Venison Summer Sausage Skewer Appetizers

It’s that time of year. Christmas and New Year’s parties are going on in full force. If it’s a bring-a-dish-style get-together, don’t fret, even if you can’t cook. Just break out a roll of venison summer sausage. You know all of those people who ask if you “caught a deer yet” or, “Where’s my jerky or summer sausage?” Well, show up with this dish and you’ll answer those questions.

Use your venison summer sausage to make these appetizer skewers, which are easy to eat and that everyone will love. All images by Michael Pendley.

How do you make them, you ask? It is as simple as getting some wooden skewers and filling them full of chunks of summer sausage and whatever else you like to add. For me, that something else is usually a piece of cheese or two, maybe an olive, a cherry tomato, and sometimes an artichoke heart, but don’t think this is a hard-and-fast recipe. Pieces of crispy thick-cut bacon are good, or you can use black and green olives if you have an olive-loving crowd. Or mini bell peppers or even a slice of a full-size bell pepper provide a nice bit of crunch.

This is the perfect holiday appetizer to break out when your friends and family ask if you “caught any deers yet.”

If you want a touch of something sweet, a seedless grape works well. For extra flavor and a festive red/green Christmas touch, add a leaf of fresh basil next to the tomato. Try making some different arrangements and letting each person choose their favorite.

Choose the skewer additions according to what your friends and family enjoy, or mix and match so there is something for everyone.

The main rule is to keep everything edible by hand. Don’t add something your guests will need a fork and knife to eat, and don’t put anything runny or that might be likely to stain someone’s ugly Christmas sweater. Remember, they will be walking around eating these as they mingle and talk, most likely without a plate.

When you have everything gathered, assemble the skewers. A 4- or 6-inch bamboo skewer works well, depending on how many ingredients you want to include.

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Just about everyone loves cheese, so I usually go with two types on each skewer. First, a soft pearl of fresh mozzarella, and then with something a bit sharper, say Monterey Jack. For olives, I stop by the deli section of a nearby large grocery and get some nice imported varieties, although olives straight from a jar will work just as well. You can usually find artichoke hearts near the olives on the same deli counter, or you can get a can or jar of them from the canned vegetable aisle.

Check your local deli for good olives and marinated artichoke hearts.

Cut the summer sausage into bite-sized pieces. For the rolls we make with this recipe, that usually means quartering a slice. You want your guests to be able to bite straight off the stick, not to have to remove the meat by hand and take a bite at a time.

There really isn’t an art to assembling them. Just skewer on as many ingredients as will fit on your stick and alternate them as you go. The best part about this is that you can make them a day or two in advance so you aren’t rushed as you get ready to head out for the evening.