What to do? What to do with all that deer meat?

Last year I bought a bunch of local and or organic meat from a shop in our neighbourhood that was going under. Sad for them that my neighbourhood didn't work out, but great for me that I got such a great deal. To be honest, I hadn't even noticed them until a friend told me they were going out of business.I bought a ton of buffalo sausage off them and found this great recipe.

I think it would work out equally well with deer sausage.

Bison Sausage Bread

(Excerpted from Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell's Kitchen, page 58)

Makes 1 (3-pound) loaf

10 ounces Maple-Glazed Bison Sausage (see recipe below)

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup brewed dark coffee

2 cups all-purpose flour2/3 cup dried currants (or cranberries)

2/3 cup walnut pieces (or peacans)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place sausage, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and coffee into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low speed until ingredients are just incorporated, about 1 minute.

Turn speed to medium, and mix 1 minute more.

Add remaining ingredients, and again on low speed, mix until just incorporated. Turn mixer off. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix on medium speed another 2 minutes.

Brush an 8 x 4 x 2-inch bread pan with melted butter, and dust with flour. Scrape batter into the bread pan, and place on the center rack of the oven. Bake 1-1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove bread from the oven and let cool to room temperature in the pan. Remove loaf and wrap securely in plastic wrap. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Maple-Glazed Bison Sausage

(Excerpted from Damn Good Food, page 73
Makes approximately 8 patties

1 pound ground bison chuck

2/3 cup dried onion

6 tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 medium cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)

2 teaspoons fennel seed

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons dried sage

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon curing salt (see note)

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, and mix on low speed until just mixed, about 3 minutes. Do not to overmix the ingredients as this will compact the sausage and make for a tougher, dryer product.

Moisten your hands and pat sausage mixture into 3-ounce portions, about the size of a golf ball.

Bison meat is so low in fat that it should be cooked no longer than 4 minutes per side. If broiling, cook patties on a rack set 4 inches from the heat. For stovetop cooking, use a lightly oiled skillet, preferably cast iron, and cook over high heat. Never press down with a spatula on sausages while they cook as this pushes the flavorful juices out of the patties.

Note: Curing salt is a combination of salt and sodium nitrite. It assists in the preserving and curing of meats and sausages, and helps preserve the natural color of the meats. If you don't have access to curing salts, just substitute sea salt.