I do a lot of meat curing, and make all kinds of fresh sausages, so I thought I’d compile all my sausage and charcuterie recipes here to make it easy for someone to browse through all of them.
Charcuterie, the French word for the art of curing meat and fish, is a vital part of any hunter’s skill set, as you never know when your power will go out; the loss of an entire year’s worth of game when a box freezer heats up can bring tears to anyone’s eyes.
But curing meat is more than an insurance policy: It transforms often sketchy cuts of meat into magical tastes and textures. It’s alchemy: salt, temperature, humidity and time.
If you are a newbie, I recommend you start with things like fresh sausages and pates or rillettes, which are basically a rougher pate. Only when you know how to do these fresh projects should you begin curing over the long term.
A good place to begin your curing career is by making duck or goose breast prosciutto. This project is so easy you can do it in your fridge.
You will need a curing chamber to make any sort of cured meat charcuterie. I have links below to what you will need.
Once you have a set of cured items, as well as some cool pickles (lots of pickle recipes here), you can make your own charcuterie board. A typical charcuterie board will have some sliced salami, some slices of some sort of ham, pickles, maybe some cheese, and some sort of pate, rillette or terrine.
Deer Processing Tools
This is what I use for butchering all sorts of animals at home. From gear you need in the field all the way to storage options and notes on freezers.
Methods
My favorite Charcuterie, Sausage and Salami-Making Books
Venison Charcuterie
Some special considerations you should know when working with venison for charcuterie.
Stuffed Goose Necks
The ultimate natural casing when you are making poultry sausages. Goose necks are the best for this, but turkey necks and even chicken or pheasant necks will work.
Charcuterie Recipes by Type
Homemade Sausage Recipes
These are sausages like you buy in the deli counter. They need to be cooked, and are all pretty perishable, so make them and eat (or freeze) within a week or so. This is where you start on your charcuterie journey.
Confit, Rillettes, Terrines
Some of these recipes require curing, but most are fresh. Confit and rillettes keep for a long time in the fridge, so they are a bridge between fresh sausage and dry-cured meats. These are excellent recipes for beginners, and many are great ways to use “off” cuts and offal.
Smoker Recipes
Who doesn’t like smoked foods? These are recipes for all sorts of smoked meats and fish.
Bacon, Jerky, Hams, etc
Dry cured whole cuts of meat, like hams, duck breasts, air-cured backstraps, etc. For the most part, you will need a curing chamber to do these.
Salami Recipes
These are the real deal: Dry-cured, fermented salami recipes. Only try these after you’ve learned to make fresh sausages.
Hi Hank,
I am sure I just missed seeing the link, but looking for links or information on curing chambers. I hunt deer, elk and antelope in Colorado and I was at one time working in kitchens, but never got into charcuterie. I am now a stay at home dad and I use hunting and cooking as my “sanity” Love your cookbooks and Marcus from “On Your Own Adventures” sent me in your directions for all things charcuterie.
Thanks
Patrick
Hi Hank!
I am an avid sausage maker. Your website is my primary go to for sausage recipes and techniques. I was wondering if you’ve ever considered compiling all of this helpful information and inspiring sausage recipes into a charcuterie book.
i am looking for a course in making charcuterie, that’s sausage salami etc
Hank,
So I have just hung your cacciatore recipe in my chamber. Everything looking good, and this is my first salami go. In 2 of them, one small tear I didn’t see when I hung them..quarter of my pinky nail size, not gushing. Not going to worry or change anything, as there is pinholes throughout. I have them in there at 85% and 60 for a couple days and spritzing with distilled. Sound right? You da man. Thanks. How do I post a pic?
Great recipes! I have a question though. I have a old cast iron sausage stuffer. How would you suggest cleaning it that would be good enough to make dry cured meats? Boiling water?
Thanks
John: Yeah, that should do it. And be very meticulous about scrubbing any tiny particles of meat that might be lurking in it.
My mom would grind stale bread through at the end as a way to catch any stray meat, then run hot water through it.
Does insta cure # 2 go bad?
John: Not to my knowledge, but it loses its pink color after a year or two.
OK, Thank you Hank. I keep for next weeks 50 F and 70%
I have braseola in my dry chamber ( 55F and 75%) over one week. Some white hairy points of mold is on. I used balsamic vinegar for clean. Can I now increase temperature ( up to 85 F) for application of Bactoferm Mold-600? This culture need this temperature for 3 days. Maybe is to late for this ?
Kris: Yikes! No, do not do that at all! 85 degrees?! You’ll ruin it. Keep the temperature down and roll with it.
Hoping to get a perfect result by subbing sherry wine and regular red vinegar for sherry vinegar. How much of a difference will the alcohol content make in cooking?
Francisca: You are not commenting on a specific recipe. What are you trying to make?
Hi Hank,
What are your thoughts on dry aging venison ? I have in the past with the help of a friend aged my whitetail 4 weeks and it was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.I don’t hear much of people doing it other than the hanging of ones deer for a couple of days.
Thanks Scott
Scott: Haha! I have a whole section on dry aging venison in my latest book Buck Buck Moose! Short version: Yes, it is a great idea with big bucks.
Hi Hank,
Love what you do. Great information, and recipes, on all things wild.
I am a chef that uses indigenous ingredients-North through South America. I’m doing a dinner on December 10, family style, for 35 people. I will be testing your wild duck ragu with tagliatelle as an entree’. What a great way to use all of the duck! I am wondering if you tell me sources, or if you sell wild duck, or game for a party of that size.
John: No. That is a federal crime.
Love the recipes!
For a kosher sausage, do you think most of the recipes generally work using beef and beef fat instead of a pork product?
Thanks!
Nathan: Generally, yes. But use beef fat trimmed from regular cuts of beef, not leaf fat. You want the softest beef fat you can get.
Hey just wanted to take a second to thank you for your amazing sausage recipes, I own a couple of books on making sausage but they just don’t seem to inspire me ,your recipes turned out excellent I’ve made four of them and they are completely delicious really the best I’ve ever had ,I just made your andouille sausage and made red beans and rice followed by chicken and andouille sausage gumbo both Emeril Lagasse’s recipes and I can’t tell you how good they were they were just amazing anyway thanks again and keep up the good work.
I am intrigued by the various cured meats. I have heard some vague references to confits and rillette of squirrel. I have been hunting a lot of red and grey squirrels this past fall and would love to learn more. I think that squirrel’s rich nutty flavor would be a good match for such a food. Do you have with charcuterie with squirrel (or woodchuck, rabbit, hare, porcupine, et cetera)? Any recipes for squirrel charcuterie?
Hank you rock! Thank God for guys like you and keep up the site, love it!