Book: Sausage Season

For the last several years, I’ve dabbled in making my own wild-game sausage. It’s turned out well, but in the back of my mind, I know it can be better. Sausage Season (Deep Creek Press, $28) by Eileen Clarke is going to take my process from good to “wildly amazing.” The first third of this book is all about the dos and don’ts of sausage-making: how to get the correct consistency, the importance of temperature, ensuring the seasoning mixes properly, etc. Once the process is explained, you get into recipes—first, the focus is on venison, then turkey, then goose and duck, followed by wild pig. All the recipes are small-batch, a pound-and-a-half, easy to follow, and have suggested cooking methods. Finally, the last two sections cover some meals to utilize your sausage and side dishes to go with them. I’m looking forward to a successful sausage season, now if Clarke can guarantee a successful hunting season I’ll be in business.