MAKES 12 PATTIES
This is one of my favorite family-style dishes. I like to serve it on platters in the center of the table with Sweet Potato Spoonbread (here) on the side. All the components can be made ahead of time, so the complete dish is a perfect one for entertaining, Texas-style. Venison backstrap is the filet mignon of the deer, but it can easily be replaced with lean pork, turkey, or chicken. If you have a sausage-making attachment for your stand mixer, use it to both grind the meat and stuff the sausage into links.
2 pounds boneless venison backstrap, cleaned of all fat and silverskin and cut into ½-inch cubes (or lean pork, turkey, or chicken)
1 pound pork belly, skinned and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons seeded and minced jalapeño chiles
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Fearing’s Barbecue Spice Blend (here)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated smoked cheddar cheese
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup vegetable oil
4 cups Campfire Barbecue Beans (here)
Combine the venison and pork belly in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the jalapeño along with the shallot, salt, garlic, cumin, coriander, fennel, red pepper flakes, spice mix, paprika, and black pepper and stir to blend very well. Cover lightly and transfer to the freezer.
Freeze for about 1 hour, or just until partially frozen.
Prepare a meat grinder, fitting it with the fine grinding plate. Remove the meat mixture from the freezer and begin to slowly feed it through the grinder into a large clean bowl.
When all of the meat has been ground, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon jalapeño along with the cheese and mix until thoroughly blended.
Using wet hands, form the sausage into 12 patties of equal size.
Place the cornmeal in a large shallow bowl. Working with one at a time, dredge each patty in the cornmeal. (The sausage may be made up to this point and stored, tightly wrapped and refrigerated, for 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before using.)
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage patties without crowding the pan. Fry for about 3 minutes, turn, and fry the remaining sides for 3 minutes, or until nicely browned. Transfer the sausage to a platter and serve immediately along with the beans.