Any of you process your own deer?

[bowhuntinfordeer]

I am big into processing my own deer. I live in southwest Iowa and I shoot around 8 deer a year. I used to take some of the meat to a locker to have it made into summer sausage and deer sticks. Now I have a grinder, mixer, stuffer, and two smokers. It is a blast to do. It is alot of work but what the hell. I have ground up 80 lbs of hamburger with 10-15% beef tallow added and made 30 lbs of breakfast sausage. I have 30 lbs of summer sausage in the smoker as we speak. My smokers are not charcoal brinkmans if you didn't guess that already. Anyway do any of you have any recipes that you really like for summer sausage. I have been using packaged stuff and I want to experiment some with the next batch. I have the high temp cheese and have been adding fresh jalepenos to the sausage. I also have both cure one and cure two so if your recipe calls for a meat cure I am set. Please I need something new to try. I would much rather make my own mix but not really sure where to start. Thanks

['SIN'ERGY]

Originally Posted by bowhuntinfordeer

I am big into processing my own deer. I live in southwest Iowa and I shoot around 8 deer a year. I used to take some of the meat to a locker to have it made into summer sausage and deer sticks. Now I have a grinder, mixer, stuffer, and two smokers. It is a blast to do. It is alot of work but what the hell. I have ground up 80 lbs of hamburger with 10-15% beef tallow added and made 30 lbs of breakfast sausage. I have 30 lbs of summer sausage in the smoker as we speak. My smokers are not charcoal brinkmans if you didn't guess that already. Anyway do any of you have any recipes that you really like for summer sausage. I have been using packaged stuff and I want to experiment some with the next batch. I have the high temp cheese and have been adding fresh jalepenos to the sausage. I also have both cure one and cure two so if your recipe calls for a meat cure I am set. Please I need something new to try. I would much rather make my own mix but not really sure where to start. Thanks

I use the mix for summer sausage that THE SAUSAGE MAKER sells. I know it's not home made but it is very very good...

[Cablegaurd21]

I have wanted to get into making my own Deer sticks, sausage, bologna, Jerky and such, I live in Coggon Iowa. Maybe sometime I could make a trip down to where you are in Souther Iowa and see the process in person?

[wyatt]

check the cabellas catalog...I've been using their stuff for years.

[Breck]

After being overcharged to process 2 deer I bought all the equiment for me to make my own susage. My first batch cam out very good. In the long run I would suggest to get the equiment you will save a ton of money doing it yourself. I spent around $400 dollars grinder /susgage stuffer /meat mixer/scale. My favorate is Breaded Backstraps and Italian susage and deer roast in the crockpot. MMMMMMMMMMMMMM Im getting hungry now.

[09Dreamseason]

I only mix a 50/50 Pork Trim or "Fresh Side" Bacon to my Breakfast Sausage. You really don't need much tenderizer of any kind for sausage with the Fresh Side Bacon. I do a 3:1 mix, or 33% Fresh Side Bacon. I make my own Italian Sausage with the 50/50 Pork Trim, Fennel Seed, and Italian Seasoning. Make some "Hot" Italian Sausage by adding Ground Red Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes/Seeds. Add a little at a time until you find the right amount for your taste. The Fennel Seed is the key to Italian Sausage. You can smell what I'm talking about as soon as you open the container! The Deer Italian Sausage I make is cooked ground and used in my wife's Spaghetti and Lasagna sauce!

[Fred Bear11]

if its meat ill eat lol

[mtbowhunter]

09 Dreamseason is right about pork! That’s a trick I learned 20yrs ago from a local processor. My year usually includes 2 elk, 3-4 antelope, and about 5 deer. {Not to mention Turkeys and waterfowl}
I cut all my recipes with pork instead of beef because beef tends to leave a film in your mouth, and pork is a much lighter fat. Just go to the local butcher shop and ask for pork trim. Its inexpensive and works great.
For all sausages I mix 50% trim and for burger I mix 25% trim. Try Pork, the other white meat!!

For Roasts!! Keep the hind ham whole. When ready to prepair, lay the hind ham on a large plate and fillet the meat in an unrolling mannor, then apply any mixture of steak seasoning as well as creole seasoning, some pepper, garlic and a little butter, then bake in an oven bakeing bag with white onions, potato peices, sliced carrots and celery for 1.5hr at 350. Look Out! Ittle getcha!

[archeryassasin]

i also mix pork with my deer. i process myself

[MossyD12]

ive processed all my deer except one! i think its fun and also saves money

[archeryassasin]

true! here in ohio our deer take a while to process tho. i shot a buck that dressed out at 270lbs!! deer taste real good when theyr corn fed!

[MossyD12]

to me the small does are the best very tenderr and the backstraps are amazing.