Homemade Venison Hotlinks

Servings: 20

Prep Time: 1 day

Cook Time: 1.5 hr

Description

Homemade Venison Hotlinks are a bold, flavorful twist on classic sausage—perfect for hunters, grill masters, and anyone who loves scratch-made meats with serious character. This recipe blends lean venison with rich pork shoulder and a fiery mix of spices like paprika, chili powder, mustard, and garlic, creating a sausage that's smoky, spicy, and incredibly satisfying. A splash of lager adds depth and moisture, while traditional hog casings give these hotlinks an authentic snap. Whether you’re smoking them low and slow or searing them over a grill, these hotlinks deliver a robust flavor that store-bought sausages just can't match. Great for weekend cookouts in the tastiest way possible.

Ingredients

Staples

1 tablespoon White Sugar
34 gram Salt
5 gram Prague Powder #1
7 foot Hog Casing

Spices And Herbs

2 tablespoon Paprika
2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
6 whole Bay Leaf finely ground
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
2 teaspoon Mustard Powder
2 teaspoon Dried Thyme

Meat

3 pound Venison
2 pound Pork Shoulder fat-on

Produce

4 clove Garlic minced

Alcoholic Beverages

0.333 cup Lager

Nutritional

calories230

carbohydrates3g

protein20g

fat15g

Step by Step Instructions

1
Cut the venison and pork shoulder into chunks that will fit through your meat grinder. Mix the meat with the salts and sugar, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight to help the sausage bind.
2
Soak about 7 feet of hog casing in warm water while the meat rests.
3
Add the garlic and all spices to the chilled meat. Mix thoroughly, then grind the mixture using a coarse grinding plate.
4
Chill the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes to help it bind better.
5
Pour the lager into the meat mixture and mix on low speed using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes tacky. Transfer to a sausage stuffer.
6
Thread the hog casing onto the stuffer, leaving a few inches at each end for tying. Carefully stuff the entire casing, keeping the fill tight but not bursting. Repeat until all the meat is used.
7
Form links by pinching and twisting each section in alternating directions, or by tying with kitchen twine. Tie off the ends of the casings securely.
8
Compress each link gently to reveal air pockets. Prick any bubbles with a pin to release trapped air.
9
Hang the sausages at room temperature for 1 hour to dry and firm up.
10
Store the sausages in the refrigerator until ready to cook, or freeze for later use.