Adding fat to ground game meat

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regulate34

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Ok guys I am slowing becoming fully sufficient in my own butchering. only part I am not doing at the moment is sausage. Only because I don't have a large enough smoker yet.

anyway my question is when you guys are grinding up trimming and what not. how much fat are you adding?

Today I did another large batch of moose. I didn't want to go out and buy a bunch of pork fat. Licence and tag/LEH fees eat up enough cash.

Anyway I had a fair amount of a Really Fatty fall black bear left in the freezer. I mixed it with the moose at 1/5. Cooked with it tonight and its great.

so whats your Fat ratio when grinding and what do you think about cutting with bear meat?
 
I have made sausage since I was a kid at the family butcher shop and what we have found as a great base to work from (from which to add your favourite spice combo) is a 50/50 game and ground pork shoulder butts. Another key point is to be sure there is no fat from the game meat in the mix. I am sure others have different tastes but that it the best mixture I have found for myself.

I have tried adding beef as well but my preference is pork.
 
Powdergun- why no fat from the game meat?

Yomomma & powder gun- whats the reason for 50/50 on the pork?

I am a cost effective hunter. I hunt out my back door and am now butchering my own. when I walk out the back and get a animal and can say that's a 1.30$ bullet animal it makes me happy.

I have a hard time buying that much pork to cut with the game meat. almost seams like a waste.

we took one deer this year to the butcher to get our sausage made for the year.

all 151lbs of deer was only cut with 22lbs of pork. that's only 15% pork not the 50% I have seen here and on many other sites.
 
I usually use 20-25% pork for sausage.
I use cheap pork but often throw in a bit of nicely flavoured smoked bacon or speck depending on the type of sausage.
I buy pork shoulders or belly when I can get some cheap and freeze until I need it.

Personally would never use more than 25%.

Couple of years ago I got some really big and fat home grown turkeys from a friend.
They had half an inch of fat under the skin and i used the skin with fat in some sausage. That turned out really well too.

Deer fat goes rancid much more quickly than other animal fat (unless rendered).
WHen it turns it gives the meat a very strong flavour most people don't like.
When I butcher i trim off everything white from the deer meat, at least the good cuts (fat, fascia, tendons…). I end up with clean red meat and it last for a long time.
Sausage I'm not quite as careful but it does depend a bit on what kind of sausage I'm planning on making.
 
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regulate34 said:
Powdergun- why no fat from the game meat?

Yomomma & powder gun- whats the reason for 50/50 on the pork?

I am a cost effective hunter. I hunt out my back door and am now butchering my own. when I walk out the back and get a animal and can say that's a 1.30$ bullet animal it makes me happy.

I have a hard time buying that much pork to cut with the game meat. almost seams like a waste.

we took one deer this year to the butcher to get our sausage made for the year.

all 151lbs of deer was only cut with 22lbs of pork. that's only 15% pork not the 50% I have seen here and on many other sites.
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I find that fat from game has a bitter and tallowy flavour. Also, if you notice it is harder than pork or beef fat at cooler temperatures and gives the sausage an odd texture as well. As for the 50/50 split it is what I like as I like a juicier less dry sausage. My sausages are made to be cooked and are not cured or smoked so the higher pork content works well.

The reality is it is personal preference so experiment with small batches till you find what you like. I have tried many recipes and have settled on two very simple styles each with 50/50 ratios. Less pork makes it a bit dry for my taste.
 
Great thread. It's true what they say, fat is flavour. Gamey meats make for gamey sausage if you add all of their fat. Pork is a mile, sweet meat, and blends well with just about anything, lending moisture and a light richness. 1/5 is the bare minimum imho. 2/5 would work really well. Costco ground pork is dirt cheap! And has all you need for yum snausages.
 
powdergun said:
I find that fat from game has a bitter and tallowy flavour. Also, if you notice it is harder than pork or beef fat at cooler temperatures and gives the sausage an odd texture as well. As for the 50/50 split it is what I like as I like a juicier less dry sausage. My sausages are made to be cooked and are not cured or smoked so the higher pork content works well.

The reality is it is personal preference so experiment with small batches till you find what you like. I have tried many recipes and have settled on two very simple styles each with 50/50 ratios. Less pork makes it a bit dry for my taste.
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Ic I like sausage dry. same with my jerky. like you said its all preference. guess I have many years of experimenting ahead of me
 
orthoboy said:
Great thread. It's true what they say, fat is flavour. Gamey meats make for gamey sausage if you add all of their fat. Pork is a mile, sweet meat, and blends well with just about anything, lending moisture and a light richness. 1/5 is the bare minimum imho. 2/5 would work really well. Costco ground pork is dirt cheap! And has all you need for yum snausages.
Click to expand...

I have about 20lbs more moose to grind. i may go get some pork to mix in and see how i like it.

now for pork mix. should i get ground pork, shoulders, belly ECT....
 
If you have a good grinder, I'd go 50/50 belly no skin and shoulder. But that's me. Or just a 3-4 kg of ground pork at costco.
 
X2 on the Costco pork. It can be found at a very reasonable price. If you have a local butcher you can order a case of pork butts or belly at a decent price as well.
 
powdergun said:
I find that fat from game has a bitter and tallowy flavour. Also, if you notice it is harder than pork or beef fat at cooler temperatures and gives the sausage an odd texture as well. As for the 50/50 split it is what I like as I like a juicier less dry sausage. My sausages are made to be cooked and are not cured or smoked so the higher pork content works well.

The reality is it is personal preference so experiment with small batches till you find what you like. I have tried many recipes and have settled on two very simple styles each with 50/50 ratios. Less pork makes it a bit dry for my taste.
Click to expand...

Rendered bear fat makes a pretty dam fine pie crust....
There are many contributing factors to the way things taste and preference is amongst them.
Anyways, thats what the threads are all about sharing recipes and information ;)
Now i have a hankering for some Polish Mountain Sausage !!!!
Dag Nabit all.
Rob
 
We usually stick with 60/40 when we are making goose sausage. We grind whole pork shoulders. Pretty much the same for venison. Never done anything else so can't comment but the stuff we have done has been scarfed down quickly without compliant
 
For sausage, 60/40 with Pork Fat works good. For 'burger , 80/20 with beef fat is my choice.
Not real fussy about getting every scrap of fat off moose, but venison however ... tallow begone !

And yes, lard from bear fat is great for pies !!!
 
I quit mixing fat with moose or deer hamburger.
Usually just add the style of hamburger with the game meat when cooking.
Beef with moose to make spaghetti sauce and such.
 
No fat , ground lean cuts of other domesticated meat keep it from being dry and evens the flavor. Kamlooky understands.

Would you want a steak or chop that is 20-40% fat?

Have had sausage and ground that others have mix wit heavy fat, I did not enjoy.

Can add various oils also, and not much is needed, grape seed, olive , etc....

Ground bacon does work also.

Just had bad experience with pure fat mixed in.
 
Anywhere around 20-25% fat. A pork butt or picnic is about that % is for comparison.

When we kill a deer and a hog, it is usually mixed 50/50 (all sausage).For ground venison for spaghetti, taco and burger 20-25% is enough.

I have seen it done with just oil mixed in rather than fat.
 
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