If you’re lucky, you probably have a pile of leftover meat in the freezer as you stare down the next hunting season, and chances are good the majority of it is ground venison. After picking through all of the prime cuts — comfort food roasts and stew meat for those cold winter months and choice steak cuts during the summer grilling season — try as you might — burgers, tacos, chili, hotdishes, spaghetti, oh my! — there always seems to be a surplus of the ground stuff.

No worries. There’s a quick and easy way to put that prime protein to good use to the delight of family and friends. And that’s to turn it into tasty and nutritional meat treats — venison sausage, brats, hot dogs, meat sticks and such.

All you need are some simple processing tools, a seasoning kit or two and a few hours to complete the task.

Meat the Machines

Meat! 50-pound Meat Mixer

To make good sausage you need a good mixer, and the Meat! mixer can handle up to 50 pounds of your favorite venison/pork blend in a durable, tilt-loading stainless steel tub. Its ergonomic, reversible handle makes operation comfortable and easy, and the transparent cover enables you to keep a close eye on all that meat you’re mixing up. The Meat! mixer stands on four adjustable rubber feet for stability and will hook up to any Meat! grinder #12 and above. MSRP: $299.99. 

Meat! 15-pound Vertical Sausage Stuffer

Meat!’s vertical stuffer holds up to 15 pounds of your favorite sausage meat and includes various attachments and stuffing tubes so you can create the perfect sausage, brats and hotdogs. With stainless steel construction and an ergonomic handle, this machine is easy to use and will stand the test of time with regular use. The stuffer disassembles for easy cleaning. MSRP: $279.99.

Visit www.meatyourmaker.com for more information and instructional videos.

Brats Made Easy

This recipe makes 12 pounds of venison brats.

1.     Mix 2.5 pounds of ground venison with 9.5 pounds of ground pork.

2.     Sprinkle in 1 pouch of seasoning and 1 pouch of cure, add about 6 ounces of water and work it into the meat mix. Note: When making fresh sausage (boiling, pan frying, any method not slow cooked) do not use the cure.

3.     Thoroughly mix the seasoning with the meat.

4.     Rinse the casings under cold water to remove the packaging salt used for preservation. Then

soak them in warm water for 1 hour or more.

5.     To stuff the casings, slip them onto the stuffing horn and use only enough pressure to fill the casing firmly.

6.     Line the bottom of the oven with foil to catch the drippings and lay the sausage on screens. Cook at the lowest heat possible for the first hour, leaving the oven open slightly to remove excess moisture if necessary.

7. Cook at 180 to 200F until the product reaches an internal temperature of 156F.

Storage Options

Refrigerate or freeze brats after cooking. To freeze brats, place them in a freezer bag with at least 2 inches of head space between the top of the brat and the bag’s seal, squeeze out the excess air and seal the bag closed. Label and date with a use-by date of two to three months. Plastic wrap and freezer paper can also be used or they can be vacuum-packed.