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

[Wetwoodshunter]

I go to Costco and buy pork bellies. I run the pork bellies through my grinder and mix it in with the meat, the amount I cut it with depends on what I am doing with the meat. For hamburger I use about 5% mixed in just enough to get it to stick together better for cooking, for sausages and stuff I cut it 15-20% to help keep a real juicy texture. If I'm making ground jerky, I do not add in anything else other than seasoning.

I have tried pork butts, beef fat, pig fat, and pork bellies to mix in. My favorite is the pork bellies, they are cheap and great quality.

[Chesapeake]

The hard waxy beef fat you get in bulk is maybe the best for not changing the flavor of the game but it needs to be ground fine so it can blend and melt in well. Pork fat blends and melts in very well but to me adds a sweeter flavor and hides the game meat flavor easily. I like pork for cooking sausage and beef for cured eat cold type sausage. I can go either way for ground meat, but prefer some fat added. To me deer and elk burger is very firm and dry if no fat is added.

Burger cut with some pepperoni seasoning is good as is burger cut with powered Ranch dressing.

My preference.
Burger:
9# deer to 1# smoked bacon is good and easy.
Pork butt/pork shoulder at 8-12% is good.
10-12% beef fat ground fine is good.

Cured sausage:
15-25% pork or beef fat

Freezer sausage:
20-30% pork fat

[Taco280AI]

I bought some ribeye steaks and grounded them up with the deer. Haven't tried it yet but bet it'll be good.

[Stump]

I do not mix anything with my burger I grind myself. If I do it is bear meat I add to the grind. Then I know what is going into it. all natural..

[NRA4LIFE]

That can't suck.

[fish vacuum]

I don't add any fat.

[NOCK NOCK]

Lots of folks like the add bacon thing..... Do yourself a HUGE favor before you go "all in" with adding bacon. Try adding bacon to just a few pounds of grind to make sure you like it.   I learned this the hard way, ended up giving away all of my burger.

I love bacon, but for me certain foods should not taste like bacon. Spaghetti, tacos, lasagna to name a few. 

PS, I use the trimmings from above the crown on prime ribs.....readily available for 2 weeks before Christmas.
 

[Bantams]

We raise our own pigs every year - so I grind 10% pork back fat into the venison. 
In the past I have purchased back fat from Skagit River Ranch and Samish Bay - both are organic, and both sell at multiple Seattle farmers market locations.
Beef fat would be more appropriate (being a ruminant), but it is far harder to find quality beef fat.  The back fat/lard does not add any noticeable porky flavor, but does create a wonderful texture and richness.

I use closer to 25% pork fat when making venison sausage.

[Bean Counter]

Nothing. I've been processing my own harvests for almost a decade and don't add fat when I grind and wrap.  Fat only gets added once thawed and its time to cook.

[highside74]

I bought some ribeye steaks and grounded them up with the deer. Haven't tried it yet but bet it'll be good.

The fat from the ribeye is excellent flavor in wild game. I used ribeye fat for my sons deer this year bought from a local butcher for $2 a pound. Also if you ask your grocery butcher when they are cutting ribeyes next to save you the trimmed fat you can get it for cheap.

[lokidog]

Another vote for nothing, use a smaller grinding plate and it will hold together fine. You can also then add any flavors at the time, bacon flavored spaghetti might be gross.... ;-)

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[NRA4LIFE]

That's what I'm thinking, Loki.  I may try the bacon thing with only a small amount for burgers only. 

[xX Let ER Rip Xx]

Bacon ends and pieces........ 

[steeliedrew]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Seems like bacon, or no fat at all both have a strong following.

[7mmfan]

And the bacon flavor is not strong. It's there but subtle. I use that burger in all my meals (burgers, chili, spaghetti, lasagna, meatloaf, tacos, etc...) all good, no complaints.