24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
T
Theeck Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
T
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
I am planning to use some of the ground venison that I have to make sausage or snack sticks. I know that I am supposed to add fat. In the past, I ran raw bacon through a grinder but I am wondering if there are other options without having to deal with the grinder. What about rendered lard that you buy at the grocery store? Would that be about the same? Any other ideas? Thanks

GB2

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,968
F
Campfire Outfitter
Online Content
Campfire Outfitter
F
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,968
I am no authority by a long shot, but normally I freeze my pork fat so the grinder cuts it cleanly into the fine tiny 'cubes'...which is what the books recommend. But once due to an oversight, the fat was ground room temperature, almost like rendered lard. It tasted ok, but the texture was slimy and kind of reminded me of that store bought Jimmy Dean (which tastes ok) but is kind of nasty textured, more like a pork puree than sausage. You may like Jimmy Dean.


Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,971
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,971
For me, burger gets beef fat; sausage gets pork fat.

Neither gets bacon or pork shoulder or anything else.

That way, it's real, and it's fabulous!


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 584
D
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
D
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 584
I added lard to some Chorizo I made and it only helped when frying the pan sausage. It would just make link sausages greasy. It is best to use a cut of pork like a Boston butt at around 40% of the total weight. Pork bellies can be used but I like the lean pork from the shoulder. Bacon ends are OK for a little flavor but will be too much if that is the only fat used. Check out some recipes for exact amounts, I like Rytek Kutas's books https://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-Meat-Curing/dp/0025668609

Last edited by DBoston; 01/11/21.
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,435
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,435
Pork butt is cheap and fatty.

IC B2

Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,721
R
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
R
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,721
JMHO- I prefer the cheap ground beef.
Has the flavor I'm going for, and doesn't
overpower the main ingredient, the venison

Compliments it instead, like it should

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,936
M
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,936
For summer sausage I like beef. For snack sticks and brats I like pork.


You'll shoot your eye out
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,444
H
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,444
I make a lot of sausage. For snack sticks, I use the following: 66% Venison,14% Beef Suet, 20% Pork butt/shoulder (70/30 ground beef works too)

For a 25 pound batch that works out to: 16.5# Venison, 3.5# Beef Suet, 5# Pork butt. That makes roughly a 80/20+/- fat ratio and well works well snack sticks.


Semper Fi



Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,240
S
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
S
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,240
Originally Posted by ironbender
For me, burger gets beef fat; sausage gets pork fat.

Neither gets bacon or pork shoulder or anything else.

That way, it's real, and it's fabulous!



Me too...


"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went"
Will Rogers
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,125
J
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
J
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,125
Pork butt


Ping pong balls for the win.
Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable
I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.

Ain’t easy havin pals.
IC B3

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408
R
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
R
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408
i save all trimmings from pork in the freezer and use it for venison sausage and jerky. if i don't have enough, i go buy the cheapest pork shoulder i can find and use it.


My diploma is a DD214
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,225
L
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
L
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,225
Originally Posted by ironbender
For me, burger gets beef fat; sausage gets pork fat.

Neither gets bacon or pork shoulder or anything else.

That way, it's real, and it's fabulous!



Nailed it.

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,927
T
Campfire Outfitter
Online Content
Campfire Outfitter
T
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,927
Used a lot of pork butt, but would like to find other ways.

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 856
D
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
D
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 856
I have used pork fat in a batch and beef fat in another, really hard to tell the difference. I keep both vacuum sealed in the freezer. So I have both to choose from. Really when you add the spices the type fat does not matter.

Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,402
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,402
I use pork butt for sausage. In the past I used pork butt for burger but this year I left most of my burger just venison. I use it a lot for meat sauces and chilis and it seems to work. I might try beef fat for some burgers if I can find any.


Life can be rough on us dreamers.
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,966
S
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
S
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,966

It depends on what you want the results to be... I have shot better than 70 deer in the last 15 years so I experimented just a bit.

Steak trimmings are by far the best - 15lbs to 100lbs of clean cut venison.
The result smells like ribeye’s when you cook things on the Grill.. The down side is that Women will now start eating your deer meat without regard to Bambi anymore.
Suit like beef fat is pretty good / second best IMO...
Brisket fat works well but for some reason the meat has a creamy taste to it.

Next you get into Pork fat - here almost everything comes out the same...
I just buy pork butt and mix it 30-40% with the Venison


For Jerky - Beef is the only way to fly
For Great hamburger .. Beef
For sausage like stuff - Pork works just fine.

Good luck

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
T
Theeck Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
T
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
Thanks for the ideas guys. I think for the snack sticks I may try mixing high fat content ground beef. That seems easier than having to grind fat. Since you say beef fat is good for sticks, I'm going to try it.

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 533
H
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
H
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 533
For Beef Sticks I'd try and stay around 80/20. You don't want it too far or they get greasy.

Sausage is different, usually straight pork shoulder butt will make half way decent sausage, they are closer to 78/32%. I prefer sausage around 75/25.

Summer Sausage, thats a different animal. You want closer to 65/35% or even 60/40%. You only want to cook it low and slow around 160F and do lower finish temps but hold it longer for the lethality. For instance I follow USDA Appendix A in which I cook mine to 135F and a hold time of at least 40 minutes. You don't want to render the fat, thats why the lower temp and a hold temp. At about 145F they can start to render, and different fat types render before others.

Now I use a calibrated thermometer for all my cooking.


All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
T
Theeck Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
T
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 955
Originally Posted by Hydrashocker
For Beef Sticks I'd try and stay around 80/20. You don't want it too far or they get greasy.

Sausage is different, usually straight pork shoulder butt will make half way decent sausage, they are closer to 78/32%. I prefer sausage around 75/25.

Summer Sausage, thats a different animal. You want closer to 65/35% or even 60/40%. You only want to cook it low and slow around 160F and do lower finish temps but hold it longer for the lethality. For instance I follow USDA Appendix A in which I cook mine to 135F and a hold time of at least 40 minutes. You don't want to render the fat, thats why the lower temp and a hold temp. At about 145F they can start to render, and different fat types render before others.

Now I use a calibrated thermometer for all my cooking.


Thanks. I haven't been to a grocery store in years but I seem to recall seeing 70% lean ground meat. I figure I could mix this with venison at 50/50 and end up with something close to 15% fat.

Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 314
M
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
M
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 314
I prefer;

- Adding 30% pork butt to venison for sausage.

- Adding 30% whole fatty brisket to venison for burger. I can buy brisket when it's on sale cheaper than the cheapest burger. I will also grind whole briskets when I want traditional hamburger.

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
734 members (10gaugemag, 02bfishn, 12308300, 11point, 10Glocks, 12344mag, 84 invisible), 2,744 guests, and 1,296 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,700
Posts18,399,968
Members73,820
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.097s Queries: 14 (0.004s) Memory: 0.8947 MB (Peak: 1.0288 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 23:56:33 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS