Sausage Making Gifts for Hunters & Home Cooks: Holiday Gift Guide

Shopping for someone who hunts, smokes, or makes their own sausage is tricky. They already have their favorite knife. They're picky about seasoning. And the gear they really want isn't sold at the mall.

We've been making sausage gear since 1978, so we know what makers actually use and what ends up in a drawer. This guide sorts our favorite gifts by budget, from stocking stuffers to the big gift, with quick picks for every kind of maker on your list.

The Short Answer

For a gift under $50, choose one of our new Cheddar Sausage Kits. They include everything for a 10 lb. batch except the meat. For $50–$200, the High Steaks Roller or the VALLEY Sportsman Tenderizer & Jerky Slicer Set are tools they'll use all year. For the big gift, the 15 lb. Heavy Duty Sausage Stuffer Kit (now 15% off) gives a beginner everything they need to start, and the Pro-Cut #12 Electric Meat Grinder is a lifetime tool for any deer hunter. Not sure? A Sausage Maker Gift Card lets them choose.

How to Pick the Right Gift

Before you shop, think about three things:

• Where they are now. A beginner needs the basics: a stuffer, a good recipe book, and a simple kit. An experienced maker probably has those, so look at gadgets, specialty kits, or an upgrade.
• What they make. Hunters need tools that handle a whole deer. Grillers love brats and a good thermometer. Steak and charcuterie fans will enjoy dry-aging and curing projects.
• What they already own. If they're still stuffing with a grinder attachment, a real stuffer is the gift they'll remember. Our sausage stuffer buyer's guide explains what to look for.

Under $50: Kits & Stocking Stuffers

Small gifts can still be the ones they use the most. Our new Cheddar Sausage Kits are the easiest pick. They come in 9 flavors, from snack sticks and summer sausage to brats, hot dogs, and jalapeño cheddar chicken. Each kit packs our seasoning, the right casing, a pound of High Temp Cheddar, and Insta Cure #1 when the recipe calls for it. All they add is the meat.

$50–$200: Gadgets That Make the Job Easier

These are the tools makers wish they had bought years ago. They save time, give better results, and get used every season.

$300 and Up: The Big Gift

If you want to give the gift they'll talk about for years, this is it. A real sausage stuffer or electric grinder changes how much they can make, and how much they enjoy making it.

Our stuffers are built for years of trouble-free use, so a good one is a gift that keeps giving. Not sure which size fits? Our stuffer buyer's guide breaks it down.

Quick Picks by Person

The beginner: The 15 lb. Heavy Duty Sausage Stuffer Kit covers everything: stuffer, casings, five seasonings, and our recipe book. On a smaller budget, pair a Cheddar Bratwurst Kit with the Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing Book. Our beginner's guide to making sausage at home is a great next step.

The deer hunter: The Pro-Cut #12 Electric Meat Grinder for processing the harvest, the Hunter Bundle Kit for venison summer sausage, and the Cheddar Snack Stick Kit for the stand. Need ideas for that venison? Try our venison summer sausage recipe.

The cheese lover: Any of our Cheddar Sausage Kits. The Cheddar Summer Sausage Kit and the Cheddar Peppered Snack Stick Kit are great places to start.

The jerky maker: The VALLEY Sportsman Meat Tenderizer & Jerky Slicer Set or the Jerky Cutting Board with Knife.

The steak and charcuterie fan: DrySteak Wraps for dry-aged steaks at home, Premium Dry Curing Wraps for coppa and cured loin, and the High Steaks Roller.

The backyard cook: The TSM Stainless Steel Gas Burner, the INKBIRD WiFi Grill Thermometer, and The Original USA Food and Meat Pump.

The maker who has everything: The Sausage Maker Gift Card. They'll know exactly what to get.

Tips for Giving a Sausage Making Gift

• Pair a kit with a tool. A Cheddar Sausage Kit plus an instant-read thermometer makes a complete, thoughtful gift.
• Skip buying cure on its own. Our smoked-sausage kits already include the Insta Cure #1 the recipe needs, portioned for the batch. Cure by itself isn't much of a gift. It's an ingredient that needs a recipe. Our guide to curing salts explains why it matters.
• Keep the cheese cold. The Cheddar kits contain High Temp Cheese, which should stay refrigerated. Hand the gift over soon after it arrives, or store it in the fridge until the big day.
• Order early. Holiday shipping gets busy, so don't wait until the last week. If you're running late, a gift card is delivered by email.
• Think about batch size. Hunters often process a lot of meat at once, so bigger stuffers and an electric grinder make more sense for them than for someone who makes a few pounds at a time.

Gift Guide FAQ

What's the best sausage making gift for a beginner? The 15 lb. Heavy Duty Sausage Stuffer Kit. It includes the stuffer, natural casings, five seasonings, stuffing tube cleaners, and our recipe book, so they can start making sausage right away.

What's a good gift for a deer hunter? A meat grinder like the Pro-Cut #12, a venison seasoning bundle like the Hunter Bundle Kit, or a Cheddar Snack Stick Kit for turning their harvest into snacks.

Do the sausage kits include meat? No. Our kits include everything except the meat: seasoning, casings, and, in the Cheddar kits, High Temp Cheddar. The smoked-sausage kits also include Insta Cure #1.

What if they already have a stuffer and a grinder? Go for gadgets and projects: the High Steaks Roller, DrySteak Wraps, Premium Dry Curing Wraps, a WiFi thermometer, or a new Cheddar Sausage Kit to try.

Is homemade sausage cheaper than store-bought? Often, yes, especially for hunters. See our breakdown: Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Sausage?

Your Holiday Gift Shopping List

• Under $50: Cheddar Snack Stick Kit, Cheddar Summer Sausage Kit, Cheddar Bratwurst Kit, Hunter Bundle Kit, Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing Book, DrySteak Wraps, Premium Dry Curing Wraps, INKBIRD Instant Read Thermometer, Jerky Cutting Board with Knife
• $50–$200: High Steaks Roller, VALLEY Sportsman Meat Tenderizer & Jerky Slicer Set, INKBIRD WiFi Grill Thermometer, The Original USA Food and Meat Pump, TSM Stainless Steel Gas Burner, Stainless Steel Blooming Rack
• $300 and up: 15 lb. Heavy Duty Sausage Stuffer Kit, Bratwurst Kit with 15 lb. Sausage Stuffer, Pro-Cut #12 Electric Meat Grinder, 25 lb. Sausage Stuffer, 30 lb. Sausage Stuffer
• Not sure? The Sausage Maker Gift Card