Homemade venison Italian sausage is one of those recipes every hunter should have on hand. It’s simple to mix, full of classic Italian flavors, and works just as well loose for sauces and pizzas as it does stuffed into links for the grill.
I was first introduced to this style of sausage during a charcuterie class in culinary school, and it quickly became a favorite. Over the years, I’ve refined the balance of herbs, spices, and vinegar to highlight the venison while keeping that authentic Italian profile. It’s a little sweet and not too spicy, which my kids love. So it’s been on the dinner rotation at the house for years now.
One key lesson never changes: true sausage requires fat. Straight ground venison won’t cut it. It cooks up dry and crumbly compared to actual sausage. For the best results, I recommend blending venison with 20 to 30 percent pork fat. That ratio gives you the juicy, tacky bind that defines great Italian sausage, while still keeping the wild character of the meat.
What Makes Venison Italian Sausage Unique
Italian sausage is defined by its seasoning, which usually contains fennel, garlic, paprika, and herbs. These form the backbone of the flavor. The addition of red wine vinegar brings balance and that signature tang. When you build it with venison instead of pork, the result is a richer color, and the flavors are a bit more earthy.
The key difference comes down to adding fat. Traditional Italian sausage is made with all pork and has about a 70/30 meat-to-fat ratio. With venison, I recommend a 20 to 30 percent ratio of pork fatback to venison. With 30 percent being my go-to. That balance gives you a juicy, tacky texture that binds together like proper sausage, rather than crumbling apart like plain ground venison.
This version is versatile: cook it loose for pasta sauce, stuff it into casings for the grill, or use it in dishes like lasagna and meatballs. The seasoning mix is classic, but the venison brings its own wild edge that makes the sausage stand out from store-bought.
1. Fat Ratio Matters
Sausage isn’t sausage without fat. A blend of 80 to 70 percent venison with 20 to 30 percent pork back fat gives you the juiciness and tacky bind you need. Skip the fat and you’ll end up with a dry, crumbly mixture.
2. Keep Everything Cold
Chill your meat, fat, and even your grinder parts before running them through. Cold meat grinds cleaner, mixes better, and reduces the risk of smearing the fat. Aim for firm cubes that are just shy of frozen.
3. Grind Size for Texture
Use a small die plate for grinding. It gives the sausage a consistent, even texture that cooks beautifully whether loose or in casings. I go into this in detail with photos in my Grinding Venison Guide.
4. Mixing for the Bind
After grinding, add your ice water and vinegar, then mix by hand (or with a stand mixer and paddle attachment). The mixture should turn tacky. That’s the sign your proteins are binding correctly. Without that step, the sausage will fall apart when cooked.
5. Cook a Tester First
Always fry up a small piece before stuffing or freezing the whole batch. This lets you adjust salt, chili flakes, or other seasonings to your taste before committing.
How to Make Venison Italian Sausage
Making venison Italian sausage is a straightforward process. First, season and chill the cubed venison and pork fat so the grind stays clean. Run it through the grinder, then mix in the vinegar and water until the sausage is sticky and holds together.
At that point, you’ve got options. Leave it loose for sauces and pizza, shape it into patties, or stuff it into casings for grilling. However you use it, the flavor is best after resting the mixture overnight in the fridge.
Venison Italian Sausage FAQ
Pork back fat is the standard. A 70/30 venison-to-fat ratio gives the best texture. Go leaner and you’ll end up with a dry, crumbly mix that isn’t really sausage.
Fennel seed and red pepper flakes define the flavor. Garlic, paprika, and oregano add depth and round it out.
Loose sausage is great in pasta sauce, lasagna, or on pizza. If you form patties or links, pan-sear or grill over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
More Venison Sausage Recipes to Try
This Italian version is just one style I keep in rotation. If you want to try everything from snack sticks to smoked summer sausage, check out my full collection of Venison Sausage Recipes. Below are some of my favorites.
- Maple Venison Breakfast Sausage Recipe
- Venison Summer Sausage
- Venison Sausage Gravy with Biscuits
- Venison chorizo
Venison Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 3.5 pounds boneless venison, silver skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1.5 pounds pork back fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (40 grams if using a different salt)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup ice-cold water
Instructions
- Prep the meat: Combine all of the ingredients except the vinegar and water in a large bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes before grinding.
- Grind: Run the mixture through the small die plate of a meat grinder into a chilled mixing bowl, or into a bowl set over ice to keep it cold.
- Add liquids: Pour the vinegar and ice-cold water into the ground meat mixture.
- Mix: Using your hands or a sturdy wooden spoon, mix until the water and vinegar are fully incorporated and the sausage mixture becomes tacky to the touch. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Check seasoning: Cook a small piece of the sausage in a skillet and taste. Adjust with more salt, red pepper flakes, or other spices as needed. Repeat this process until you’re happy with the flavor.
- Store: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for future use.
NOTES
- Serving ideas: Great loose in venison spaghetti sauce, lasagna, or stuffed into casings for grilling.
- Fat content: Venison alone is too lean to make proper sausage. Always add pork back fat. Aim for 20-30% fat for the best texture and flavor. Without it, the sausage will turn out dry and crumbly.
- Mixing: The meat should feel tacky when properly mixed. This ensures good binding so the sausage holds together when cooked.
- Cooking: Pan-fry a small test piece first to adjust seasoning before finishing the batch.
- Storage: Keep fresh sausage covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight bags for 3–4 months.
4 thoughts on “Venison Italian Sausage”
Spot On! Didn’t need to change a thing! 😎👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent recipe thank you. Should i add the water and vinegar even though its going into casings?
Thanks. Yes they will help make the sausage bind and add moisture.