DIY: Grind My Own Wild Boar Breakfast Sausage

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Historically, if I shot a boar, I either smoked or it left it to the coyotes. After reading The Hog Book by Jessie Griffiths, I’m trying to learn the art of tailoring your cooking method to the hog.

That being said, I decided to put my recently purchased 1.5 HP Meat Your Maker Grinder to the test and make sausage from a hog I recently shot on our property.

Materials Needed

• 1-plus HP Meat Grinder (Weston, LEM or Meat Your Maker are high quality choices)
• Ground Meat Packaging System (LEM or Meat Your Maker)
• Wild Game Freezer Bags (LEM or Meat Your Maker)
• Meat Lug Tubs
• Metal Bowl (more is better)

Step 1: Trim and Debone The Primal Cuts

We often use the gutless method for quartering hogs in the field if its a late night. Though care is paid to keep as much hair as possible out of the meat, we carefully trim and debone the hog in good light.

Step 2: Cube the Lean Cuts

Depending on the throat size of your grinder, cube the lean meat into manageable chunks. The 1.5 HP Meat! Grinder can handle some pretty large pieces of meat which makes for much less prep.

Step 3: Cube Pork Fat

Feral hog is lean, especially boars. I get frozen domestic hog fat from my local butcher at $2.99/lb. I really don’t count any of the fat on the feral hog in my ratio and mix at 80/20.

Cube the fat in similar size chunks to the lean. If you aren’t ready to make sausage, you can freeze your lean in gallon size bags until ready.

Step 4: Mix the Lean and the Fat

Hand mix the fat with the lean meat. Again, use an 80/20 ratio.

Step 5: Mix the Seasoning

I love the taste of sage and I like a breakfast sausage that is mild enough my young kids can eat it.

Mix all the ingredients by shaking in a wide mouth mason jar.

Mild Seasonings Recipe (25lbs)

• Kosher Salt – 12 1/2 Tbsp
• Black Pepper – 6 1/4 Tbsp
• Brown Sugar – 8 1/2 Tbsp
• Ground Sage – 4 Tbsp
• Ground Rosemary – 1 1/3 Tbsp
• Ground Thyme – 3 Tbsp
• Red Pepper Flakes – 1 tsp

Step 6: Add the Seasoning

Pour the seasoning on the meat and fat and hand mix thoroughly.

Step 7: Par Freeze the Meat

Meat grinds better cold. Place the mixture in the freezer until around 32-34 degrees.

Step 9: Cool Down the Grinder

To keep the meat cold, cool down the metal parts of the grinder by also placing in the freezer.

Step 10: Coarse Grind the Meat

Assemble the grinder and run the par frozen meat through the coarse grind plate.

Tip: Use Small Batches
Using your metal mixing bowls, just keep the meat that will fit in the hopper out. Keep the rest cold in the fridge or freezer until ready to grind.

Step 11: Fine Grind the Meat

Once coarsely ground, run the through the fine grinding plate. Return to freezer to cool down before stuffing.

Step 12: Stuff the Meat Bags

Use meat bags for storing breakfast sausage. Attach the stuffer plate and run the fine grind into the meat bags.

Step 13: Tape the Meat Bags

A poly bag taper is a life saver. Simply twist the bags and slide through the taper for perfect package for the freezer.

Step 13: Freeze or Enjoy!