Maple Sage Venison Breakfast Sausage

Making homemade venison breakfast sausage is super simple using just pantry staple ingredients! Maple syrup and a few spices work together to create a savory breakfast sausage with a hint of sweetness that you'll love. It's great for breakfast sandwiches, enjoyed with pancakes, or freezer-friendly for meal prep!

Ground venison is incredibly versatile! Often times, it's sent off to the meat market to be turned into some kind of sausage, whether that's summer sausage, sausage links, or brats. But I'm here to tell you that ground venison is worth so much more than that!

From breakfast sausage to a bowl of my favorite ground venison chili and the best damn venison meatloaf, the options are practically endless, which is one of the many reasons why I love having a freezer full of ground venison.

Best recipe for venison breakfast sausage

Store-bought breakfast sausage just can't beat homemade! It's incredibly easy to make and only requires 5 minutes of prep time to achieve delicious results.

Maple syrup and sage, along with a few other spices, come together to create that delicious breakfast sausage flavor that we all know and love. I also like to mix a little ground pork with the venison to add some much-needed fat to the breakfast sausage.

Why you'll love this venison breakfast sausage

• Easy to make using simple ingredients. All you need is ground venison, ground pork, and a handful of simple pantry staple ingredients.
• Full of delicious flavor. Real maple syrup, sage, and thyme, along with a few other simple spices, work together to create that most delicious breakfast sausage flavor that we all love!
• Freezer-friendly. Venison sausage patties freeze really well! Mix everything together then form into patties and freeze either cooked or uncooked for later use.

Ingredients | Venison sausage seasoning

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list with measurements.

• Ground venison
• Ground pork
• Maple syrup (not pancake syrup!)
• Ground sage
• Ground thyme
• Paprika
• Ground nutmeg
• Garlic powder

How to make venison breakfast sausage

Making venison breakfast sausage at home couldn't get any easier. Mix ground venison and pork with some simple seasoning and you're ready to enjoy homemade sausage!

• Step 1: Combine. Add all meat, maple syrup and all the seasoning to a bowl. Use your hands to work everything together until combined.
• Step 2: Refrigerate. If time allows, refrigerate overnight to let the flavors infuse the meat.
• Step 3: Cook. I like to use a cast iron skillet to cook the sausages, giving them a nice crust.
• Step 3: Enjoy! Venison sausage is great enjoyed with eggs, sourdough, pancakes, hash browns, etc.

How to cook venison breakfast sausage in the oven

Preheat oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sausage patties on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then flip the patties and bake another 5-7 minutes until cooked through to 165° F. If desired, broil on high for a few minutes to brown the patties.

Recipe tips

• Real maple syrup. Real maple syrup made from maple tree sap makes all the difference! It's the only syrup you'll ever see me using. My family makes their own every year and it's the best! But, you can buy it at pretty much any grocery. Avoid using pancake syrup, such as Mrs. Butterworth's, which is just flavored corn syrup. You will not get the same delicious results.
• Let the sausage sit overnight in the fridge if time allows. This helps to enhance the flavor by giving the seasoning time to infuse the meat.
• Cook in a hot skillet. I like to use a cast iron skillet to get a nice crust on the sausage patties. This adds to both the flavor and texture. You can use a non-stick skillet, but you may not get as nice of a crust. On the flip side, be sure not to overcook the sausages. About 3-4 minutes per side is all you need or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Frequently asked questions

Is deer breakfast sausage healthy?

Deer breakfast sausage is a great healthy breakfast option. Venison is naturally very low in fat and high in protein, so it's a great way to fuel your day. The ground venison is mixed with a small amount of ground pork and a delicious blend of seasoning.

What is the ratio for venison to pork for sausage?

When making homemade venison breakfast sausage, I like to combine 1 pound of ground venison with ½ pound of ground pork. With this ratio, the ground pork doesn't overpower the taste of the venison, but it complements it by adding a little fat to the mix, keeping the sausage from drying out.

What gives breakfast sausage it's distinctive flavor?

Sage, thyme and maple syrup work together to create that delicious breakfast sausage flavor that we all know and love.

How to get the gamey taste out of deer sausage.

Deer breakfast sausage has a richer and stronger wild game flavor, as opposed to slow-cooking a venison roast in lots of broth and seasoning. However, a blend of spices and maple syrup helps to create a more balanced, less gamey, breakfast sausage flavor.

If you're looking for a less gamey ground venison dinner recipe that the whole family will love, you have to try my venison meatloaf! I honestly believe it's better than any beef meatloaf and it will pass the test with even the pickiest eaters. My ground venison tacos are also a well loved recipe! They're incredibly easy to make and served with an amazing avocado lime crema.

Should venison sausage be pink?

I recommend cooking venison sausage until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F using an instant-read thermometer. The sausage may have a slight pink hue in the center, but at that temperature, it is fully cooked.

How do you know when deer sausage is fully cooked?

There are two ways to determine if deer sausage is fully cooked. The first way is to use an insert an instant-read thermometer. Transfer a sausage patty from the skillet to a plate and immediately stick the thermometer into the center of the sausage patty. If it reads 165 degrees F or higher, then it's fully cooked. If you don't have a thermometer (which I highly recommend for every home cook), you can simply cut a piece of sausage in half and check that the center isn't raw.

Storage & reheating

Storing in the refrigerator: Cooked venison sausages can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing uncooked sausage: Once you've formed the sausage patties, stack them 2-3 high with squares of parchment paper between each patty so that they don’t stick. Place in freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before cooking, thaw the sausage in the fridge overnight. Cook as directed in the recipe.

Freezing cooked sausage: Cook patties as directed in the recipe, then let them cool completely. Stack the sausage patties 2-3 high with squares of parchment paper between each patty so that they don’t stick. Place in freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the sausage in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. To reheat on the stovetop, heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the sausage in the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook until heated through.

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