Deer sausage with only pork fat (not trim)- anyone try it?

[sns2]

I like the taste of game. I am meticulous in my preparation of it. Unlike some, the only meat that ends up in my grinder is meat that would go on my plate. I have typically used 50/50 game/pork butts. I am tossing around the idea of adding only pork fat instead of butts. Have any of you ever done it? If so, how was the end product? As you can see, my meat is clean, and I don't want to foolishly experiment if you know what I mean.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

[58thecat]

I would go on the less side of pure pork being added.....mix, make a sausage, frying pan and see how it turns out little at a time....once happy with the ratio have at it.....you don't want grease fires nor shrinkage and no flavour.....best go on the side of caution.

[Swamp hunter]

I have been making my own sausage for years with deer meat, 5-7 pounds "fat" for fresh sausage...no pork meat.i like wild meat so i dont want to feel like i am eating pork sausage. Thats per 25lb batch.

[blueice123]

Try beef


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[Dewey Cox]

I like to use fat.
Just don't use as much straight fat as you would normally use pork.

[GrouseHunter]

Originally Posted by blueice123

Try beef


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X's 2 beef fat is far superior to pig fat. The main difference is that pork fat goes rancid in the freezer and completely changes the flavor of your sausage over time. Beef fat does not and the flavor is better. 15 to 20%

Once you try beef fat you wil never go back to swine.

[Swamp hunter]

Originally Posted by GrouseHunter

X's 2 beef fat is far superior to pig fat. The main difference is that pork fat goes rancid in the freezer and completely changes the flavor of your sausage over time. Beef fat does not and the flavor is better. 15 to 20%

Once you try beef fat you wil never go back to swine.

I have been told the opposite by more than 1 butcher but i am definitely trying beef this year.i vacuum pack all my meat and have never had an issue with the pork going rancid. You definitely want to avoid having any deer tallow left in meat.

[ozzy]

I did mine last year with pure pork fat. I made it 75% venison, 25% fat. It was delicious! I'll probably go with a bit less fat this year and see how it goes.

[blueice123]

Where giving sausage to rancher it nice say it cut with beef not pork as I support ranchers


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[Sledhead71]

When I raised hogs, we had the butcher trim pure fat for our sausage, it was excellent.. Ratio was 12 - 15 %, by the time you were done cooking, nearly all fat was gone and sausage was moist.

[ghostguy6]

I've done batches of 75% venison to 25% pork fat and it tasted fine. I have also done 25% beef fat and liked the taste but you need to be careful with what fat you use with what spice mix your using. My sweet Italian brats taste much better with beef fat than pork, were as my honey garlic prefers pork fat. My kielbasa doesn't seem to have any preference.
I did find that using straight fat resulted in a slightly more "crumbly" texture unless I added more binders. These days my preference is to thin the venison down with some pork or beef just because it seems to blend better and I don't have to use as much binders to get the desired tastes and textures.

[Swamp hunter]

When i do breakfast sausage/ Italian i do not case them anymore, i fill 24-30" peices of pvc pipe with meat and let firm up in freezer for 45min to an hour then push the tubed meat out and slice into puck thickness patties for frying. Every one in my group seems to enjoy them better. Just thought i would share.

[Swamp hunter]

3" pvc

[Peebles]

I only make sausage with 90/10 fat trim or pure hard fat like back or jowl fat. Based on the first three sentences of your post I think you'll prefer it. I've tried pork butts and other mix-ins and they are not as good, though they extend your deer meat. My favourite of all of these is back fat - not to be confused with bacon which is a soft belly fat.

I like to salt the fat before grinding it at least as long as meat takes to cure. No cure is needed on pure fat (it doesn't do anything to it), but salting it for three days or even better a week or two gives it a better flavour and texture in the farce. Softens and sweetens it slightly.

3:1 deer meat to fat is a good ratio, but depending on the recipe it could vary. I've learned most of what I know through experimentation and reading https://meatsandsausages.com. I have to say that site isn't as good as before the reorganisation when it was Wedliny Domowe. Oh well, still the best free resource for sausage making information online. Just be patient with the translation from Polish and patchwork style of writing.

