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Easy Homemade Summer Sausage Recipe

Summer Sausage – The Ultimate Guide to Making and Enjoying It at Home
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This homemade summer sausage recipe is rich, smoky, and packed with bold flavors. Whether smoked or oven-baked, this semi-dry cured sausage is perfect for snacking, sandwiches, and charcuterie boards. Control the seasoning, fat content, and ingredients to make it preservative-free and keto-friendly!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meat:

  • 3 lbs ground beef (or venison, pork blend)
  • 1/2 lb pork fat (if using lean meat like venison or elk)

For the Seasoning & Cure:

  • 2 tbsp mustard seed
  • 1 tbsp black pepper (coarse ground)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp Prague Powder #1 (curing salt)
  • 1 tbsp encapsulated citric acid (for tangy flavor)

For the Smoking Process (Optional):

  • Hickory or applewood chips for smoking

Instructions

Step 1: Grinding and Mixing the Meat

  1. Chill the meat before grinding to prevent fat smearing.
  2. Grind using a 3/8-inch plate, then a 3/16-inch plate for finer texture.

Step 2: Adding Seasonings & Cure

  1. In a bowl, combine all spices and curing salt.
  2. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the ground meat and mix thoroughly.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.

Step 3: Shaping the Sausage (With or Without Casings)

  1. If using casings, soak fibrous casings in warm water for 30 minutes.
  2. Fill the casings using a sausage stuffer, tying the ends securely.
  3. For a casing-free version, roll the sausage into logs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.

Step 4: Cooking Methods

👉 Oven Method:
9. Preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C).
10. Place sausages on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
11. Bake for 4 hours or until internal temp reaches 150-160°F.
12. Cool sausages immediately in an ice bath to prevent shrinkage.

👉 Smoking Method (Recommended for Best Flavor):
13. Preheat smoker to 110°F and add hickory or applewood chips.
14. Smoke for 2 hours at 110°F, then gradually increase the temp every 2 hours (120°F → 130°F → 140°F).
15. Finish cooking when the internal temperature reaches 150-160°F.
16. Cool in ice water before refrigerating or slicing.

Step 5: Cooling & Storing the Sausage

  1. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months in vacuum-sealed bags.

Notes

  • For leaner meats like venison or elk, add extra pork fat for moisture.
  • If you don’t have a smoker, add liquid smoke to the seasoning mix.
  • Resting the sausage overnight before slicing improves flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: Homemade summer sausage, smoked summer sausage, cured sausage, beef summer sausage, venison sausage, sausage recipe, DIY sausage

Find it online: https://batchrecipes.com/summer-sausage-guide/