If fatback isn’t available, the next best choice is well-marbled pork butt. What if I stop using pork fat all together, though? How Much Fat Should You Add? You really don’t add liquid. The 90-10 ratio will produce a lean patty, whereas an 80/20 will be richer. It helps to follow a few simple steps, like creating a quality grind and don’t overcook the meat, but there are few hard and fast rules for at-home butchering. Here's how I do it: http://honest-food.net/2014/10/13/cooking-deer-fat/, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. Same goes for any venison sausage. Just do not exceed that temperature. I know purists who want to believe that venison is perfect the way it is, but the truth is that adding fat at some point during the cooking process is beneficial. Fat is fundamental to creating a juicy product. In my humble opinion, the fat on a deer is gross. You send the meat, fat, and seasonings through the grinder and then blend with an ice-cold liquid. Many venison recipes you see call for the addition of some kind of fat – usually ground pork, ground beef, or everyone’s favorite: bacon! Making sausages and using beef fat instead of pork. For every one pound of venison, you use up to a quarter pound of fat. Here are some of the responses I’ve found, which seem to be a good representative of how the hunting community feels about this topic. Spencer Neuharth works with a rule of tens: 10% fat for burger, 20% fat for sausage, and 30% fat for everything else (snack sticks, summer sausage). if I am going to make burgers I do add ground pork. I’m a fan of keeping the math simple, so I work in 5-pound portions. Perhaps Brody Henderson has the right idea; he grinds everything with 25% fat so it’s versatile for all cooking applications. On the other hand, an authentic sausage should be succulent. Pork belly has a tendency to overpower the flavor of lean cuts, while fatback compliments them. (For the rest of you English majors out there, that means 12 pounds of venison and 8 pounds of pork per 20-pound batch. I always add about 15-20 percent fat if I’m making hamburger or kebabs, which makes the meat juicier and more flavorful. I’ve heard people tell me time and again how great venison hot dogs are. Same thing for sausages and hot dogs. Evenly distribute roughly 15% cubed pork fat with the venison. Mostly venison, but also with some pork sausage to add some fat to avoid a dry meatloaf (venison is such a lean meat). I'm talking about adding fat to recipes when you cook. It’s purely personal preference. Liberally salt and pepper both sides of burger. In our experience, pork fatback is the best to use. Some other popular Venison recipes. One thing is for sure (and no more evident than here at MeatEater): at-home butchers have a wide range of preferences regarding fat content and there are no set rules. You can use straight fat but it's always better to use meat and then add fat as needed. Ryan Callaghan sits on both ends of the spectrum, ranging from 100% venison for burgers to 50% fat for sausage. pork sausage to 2 lbs. when I make venison meatballs I just add egg for my binder. The solution is to add some fat, either beef or pork, when you’re grinding venison. That would be about 1/2 lb. Patties made for grilled double cheeseburgers often fall apart soon after hitting the hot grate. Ironically, because fat needs to be trimmed away for the best flavor, venison often becomes too lean for hamburger purposes. The meat will produce its own juice. Finally, a meatloaf recipe that my whole family enjoys. The drawback is that you won’t know exactly how much fat you’re adding since there’s also meat in the cut. I just made about 45 pounds of smoked links using half venison and half lean pork trimmings and it came out great. Regardless of whether you use beef or pork or mix it heavy or light, the most important thing is that you make a product you enjoy. And fat helps hold your burger together. Add pork fat to a venison sausage and it tastes like venison. Don’t mistake this... Shanks—the four forelegs on any four-legged animal—are among the most under-appreciated cuts. Pork or fatty beef does not dehydrate, you need very lean cuts to dehydrate as the water comes off the meat but the oil/fat will remain. To replicate a traditional sausage, it helps to have an understanding of basic sausage anatomy: 70% meat, 30% fat, and 10% of the total volume in liquid, plus seasonings. This will help when cooking the burgers or sausage by providing enough fat to keep them from sticking to … Not sure what you are making I also make elk ABT's and use Philadelphia creme cheese for my filling that usually is also a good binder. Pork butt, bacon, pork belly, or pork back fat are what keep the lean meat juicy after cooking. My opinion is that the fat in pork is better for us than the same amount of beef fat. I would not use bacon fat that was saved from cooking bacon because it has already been rendered. For things like venison chilies, sloppy joes, and tacos, we recommend a 10% fat content. Here are some of our thoughts on adding fat to deer