How to Make Apple Sage Wild Turkey SausageS

Turkey season is over and if you have a turkey in your freezer to eat up, you have to try these Apple Sage Wild Turkey Sausages! They are made with wholesome ingredients, are incredibly simple to make and you don’t need any fancy equipment if you don’t have any.

We don’t typically hunt wild turkeys, as we don’t have any close to where we live. However, this year, we were given one from a friend and with all of your suggestions, I knew exactly what we should make with it. Apple Sage Turkey Sausages!! They are juicy, tender, lightly sweet and perfectly seasoned.

Making sausages with your wild game is such a great way to enjoy it. You can make them in advance, and store them in your freezer for easy protein ready to be cooked. If you have never made sausage before, do not be intimidated. You simply cube the meat, then mix it with all the spices. Then, take that mixture and run it through the grinder twice to get it nice and smooth. Finally, stuff it into casings and you’ve got homemade sausage!

These Apple Sage Wild Turkey Sausages are the perfect sausage to enjoy at any time of day. Delicious with eggs for breakfast, in a bun for lunch or served with potatoes for dinner! If you don’t have a sausage stuffer, you can just form them into sausage patties, then layer them with parchment and freeze like that. A simple way to enjoy your Wild Turkey.

Tips For Making Perfect Apple Sage Wild Turkey Sausages

1. In order to acquire a sausage that is juicy but not greasy, use pork shoulder instead of straight pork fat. We always recommend this as it adds flavor without making your sausages oil or greasy tasting.
2. Always mix the sausage seasonings in with the chopped meat before you grind it. That way when you grind the meat, all those seasonings get ground into the meat, getting that flavor evenly throughout.
3. When stuffing the sausages, you want to try to find that happy medium of getting the casings full without being so full that they burst. You want the sausage casing to seem a bit wrinkly as you are filling it. This shows it’s not too stuffed, and when you go to twist your sausage links they won’t be over filled and burst.

Apple Sage Wild Turkey Sausage Ingredients

Wild Turkey- Skinned and cut into chunks. Of course if you do not hunt you could absolutely make this recipe with a store bought turkey too.

Pork Shoulder– We like to use pork shoulder instead of pork fat so that you get some fat, without the sausages becoming greasy seeming.

Apple– Use any kind of firm apple you like. I like pink lady or ambrosia.

Sage– Can use fresh or dried sage.

Garlic– I like garlic powder opposed to fresh as it mixes more evenly into the sausage meat.

Maple Syrup– Just a hint to bring in a bit of sweetness.

Salt & Pepper

Collagen Sausage Casings– We like these because they are super easy to use and don’t require any soaking. They are ready to go.

The Steps

Grind the Meat

1. Start by taking the wild turkey and pork shoulder and adding it to a large mixing bowl.
2. Next, add in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, maple syrup and sage. Stir to get everything well mixed.
3. Then, take that meat and run it through your meat grinder on a coarse grind setting.
4. Once it has all become coarse ground meat, you want to run it through the grinder again with fine grind setting. This helps get the meat nice and smooth and tender.
5. After if has been finely ground, use your hands and gently mix the apple pieces into the meat. At this point, I always recommend forming the meat into a little patty, and cooking it up on the stove. This way you can do a taste test and add any more of any of the seasonings if you like!

Stuff the Sausages

1. Finally, prep your stuffer, by making sure you have the right sized stuffing tube to match the size sausage casing you are using.
2. Take the meat and press it into your stuffer container.
3. Then, slide as much of the collagen casing as you can fit onto the stuffing tube, then cut it, and tie that open end in a tight little knot.
4. Slowly, fill the casings, as you slide your hand along to guide how much meat gets filled into the casing. You want to fill it full, but not too full so that it bursts. This ensures there is still a bit of room, so that you can twist your sausage into links at the end without the meat bursting through the casing.
5. Once you get to the last couple inches of that casing, stop the meat, and slide the casing off the tube.
6. Now, from the tied end of the sausage, move your hands 4-6 inches in, and gently squeeze the sausage in so that you can twist it into the first link. Twist it about 4-6 times so it’s nice and tight.
7. Then, repeat this step another 4-6 inches over but this time twist the sausage link in the opposite direction. If you twisted the first sausage towards you, then twist the second one away from you. Repeat this until you get to the end of the link.
8. At the very end, tie a nice tight knot then trim off any excess casing. Repeat this process of stuffing the casing, then twisting the links until you have used all the meat.
9. From here, you can cut the individual sausages, then vaccuum seal them and store in the freezer for up to 6 months! Enjoy.

If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or a recipe review below!