1. Ensure all equipment is thoroughly sanitised before starting.
2. Place venison and fat in the freezer until very cold and just starting to firm (almost frozen).
Mincing:
3. Pass the chilled meat and fat through a mincer.
4. Transfer to a bowl and add salt, curing salt, milk powder and white wine.
5. Mix for about 5 minutes until well combined.
Spicing:
6. Lightly toast fennel seeds, black pepper and chilli flakes in a pan.
7. Grind spices to a fine consistency.
8. Add spices, fresh garlic and crushed ice to the mixture.
Mixing:
9. Mix for another 3–5 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and emulsified, with a dough-like texture.
Stuffing:
10. Soak hog casings overnight (or at least 3 hours) in water with a little bicarb soda.
11. Rinse thoroughly before use.
12. Fill sausages using a sausage stuffer.
Drying:
13. Hang or place sausages uncovered in the fridge overnight to air dry.
14. Once dried, portion and store as required.
About Rodrigo Santos
Rodrigo Santos is a hunter first and chef by trade, raised in South Brazil where he learned to respect the land and the animal through hunting with his father and brother. Now based in South Australia, he is the Executive Chef at Magill Estate Restaurant and Kitchen at Penfolds Winery, where he works with some of the country’s finest produce. He shares recipes and techniques that connect hunting and cooking, focused on turning the harvest into food worth sharing.
