Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs Venison (Lean), cleaned and chilled
  • 1 lb Pork Fat or Fatty Pork Butt, chilled
  • 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 level tsp Curing Salt #1 (Prague Powder #1)
  • 0.5 cup Fermento
  • 1 tbsp Coarse Black Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 0.5 cup Ice Cold Water
  • 0.5 cup High-Temperature Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Dried Jalapeño Flakes

Instructions:

  1. Start by dicing your 1.8 kg of venison and 450 grams of pork fat into 1 inch cubes. Spread them out on a baking tray and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. You want the edges to be crunchy but the center to still have some give. This ensures a clean cut when grinding.
  2. Grind the chilled venison and fat together through a coarse plate (about 8mm). If the meat starts to look smeared or mushy, stop and put everything back in the freezer. A clean grind is what gives the sausage that beautiful, velvety texture.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together your 0.5 cup of ice water, 1.5 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp curing salt, 0.5 cup Fermento, and all your dry spices. Pour this over the ground meat.
  4. Now, use your hands (or a heavy duty mixer) to mix vigorously for about 5 minutes. You are looking for the meat to become very sticky and hold onto your hand if you turn it upside down.
  5. Fold in your 0.5 cup of high temperature cheddar and 1 tbsp dried jalapeño flakes. Soak your fibrous casings in warm water for 30 minutes to make them pliable. Stuff the meat into the casings, making sure to pack it tightly. Use a small sterilized pin to prick any visible air bubbles so the casing stays tight against the meat.
  6. Let the stuffed sausages sit in the fridge overnight to allow the cure to work and the flavors to meld.
  7. The next day, place them in a smoker at 82°C (180°F). Smoke 5 hours until the internal temperature hits 71°C.
  8. As soon as they hit 71°C, pull them out and plunge them into a sink filled with ice and water. Leave them for 10 minutes until the casings feel cool and firm. This shocks the sausage, stopping the cooking and preventing the casings from getting wrinkly and loose.