Provided by Smokehouse Products
Recipe by Tiffany Haugen

Pepperoni can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. Once you have the techniques and equipment mastered, the flavor possibilities are endless. Using ground pork with wild-game meat keeps the pepperoni sticks from drying out too much. The pork also acts as a neutralizer for taming wilder-tasting meats like waterfowl.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground wild game
½ lb ground pork
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp kosher or sea salt
to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
tsp Smokehouse Salt Cure
19 mm pepperoni casings

Directions:

Remove all fat and silver skin from wild game and grind in a Smokehouse Products Grinder, using the medium-grind plate. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate 8- to 12 hours.

Secure sausage attachment to the Smokehouse Products Jerky Gun. Stuff the barrel of the gun with the pepperoni mixture. Cut casings to desired length and slide onto the horn of the jerky gun. Fill casings and twist ends or pinch together to keep meat mixture from coming out.

Place pepperoni sticks in a Big Chief or Little Chief Smoker. Use whichever Smokehouse Wood Chips flavor you prefer. Smoke 6- to 12 hours or until pepperoni sticks reach an internal temperature of 160oF. Replace wood chips 3- to 4 times during the smoking process.

If desired, pepperoni sticks can be smoked for 3- to 4 hours, then finished in a 160oF oven or food dehydrator. Keep pepperoni sticks refrigerated for up to one week. Vacuum seal and freeze for long-term storage.

 

This recipe originally appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of Hunt Alaska.