips inside. The sausages may be hung or laid in the smoker. After 60 minutes of smoking at this temperature, turn the heat up to 180 degrees. Depending on your smoker and the surrounding temperature, it might take anywhere from two to three hours for the interior temperature to reach 150°.
- After sausages are cooked, allow them to cool for an hour at room temperature before wrapping tightly and storing in the fridge. They have a long shelf life when frozen.
Nutrition
