Venison Wiejeska (Fresh Kielbasa Sausage with Marjoram)
A garlicky game sausage that is often served at the holidays, but is delicious anytime. Traditionally, wiejesca was made with pork and veal, but this venison version is fantastic. Great on the grill, smoked, pan-seared, or gently poached.
Equipment
- Meat grinder (freestanding or mixer attachment) with fine die
- Sausage press or mixer attachment and sausage die plate (open grinder plate spacer)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ lb venison cubed
- 1 ½ lb fatty pork shoulder or fatback cubed
- 1 ½ oz kosher salt 3 T
- ¼ c. minced fresh garlic
- 1 ½ t. dried marjoram
- 1 T. fresh ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. granulated garlic powder not salt
- ½ c. ice water
- hog casings soaked and rinsed
Instructions
- Cube the meat and measure out all of the seasoning ingredients.
- Combine all ingredients except water in a large bowl and chill, preferably overnight. Put the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before grinding if possible.
- Grind (small die) the mixture into a bowl (use an ice bath under the bowl, especially if you are working in a warm kitchen or if you didn't partially freeze the mix). Stop periodically, unplug grinder, and clear silverskin and sinew from grinder blade and plates.
- Add ice water and mix until well bound, uniform, and sticky. Keep it cold!
- Cook a very small patty in a saute pan, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- If using a mixer and grinder attachment, replace grinder die with an open spacer plate and stuffing tube. Thread the rinsed casings onto the stuffing tube, tie off the end, and stuff sausage mixture into casings. Use the wooden plunger from the grinder attachment or a sausage press to push the mix into the casings, and keep a gentle even tension on the casings- fill evenly but don't overstuff.
- Form into links by twisting or tying off sections, or coil into rings. Use a sausage pricker or sharp skewer or tip of a paring knife to pop any air bubbles.
- Refrigerate overnight if possible and then portion and freeze any sausage you won't use in the next few days.
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