For those who grind your own meat...what fat do you use?

[DeerThug]

I use the fat that was on the animal - deer or elk.  In particular the big plate of fat off of the back.  The best is November idaho whitetails...

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I added nothing this year.  Seems pointless to take good wild game meat and add junk from the butcher.  Bacon, depending on how it's done. If it's smoked. Adds a lot of flavor.  Good on a burger. Not so good on a spaghetti. Or a taco. Or a lasagna.  My wife adds breadcrumbs and egg w all the spices.  I seem to like the course grind on mine.  The finer plate makes it mushy.  Good for snack stick and breakfast links but the course grind seems to hold/eat better for burger patties. 

[SuperX]

in the old days we used grade A beef suet and lean pork shoulder, but since moving from the Midwest, I haven't used anything at all.  Beef suet is pretty much tasteless and if you have left over, you can cut slits in roasts and shove shavings of it inside the roast for more moisture.

[grundy53]

Another vote for not adding fat.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

[KFhunter]

Looking to make my own venison burger and breakfast sausage this year. With as clean and organic venison is it just doesn't make sense to mix in grain fed, antibiotic and hormone filled fat.  Anybody have a good source for organic grass fed fat? How bout using some good quality bacon like Hemplers uncured? Or how bout grinding without added fat and just using an egg to mix with the grind when you're about to make some patties?

Drew

http://grasslandbeef.com/


I haven't used them personally but I've heard some good things from online sources and they appear to offer what you want.

[Damnimissed]

I used to use 10% beef and it was decent. I've tried uncured bacon and it turned out horrible.Now I use no fat. Patties hold together just fine and it tastes better than any other way I've tried. I should add, this has only been with blacktails and Rosies.

[highmuley]

I buy bacon ends and pieces from Freddie's to mix with my burger for making patties.
Mix 10-12% bacon and make partied before freezing.
The rest I just grind game and put into 1 lb burger tubes.

That's an awesome idea! I'm gonna try that. We used pork fat and seasoning. We made sausage instead of burger.

[NW SURVEYOR]

I add one third total weight pork butts.
It is fairly inexpensive, stretches out the quantity, adds just the right consistency and tastes great.
30 #s of venison is now 40# of Great Burger.
Holds together and the wife is more likely to use it for BBQs etc.
I double grind.
 

[northwesthunter84]

Ribeye trimmings from the butcher, fine grind, course grind the venison. Mix in the fat, course grind together then fine grind. 90/10 for burger. If I had a bear for sausage i would go 60/40 but pork belly is the other option without bear. For sausage 2 course grinds is all I do.

[davk]

I don't put any fat in my burger meat.  Did my own sausages for the first time this year.  I used pork shoulder and have no complaints.  If you can I would split up your meat and do a few batches and see what you like best.

[huntnnw]

Bacon goes only into burger that's is for making patties for the bbq.. rest is ground with none or beef.. Will never use pork fat in burger as it spoils much faster and needs to be cooked fully

[carpsniperg2]

Makes tasty meatballs and meat loaf as well

[Buzz2401]

I use 20% pork butt for my burger and 35-45% for brats, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, and pepperoni.  I do not like deer or elk without some fat added.  All we eat is deer, elk and fish so it has to be appetizing to my wife and I.  To each their own though.  I also try and get as much blood squeezed out of burger before I cook it because that blood is the source of most of the gamey taste.

[huntingbaldguy]

We like beef fat for most, but a little pork fat for a couple things my wife makes.  Beef fat lasts longer in the freezer.

[luvmystang67]

I always use pork shoulder but recently have started doing 15-20% bacon ends from Fred Meyer as mentioned once above.  Makes an AMAZING patty burger.  Smells a little odd when you open the package up due to the bacon content, but cooked up on the BBQ they're absolutely amazing.  I do pork shoulder at 20% for when I don't want the bacon taste.  I do some without any fat added for taco meat, spaghetti, lasagna, etc (and it makes the processing a lot easier)