Venison Summer Sausage: Times, Temps & the Cure You Must Use

Summer sausage is a cured product, and that changes the rules. It smokes low on a slow temperature ramp to 160°F internal, and it requires curing salt (cure #1) – not for flavour, but because you are holding meat for hours in the range where botulism thrives.

How to smoke venison summer sausage

1. Grind and mix with roughly 20-30% pork fat. Venison alone is far too lean to bind.
2. Add cure #1 at the rate for your batch weight, plus seasoning, then rest overnight in the fridge.
3. Stuff into casings and let them dry until tacky.
4. Ramp slowly: start around 130-140°F to dry, then step up in stages to about 165-170°F, taking the internal to 160°F.
5. Ice bath, then bloom. Chill immediately, then rest in the fridge overnight before slicing.

Pitmaster tip

Do not rush the ramp. Going straight to a hot pit renders the fat out and leaves you a greasy, crumbly sausage with a hollow casing.

Best wood for venison summer sausage

Wild game carries strong flavour and stands up to strong wood. Oak and hickory are the workhorses for red game; cherry and apple suit game birds and add colour. Mesquite works on venison if you like it assertive, but go mild on anything with feathers.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature is summer sausage done?

160°F internal, reached on a slow ramp rather than a hot pit, or the fat renders out.

Do I really need curing salt?

Yes. Long low-temperature smoking is exactly the condition botulism needs. Cure #1 is a safety requirement, not a seasoning.

How much fat do I add to venison sausage?

Roughly 20-30% pork fat. Straight venison is too lean to bind and will be dry and crumbly.

Plan your cook

Set your weight and when you want to eat and the calculator above builds the schedule backward. See also the wild game hub and the full smoking times and temperatures chart.

Times & temperatures

📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →