Ground wild game meat

[Workin Man]

Why would you add synthetic growth hormone and antibiotic-laced pork or beef to the finest meat you can get?

Ted

I can't speak for anybody else, but the pork I use is from the pigs my dad raises every year. He runs them on pasture, they don't get any sort of growth hormone and no antibiotics in their feed ( though they will get a shot of penicillin if needed). I have tried vegetable oil as a substitute and found it did not let the meat bind properly for burgers, and the flavour was not as good as when using pork.

Jim

 

[cjs]

I use 25% pork belly to 75% wild meat. I buy organic, natural, pasture grown, small farm raised pork - a bit more expensive - but tastes like pork should Modern factory raised pork is similar to chicken breast in my opinion. Kinda flavourless without that tasty fat.

If using pork shoulder (which contains 25% fat approx) for the mix, I use it 50/50 with the wild meat. The best fat to add is leaf lard which is what surrounds the pork kidney.

I also like using beef suet.

Edit: I do this just for meat that will become sausages or other ground meat products.

If it is for burger's etc, I don't add anything.

 

[joe-nwt]

No fat added here. For burgers I just add an egg and some bread crumbs to add moisture and to "fluff" it up (+ whatever seasonings I'm into at the moment) Straight meat for chili's etc.

 

[savage express]

I use to add 10% pork joules to lean deer for hamburger. But last year the taste of the pork fat was really off. So this year I think I'm going to grind and package lean deer meat only then mix pork in at the time of use.
Will probably do a few packages of once through, coarse grind. Chunks of meat are great for chili's and stews.

 

[kjohn]

always turned out like cooked sawdust

 

[Budweiser2]

When grinding our hamburger up. We mix in beef fat that I get from the butcher. It then goes into medium size freezer bags. This sees to last for quite awhile.

 

[Pudelpointer]

Lots of good advice in this thread. I quickly learned to trim ALL the fat from the game meat I was grinding to ensure flavour was at its best. I have done most of the above over the years; adding pork fat, pork shoulder, beef fat, etc.

However, I was never happy adding fat to what was otherwise wonderfully lean meat.

During a desperate moment a couple of years ago when I had no bread crumbs to add when making burgers, I stumbled upon the secret to the best deer / elk / moose burgers I have ever had:

OAT BRAN!

If you have some in your house, try it. If you do not, go buy some in the bulk section of your super market or health food store. You will not be disappointed.

For each 1-1 1/2 lbs of ground (no fat added) add 1/2 to 1 cup of oat bran, 1 egg and whatever spices turn your crank, and onions and garlic if you like. Let it sit for 1/2 hour or so after mixing, then make your patties and grill. Tender and moist every time.

"Thank you's" can be sent in the form of cash and firearms related gifts.

Ian

 

[woodchopper]

no we grind it straight into burger and package it.

Making sausage from a package of burger then we'll add extra fat as required, a little bit of baccon butts, lots of fat there.

 

[Why not?]

I'd like to try this. What proportions?

We use about a cup for every ten pounds if its for burger, a bit more for sausage.

Ted

 

[John Y Cannuck]

We add no fat, and cut off all we can.
Ground venison takes close attention on the barbecue. It's easy to over cook. But just fine otherwise without the fat.

 

[sealhunter]

I've used quite a few things...

My buddy raises a few pigs each year, so I hit the pork quite often,..40/60

I make a lot of sausage rounds..

 

[Eagle160]

Great advise guys! The zone I live in allows you to take 2 whitetails this year so I am anticipating (hoping) a load of ground meat for storage. Gots lots of different methods to try as experiments now.

 

[trevj]

We use straight game meat and add the cheapest olive oil we can find for the best grind and sausage. We buy the oil by the gallon in our local food store.

Why would you add synthetic growth hormone and antibiotic-laced pork or beef to the finest meat you can get?

Ted

Yeah. Much better to have nice healthy Third world pesticide residue, instead.

It's the cheapest because....?

Anyways, I figure that risk is about on par with the risks from commercially available meat. Not very high. The sodium in your morning bacon is gonna kill you first...

For both oil and flavor, I sometimes use a little grated cheese in with my venison burger. Or butter. Mmmmm...Butter.....!

Cheers
Trev

 

[looch]

Secret weapon for wild game chili - eggplant. It breaks down and adds a consistency much like fat.

 

[firemachine69]

We add no fat, and cut off all we can.
Ground venison takes close attention on the barbecue. It's easy to over cook. But just fine otherwise without the fat.

There's the answer. Same applies for bison. You have about sixty seconds to take it off the grill once it's cooked to temperature.

 

[MD]

No way.

 

[firemachine69]

The "fat" is what gives the "juiciness" to meat. Once you dry out the fat, you get the "sawdust". Unfortunately, most wildlife has very little desirable fat.


If you look into it, this will also explain why rotisserie pork or chicken isn't particularly healthy.

 

[Eagle160]

I realize there are drugs/hormones in store meats but a little store meat in the venoson to make it edible/cookable is better than a grill or pan full in the trash. I plan on killing myself with alcohol anyway. Keep the good stuff coming folks.