meat. Also, look for the glands in the meat. What I don’t think they know is that their “venison” dog is probably at least 50% ground pork. Same as that how much would you grind into 1.5 pounds of vension. But most will typically only use pork mixed in when a seasoning is added and you are going to smoke or cook the dogs, brats or sausage. You can also use beef suet, but the texture and flavor aren’t as good as pork. Personally, I like to avoid adding fat or even mixing other meat in with my venison. Depending on what you’re planning to cook, you may want to add fat to your ground venison. Perfectly marbled ground venison will pour out of your grinder. When field dressing a deer, you’ll find a thin, lacy net covering the stomach. Adding fat to venison. It has a tendency to dry out, depending on the fat content of your mixture. This added fat can be bacon, pork shoulder, pork belly, beef tallow, etc. if i grind 1.5lbs of venison how much pork fat should i add to 1.5 pounds of venison. Grinding beef or pork fat with your venison adds flavor, acts as a binder, and most importantly adds moisture to your meat. Is beef fat … You can choose a flavored oil, like coconut oil or clarified butter, to add fat and complement the dish you’re cooking. If you are concerned about this, try looking at canning venison hot pack directions. Sure, you can use eggs to make it stick, but you won’t get the same mouthfeel since eggs don’t melt when cooked. Cut both the venison meat and the pork or beef fat into one-inch cubes using a sharp knife. It is another source which will produce a game flavor in the meat. Not adding liquid was the most surprising part of canning venison for me. Does Venison Need Fat? Add Fat. 0-10% Fat – Use for heavily seasoned, loose meat meals such as venison … all my venison is pure ground, I don't add any fat when grinding . Continue to add venison and fat into grinder. It’s readily available and inexpensive at most grocery stores. In late 1999, we started our first message board. Since you are adding pork fat, you should cook the sausage to at least 160°F. Deer fat doesn’t add flavor to the meat like fat does for pork or beef. This fatty cut comes from the shoulder of a pig. Discussion in 'Cooking and Brewing' started by Upended, Sep 18, 2014. My rule of thumb is to add 10-20% fat when making venison burgers. ). Another important question is the type of fat to use. I'd recommend either a small amount of beef or pork fat, or add 25-50% lean pork. The added moisture from the pork fat gives the finished product a better texture, and adding pork stretches my valuable venison a bit. Don’t worry, I checked with my math-and-science trained wife to verify my measurements.) When you’re ready to put this into practice, here are a few of our favorite recipes to try out. Therefore, the more you remove, the better flavor the meat will have. This stuff far exceeds anything you can buy commercially. The key with a lot of venison preparations is to not overcook the meat. Thanks for your patronage - Steve. You need raw fatadded to the venison when grinding ratio will depend on whether you want lean or xtralean or medium. “You will not produce a good sausage without adding fat. The 90-10 ratio will produce a lean patty, whereas an 80/20 will be richer. The management works very hard to make sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Fat adds flavor and moisture. If you find someone who carries it, there’s a good chance they also have fresh casings to make sausage. For a profesional butcher like myself it's cheaper to use pork fat as good pork meat is not always available unless i buy a pig from someone, bone it out, and then freeze it for later use. The downside is that it’s typically only sold in butcher shops, so you might have to call around and hunt it down. The amount of meat that you have on hand probably won’t come to an even weight, and it’s perfectly fine to be flexible with ratios. I usually double the amount of oil called for in a non-game recipe when browning the meat. This is a venison sausage recipe, but the addition of pork fat keeps the lean deer meat from drying out during the cooking process. That is okay. And while we're on the subject of bones, by all means make stock from the marrow bones of your deer. On the other hand, an authentic sausage should be succulent. Another option is tallow from wild game, although deer fat is very saturated and waxy. The more fat the more you will affect the flavour of venison. Pro Tip: We use pork because it has a much more neutral flavor than beef and won’t overpower the natural venison taste. I want to make burgers for the first time. It's usually really cheap, too. What Type of Fat? It was a marriage of my passions for the outdoors and the internet. For burgers I just add onion soup mix and a little red wine to venison beef mixture. venison beef mixture. We'd really appreciate it! I generally sanitize my jars in the … Is because the price vs pork fat is a lot cheaper. Fat is the emulsifying agent that allows the mixture to stick together and retain juiciness. Good pork fat can