Smith: More Wisconsin hunters making their own venison sausage

HORICON - For many Wisconsinites, fall is the harvest season, a time to butcher and store delicious wild fish and game.

In winter the attention turns to cooking and processing.

For a growing number of Badger State residents, that means sausage-making.

"It's rewarding and fun to do it yourself," said Jeff Sindelar, UW-Madison associate professor and UW-Extension meat specialist. "We've been seeing a substantial increase in interest in (sausage-making) in recent years."

Thirty people paid $25 each to attend a recent program by Sindelar and three of his graduate research assistants titled "Game Sausage Workshop" at Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center in Horicon.

Sindelar started with a brief survey of the attendees. Two had made sausage before; the other 28 were keen to start.

The subject matter was almost exclusively related to venison derived from Wisconsin's prize big game animal, the white-tailed deer.

Over the course of three hours, the seminar presented information on the science and history of sausage-making, techniques and recipes.

Then three types of sausage were prepared — summer sausage, bratwurst and jerky.

At the end of the evening, several samples were cooked and attendees were able to test the results.

If Wisconsin has a "meat whisperer," it could be Sindelar.

He grew up on a small farm, earned a doctorate in meat science and for the last decade has worked as a researcher and extension meat specialist.

He has led more than 100 meat and food seminars and makes sausage at home.

"Our goal is to help you make safe, healthy, nutritious and wholesome food out of your deer," Sindelar said. "It's totally doable with attention to some key points."

Interest in home sausage-making isn't new among the state's hunters.

But most observers feel there has been increased interest in recent years as more hunters butcher their own deer and keep the trimmings to make their own sausage.

In a time of increasing prevalence of chronic wasting disease in the deer herd, such control eliminates the possibility their meat could be mixed with another hunter's at a meat processor.

Sausage is among the oldest meat products in human history, dating to about 1,500 B.C. The name is derived from the Latin word "salsus," which means salted or preserved.

Wisconsin, with its high proportion of European immigrants, has a long history of sausage-making, from small local shops to large plants.

The state has about 475 meat and poultry plants, second-highest of any state (Pennsylvania is first) Sindelar said.

And many thousands of sausage-processing sites are set up each year in garages, sheds, barns and basements.

The largest category of sausage consumed in the U.S. is cooked, including frankfurters, polish and smoked.

Other sausage categories include fresh (bratwurst), uncooked smoked (kielbasa), dry or semi-dry (salami and pepperoni) and loaves (bologna).

Sindelar said sanitation and cleanliness are critical to any food-making operation.

No matter where a deer is butchered, it's important to trim away and dispose evidence of spoilage from the meat. This can include areas with discoloration, off-odors or slime.

Also dispose of damaged meat around wound channels.

Sindelar also recommended trimming and disposing fat from deer, as venison fat can contribute to rancid off-flavors.

What do you need to make sausage at home?

The obvious ingredient is meat. Venison is great for sausage, but since it is so lean, it must be augmented with other, higher-fat meat for most recipes.

Venison is typically 90% lean, Sindelar said. He recommends adding ground chuck roast or short ribs to venison to achieve a higher fat percentage.

Equipment, including a sausage grinder, thermometer, spice and seasonings mixes and casings are also required for most recipes. For first-timers, it's a good idea to borrow equipment or invite an experienced friend to assist.

Temperature of the meat is another key to sausage-making. The closer to 32 degrees the better, Sindelar said.

During the demonstration, meat was ground and mixed until it was slightly tacky.

"Let the meat tell you what it needs," Sindelar said.

After meat, the most important sausage ingredient is salt, according to Sindelar. Salt enhances flavor, helps prevent microbial spoilage and solubilizes muscle protein.

Most sausage formulations contain 2 to 3% salt. 

Ground meat for sausage should be mixed well with spices, sugar water and other ingredients, as appropriate.

If cheese or cherries or other flavorings are desired, they should be added at the very end.

Throughout the process, the temperature of the meat should be kept as close to 32 degrees as possible, Sindelar said.

A variety of casings was displayed at the seminar, including natural and synthetic.

Sindelar showed two options for making jerky – cutting slices from "whole muscle" and mixing meat for restructured pieces.

Lean pieces of meat that have little to no fat marbling are best for whole muscle jerky. Cutting it while cold is also recommended. 

Seminar attendees were treated to pieces of fresh summer sausage, cooked on a griddle, and tender, extruded jerky.

"Wild game is a great resource," Sindelar said. "Sharing some of these fruits from the harvest helps make it even more memorable."