Beef fat would only be for a particular type of sausage but can never compare to the king of sausage meats: the pig. I'm surprised how many halal eaters are on here, but it's good you guys can still enjoy sausages. They are one of the greatest culinary pleasures of hunting.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Swamp hunter

When i do breakfast sausage/ Italian i do not case them anymore, i fill 24-30" peices of pvc pipe with meat and let firm up in freezer for 45min to an hour then push the tubed meat out and slice into puck thickness patties for frying. Every one in my group seems to enjoy them better. Just thought i would share.

^This sounds like an awesome idea!!!! I may just try that with a tube or 2. I would assume that you then just vacuum pack and freeze the pucks?

Mmmmmm..... Sausage Patties!!!

J.

[Peebles]

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

I did find that using straight fat resulted in a slightly more "crumbly" texture unless I added more binders. These days my preference is to thin the venison down with some pork or beef just because it seems to blend better and I don't have to use as much binders to get the desired tastes and textures.

There are a few things that could be causing this. Most likely you aren't mixing the meat enough after grinding. Mix the spices into a slurry of crushed ice and a bit of water and knead it into the mix like bread. 8% of the weight of meat in ice water is the usual ratio. If you are doing large batches this can be quite physical. LEM (and others I'm sure) make a tumbler you can attach to your grinder to simplify this task.

It should come together in a mass before stuffing - if it doesn't you haven't developed the myosin and won't get the proper texture at the end. Make sure it doesn't get too warm while mixing (hence the ice water), but you might have to put it in the fridge halfway through too.

Another trick you can try is mixing the fat and meat together and regrinding it a second time with either the same plate or smaller depending on the final texture you are going for. This is similar to using a tumbler in that it starts the development of the myosin and binding the fat and meat together. Grinding the fat through a smaller plate than the meat also helps but doesn't suit every sausage type.

What kind of binder are you talking about? Skim milk powder or something? Though necessary for some types of sausages it should be possible to make them without so I think your problem is with your technique. Try the fat salting tip I mentioned in my previous post. This should also help the mix come together.

The connective tissue in deer should also act as a binder (collagen), so make sure you have enough of this in your mix for regular sausages (not salami). Normally this isn't a problem but if you trim too much or happen to be using a pure hind roast it might happen.

[Swamp hunter]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

^This sounds like an awesome idea!!!! I may just try that with a tube or 2. I would assume that you then just vacuum pack and freeze the pucks?

Mmmmmm..... Sausage Patties!!!

J.

Yes vacuum pack afterwards sometimes with a square of wax paper wrapped around each patty to maintain shape while vacuuming if pattys are still a little soft.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Swamp hunter

Yes vacuum pack afterwards sometimes with a square of wax paper wrapped around each patty to maintain shape while vacuuming if pattys are still a little soft.

I'm thinking small batches. Just enough to make me want more. Slice the patties, freeze until more solid on parchment/wax paper and cookie sheets, then vaccum pack.

Thanks for the great idea Swamp Hunter!

J.

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[Swamp hunter]

Halfords makes a donair mix also....just shape the meat in bread loaf pans, firm up infreezer and package. Pull em out and bake....deer donairs.

[Huntingonthebrain]

I just made summer sausage and it turned out awesome.

I mixed 70% deer and 30% ground pork from Costco. Smoked and cooked in the Traeger.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

I'm thinking small batches. Just enough to make me want more. Slice the patties, freeze until more solid on parchment/wax paper and cookie sheets, then vaccum pack.

Thanks for the great idea Swamp Hunter!

J.

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I have a bandsaw so I use a split PVC. Tape the two halves of pipe together, stuff, freeze solid, pry off pipe and slice the patties on the saw. Package and put back in freezer


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[stc77]

I know it may be overkill, but we buy the long pork tenderloins from Costco. They are around $25 and we grind that up with all the deer/elk burger we process ourselves. Used to buy pork shoulders, but we find that the tenderloins give us more meat for less as we are not paying for any bone weight. And it is delicious.

[Desert Eagle]

We also only use pork meat to blend in at 20-30%. Helps give it some moisture, but the whole point of game meat is to stay away from the large amounts of fat on domestic animals.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Swamp hunter

Halfords makes a donair mix also....just shape the meat in bread loaf pans, firm up infreezer and package. Pull em out and bake....deer donairs.

I have a recipe for caseless game salami that makes its own rind when cooked. I make a salami rolls 3 to 4 inches thick and 10 inches long. Made with elk or deer it reminds me of donair meat. It can be shaved lengthwise just like donair meat too.

[Gifted Intuitive]

I use extra virgin olive oil instead of animal fat.