be had in any decent supermarket and in all butcher shops. This is a question that’s come up in a number of forums. Many off-site friendships have formed with others who share the same interests in the outdoors through the site. Founded in 1999, Michigan-Sportsman.com started as a collection of links to Michigan related sites, and a series of manually edited blogs. It was one of Michigan's first social networks. Care to buy us a beer? For some hunters, adding domestic fat to venison is taboo. My rule of thumb is to add 10-20% fat when making venison burgers. Big bucks, land management, rut reports, and tips for the whitetail obsessed. Ground venison is a very and occasionally gamey lean meat that comes from deer, and its texture is generally improved by mixing in pork sausage or beef. Close. No, I'm not talking about adding beef or pork fat to your ground venison when you package it. How much fat do I need? This is a combination of a couple of meatloaf recipes that I played around with. Start by sanitizing your jars and washing lids and rings. Another option is pork belly, which is the first choice for those who really disdain the taste of venison. Owning a kitchen scale comes in handy for grind proportions. Does anyone have any suggestions? The amount of fat needed varies depending on what you plan to cook. The type of fat you use can come down to personal taste. Archived. That would be like adding lard. I firmly believe the best type of fat to use is pork fatback (pure white fat from the back of a pig). The solution is to add some fat, either beef or pork, when you’re grinding venison. When it comes to making anything that requires a bind or ingredient cohesion, such as meatballs and brats, I prefer to add fat. Anything higher is a bit indulgent, but we won’t judge you. 3 to 1 may be alright for sausage.I usually dont use that much for burger .I use beef fat when I can get it for hamburger and pork fat for sausage.The more fat you add the more it will shrink when cooked.I dont like using no more fat than I have to,just enough to flavor and keep the patties from being to dry and not stick too bad when cooking.The grinder I use I run it through … I mix beef suet with mine 20 beef /80 venison then it depends what I'm going to make if I add pork too and if I do add pork it's pork sausage for meat loaf or meat balls. If it really comes down to having to use or mix some other ground meat in with the venison then it will be ground pork and not beef. Sometimes, the juice will not fill the jar or completely cover the meat. Its flavor doesn’t overpower wild game and it has a soft texture. It makes our patties stick together, and the bacon adds a great flavor.Seems like his father Don just wants to get down to brass tacks and start building some burger. They... Our picks for the week’s best hunting, fishing, wild foods, and conservation content. Posted by 2 years ago. Here are some direct tips on substituting pork fat with beef. Here’s a rundown of the numbers: But, like I said earlier, there’s no right or wrong answer to this question. For others, it’s a necessity. Most will use 1/3 lean to semi lean pork when mixing for ssg. However, if you plan on preparing burgers, meatball, or meatloaf, you need a 20% fat content. One reason folks may want to try using beef fat. what ratio do you guys use when grinding your venison. To cook Burgers: Shape ground venison into patties. 5. Twenty percent is the minimum amount that I would add, but 30% is considered standard. I find it can be done with venison or pork sausages. Plus, the pork fat does a better job of mixing with the spices that are in the recipe. Lean pork trimmings still have some good fat in there. We use cheap bacon, mixed at a rate of 5:1 (5 pounds of venison per pound of bacon). My body doesn’t tolerate pork very well (or at all) so I am looking into other fats to add to venison for sausage or burger. To prepare your sausage, you’ll need to pull the cut and packaged venison from the freezer and let it partially thaw. Summer sausage doesn't actually need fat in it. also i heard you can just add like fat back bacon. Ground venison is a very and occasionally gamey lean meat that comes from deer, and its texture is generally improved by mixing in pork sausage or beef. You can incorporate a little into the mix, but be cautious about how much you add to avoid bites that coat your mouth with wax. And for sausages and snack sticks, you need 30% fat content. Adding fat to venison. Venison is a very lean protein with little or no fat content at all. Adding Fat to Venison. The pork adds fat to the sausage which is helpful when the sausage is cooked because the venison is incredibly lean and can make very dry sausage. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to add it while grinding—I often grind 100% venison that I plan to keep loose for recipes like Thai lettuce cups, taco meat, or Shepherd’s pie. Sure, you can use eggs to make it stick, but you won’t get the same mouthfeel since eggs don’t melt when cooked. Venison fat isn't very good, so most folks add pork fat or beef fat.