Venison Landjaeger Sausage Food

VENISON SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large metal bowl, mix sugar, mustard seed, garlic, salt, and pepper with pork and venison. When ingredients are well mixed, grind the meat mixture in a meat grinder. Put the ground meat into a mechanical sausage stuffer. Be sure to push all of the air out of stuffer so there are no air pockets in the sausages. Fill pork casing with ground meat. When casing is filled entirely, find the center of the sausage and fold and pinch in 1/2 on a table. Pinch and twist into sausage links 2 at a time, pulling the "leg" of the sausage through the center each time a twist is made.
• Hang sausage in a smoke house or put sausage in a smoker for approximately 8 to 12 hours.

VENISON SAUSAGES WITH BAY AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Chop meat and fat into chunks that will for into your grinder. (Optional expert step: Mix the salt and curing salt - if using - with just the meat, grind very coarsely -- 10 mm or 12 mm plate -- and refrigerate overnight. If you don't have such a large plate, cut the meat a little finer and do the same thing. This will give you a tighter bind in the finished sausage, which is especially important, as this is a coarsely ground sausage.)
• Take out some hog casings and set in a bowl of warm water.
• When you are ready to grind, mix the meat and fat with all the herbs and spices. If you are using the dry milk powder, mix that in, too. I use it when I slow-smoke sausages; it helps them retain moisture and shrink less after they come out of the smoker. Make sure the meat and fat are 37°F or colder by putting the mixture in the freezer for an hour or so. Put the wine in the fridge.
• Grind through your meat grinder (you can use a food processor in a pinch, but you will not get a very good texture) using the coarse die (6 mm or 7 mm).
• Make sure your sausage is very cold, between 28°F and 32°F. When it's cold enough, take it out of the freezer and add the wine and water. Mix the sausage thoroughly either using a Kitchenaid on low for 60 to 90 seconds or with your (very clean) hands for 2 minutes. This is important to get the sausage to bind properly.
• Stuff the sausage into the casings. Twist off links by pinching the sausage down and twisting and spinning it, first in one direction, and then with the next link, in the other direction; this helps prevent them from unwinding. (Here's a quick video on making the links) Or you could tie them off with butcher's string. Make sure you pierce the links wherever there are air pockets; I use a needle sterilized in the flames of my stovetop. Gently squeeze the links to remove all air pockets.
• Hang the sausages in a cool place for up to a day (ideally hanging in a fridge, but even an hour at room temperature helps a lot). Once they have dried a bit, put in the fridge until needed. They will keep for at least a week refrigerated. If you are freezing the sausages, wait a day before doing so. This will tighten up the sausages and help them keep their shape in the deep-freeze.

VENISON SAUSAGES WITH PIQUANT BEANS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan with a lid. Add the sausages and cook, turning them, until they are brown. Lift from the pan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5-8 mins until softened - add a splash of water if the onion starts to colour too much before it softens.
• Add the fennel seeds and cook for a few mins until toasted. Pour in the beans and their liquid, plus half a can of water. Add the tomato purée, stock, celery, vinegar and honey, then cover and leave to cook for 12 mins. Add the sausages and cook until warmed through, then stir through the parsley.

VENISON SAUSAGE & CHESTNUT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the sausages in two batches over a medium heat for 15 mins, turning regularly, until nicely browned. Transfer the sausages to a large flameproof casserole dish.
• Tip the onions and celery into the frying pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 5 mins or until beginning to soften and lightly colour, stirring regularly. Add a splash more oil if needed. Tip the vegetables into the casserole dish.
• Put the remaining oil in the pan, cook the mushrooms over a high heat for 4-5 mins until lightly browned, then add to the casserole. Pour the wine and 300ml water into the dish and crumble the stock cube over the top. Stir in the chestnuts, tomato purée and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover loosely with a lid and simmer gently for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, make the mustard mash. Put the potatoes in a large pan of water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart. Drain well in a colander, then return to the pan and mash with the butter and cream until smooth. Beat in the mustard, season to taste, and set aside.
• Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth. Stir into the casserole and cook for 2-3 mins, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the dish from the heat, season and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using. Serve with the mustard mash.