MeatEater, Inc. is an outdoor lifestyle company founded by renowned writer and TV personality Steven Rinella. Host of the Netflix show MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast, Rinella has gained wide popularity with hunters and non-hunters alike through his passion for outdoor adventure and wild foods, as well as his strong commitment to conservation. Founded with the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, MeatEater, Inc. brings together leading influencers in the outdoor space to create premium content experiences and unique apparel and equipment. MeatEater, Inc. is based in Bozeman, MT.

Cheddar-covered venison patty and fried egg on toasted English muffin, garnished with herbs

Venison Sausage and Egg McMuffin

  • Course

    Breakfast

  • Duration

    45 minutes

Chef’s notes

Here’s an easy, satisfying breakfast to serve at deer camp: maple syrup and juniper-berry venison sausage sandwiches. Mix the meat before you leave home and keep it cold in the cooler until you’re ready to form them and toss them into the skillet.

For a fattier sausage, you can substitute some of the pork butt with fatback. If you'd like a leaner sausage, you can substitute the pork with wild boar, which I’ve done to make it taste more like a burger.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. venison round
  • 1 lb. pork butt
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 10 juniper berries, finely ground
  • 2½ tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. fresh sage, minced
  • ½ tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
  • ½ tsp. ground mace or nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • English muffins
  • Sliced cheddar cheese
  • Eggs
  • Oil

Preparation

  1. Grind venison and pork together once through a coarse plate and then again through a fine plate. Add salt, herbs, and spices and mix well, working the meat so it becomes uniform and springy. Chill the sausage for 30 minutes, covered.

  2. Form sausage into desired patty size and cook in a hot skillet with oil until cooked through, flipping halfway. Add sliced cheese on top to melt. While sausage cooks, fry eggs–one for each sandwich–in egg rings with oil. I broke the yolks to slightly scramble, but you can keep them whole if desired. If you don’t have egg rings, make a big omelet and cut it into squares.

  3. Split muffins and lightly toast. Assemble with cooked venison sausage, melted cheese, and egg.

Stay in the loop with The MeatEater Newsletter

A handpicked mix of the stories, videos, podcasts, recipes, and gear we think are most worthy of your time - straight to your inbox.

Related

The comments section requires Functionality cookies. Please enable Functionality cookies in Cookie Settings to view this content.

Save this recipe

Venison Sausage and Egg McMuffin

Recipe by: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Cheddar-covered venison patty and fried egg on toasted English muffin, garnished with herbs
  • Course

    Breakfast

  • Duration

    45 minutes

Chef’s notes

Here’s an easy, satisfying breakfast to serve at deer camp: maple syrup and juniper-berry venison sausage sandwiches. Mix the meat before you leave home and keep it cold in the cooler until you’re ready to form them and toss them into the skillet.

For a fattier sausage, you can substitute some of the pork butt with fatback. If you'd like a leaner sausage, you can substitute the pork with wild boar, which I’ve done to make it taste more like a burger.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. venison round
  • 1 lb. pork butt
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 10 juniper berries, finely ground
  • 2½ tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. fresh sage, minced
  • ½ tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
  • ½ tsp. ground mace or nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • English muffins
  • Sliced cheddar cheese
  • Eggs
  • Oil

Preparation

  1. Grind venison and pork together once through a coarse plate and then again through a fine plate. Add salt, herbs, and spices and mix well, working the meat so it becomes uniform and springy. Chill the sausage for 30 minutes, covered.

  2. Form sausage into desired patty size and cook in a hot skillet with oil until cooked through, flipping halfway. Add sliced cheese on top to melt. While sausage cooks, fry eggs–one for each sandwich–in egg rings with oil. I broke the yolks to slightly scramble, but you can keep them whole if desired. If you don’t have egg rings, make a big omelet and cut it into squares.

  3. Split muffins and lightly toast. Assemble with cooked venison sausage, melted cheese, and egg.