Recipe: Pickled Smoked Venison Sausage

A tavern owner in the Czech Republic is credited for creating the first pickled sausage. The snappy smoked meat snacks went well with beer, and the idea didn't take long to spread. Beer drinkers stayed longer, enjoying food and drink. Finding a jar of pickled sausages in a pub or tavern is now standard across North America. However, the high-protein snack doesn't need to be reserved for those who enjoy suds.

Pickled sausage is a great snack or meal in the hunting blind or camp. This recipe is not pressure-canned, so refrigeration is required. However, the sausages have a great shelf life and don't take up much room in a cooler.

Pickled sausages can be enhanced with hot peppers, and don't be afraid to add some hard-boiled eggs to the mix. Experimenting with garlic sausage, smokies, bratwurst, pepperoni, European wieners and other smoked meats will allow you to find your favorites. However, a jar with variety is always best.

Materials

• 1 quart-sized jar with a sealable lid

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of smoked sausage
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional)
• 2 cups of white vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp of pickling salt
• 1 tsp of crushed red peppers
• 1 tsp of pickling spice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp of Hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Sterilize the jar with boiling water or place it in the dishwasher on a high heat setting. They can also be washed in hot water, stood upside down on a roasting tray while still wet, and placed into a preheated oven at 350-degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
2. Combine the vinegar, water, pickling salt, crushed red peppers, pickling spice, garlic and bay leaves in a medium saucepan. Add the hot sauce if desired. Bring the contents to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.
3. Cut the smoked sausage into one-inch pieces. Slice the onion and jalapenos.
4. Layer the smoked sausages, onions and peppers in the quart-sized jar (wide mouth is best), filling it to where it narrows at the neck. If you pack the sausage without deforming it, there will be enough brine to cover the contents. Pour the brine over the sausage, then add the garlic, bay leaf and pickling spices to the jar.
5. Screw the lid onto the jar and place it in the refrigerator for five days.

Your sausages must be fully cooked and smoked prior to packing them into the jars. The jars are not processed when filled, so they must be kept in the refrigerator.