hello from northeast Oregon

[faeriegrove]

Hello, my name is Laura and we live in the beautiful alpine-like mountains of northeast Oregon... where my husband hunts elk with his homemade bow and we are lucky to always have meat in the freezer.    We grow most of our own food, including chicken and pork and I'm looking for more ways to reduce what I buy from the store.  Lunch meat is something I still buy and would like to make our own, with the meat we raise.    Currently have a Traeger pellet stove, but hope to build a smoker "one of these days".   

Starting looking online for smoked elk sausage recipes and most call for nonfat dry milk, which hubby is allergic to, so that is what brought me here, to get ideas and recipes for how to avoid that when making smoked elk sausage or other lunch meats.   We also have lots of pork fat in the freezer, which I'd like to use up.

Any of you want to share your favorite recipes for making lunch meat?  (similar to summer sausage is the style I was thinking of) 

Just found a recipe on Allrecipes.com for a simple summer sausage (w/o NFDM!)  but it also didn't say to add any fat, just ground venison, some cure, liquid smoke and spices.  Cooked in the oven w/o casings..... maybe I'll start with this one.... all the reviews said it was fabulous.

I'm sure I'll be back here....with questions.... thanks in advance for your help with my new venture!

 

[gary s]

Hey Laura, hello and welcome to the site from a hot East Texas, Check out the different forums and post, you may find some helpful information there if not what you need just ask

Gary S