Post by: DoubleJ on August 04, 2011, 07:24:12 AM
1. If I get a bear down and have to freeze the meat before I can get enough pork to make sausage, is it OK to freeze the meat and thaw it out later to grind the sausage and then refreeze?
2. What cut of pork do I get to mix with the bear to make sausage?
Post by: pianoman9701 on August 04, 2011, 07:33:41 AM
Post by: DoubleJ on August 04, 2011, 07:39:10 AM
It's fine to freeze meat that you'll grind later. It's easier when thawing if you cut it into smaller pieces before freezing. Adding pork fat will help you make great sausage. Trim all of the bear fat away and add about 40% pork fat by weight. Example: 30 lbs bear meat, 20% pork fat.
Just fat? I thought I had to add pork meat as well. I heard 20%, i.e. 50lbs of bear meat + 10lbs of pork meat/fat. I was hoping to be able to go to costco and buy a pork shoulder and throw that in with the bear meat and mix it all up. Will this end up being too lean?
Post by: pianoman9701 on August 04, 2011, 07:46:57 AM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on August 04, 2011, 07:51:14 AM
Post by: kckrawler on August 04, 2011, 08:15:03 AM
Post by: Echomules on August 04, 2011, 10:58:58 AM
Enjoy!
Post by: Buckmark on August 04, 2011, 11:05:40 AM
Post by: shedcrazy on August 04, 2011, 11:07:52 AM
Last bear we did 50/50 with the pork. Great breakfast sausage, even better on the grill as sausage burgers.
Enjoy!
X10 on the breakfast burger's. They are so good off the grill. Iv'e had brott's and summer sausage, and they make the best pepperoni. You can cure up the hams also!
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 04, 2011, 11:09:46 AM
There was 36lbs of Bear meat and BTKR brought over a 6lbs pork shoulder. We ended up with about 42lbs of Sausage. It was plenty moist.
Post by: DoubleJ on August 04, 2011, 11:25:44 AM
Billythekidrock and I just got done making sausage out of the Bear meat I brought home this spring. I butchered it and cut all the sausage meat into 1" - 2" pieces and filled 1 gallon zip lock bags with about 5lbs of meat in each. Push all the air out and lay them flat in the freezer with out stacking them.
There was 36lbs of Bear meat and BTKR brought over a 6lbs pork shoulder. We ended up with about 42lbs of Sausage. It was plenty moist.
That's more the ratio I was looking at. At that ratio, is it a good all around mix? I'm looking to turn 2/3 into unseasoned sausage (I can season it for whatever application I'll use it for before I use it) and 1/3 into brats.
Post by: sebek556 on August 04, 2011, 11:42:01 AM
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 04, 2011, 11:58:33 AM
Bear meat isn't like Deer or Elk meat. Deer and Elk are a much leaner meat and require more Pork Fat when making Sausage IMO. Bear meat has a lot more fat/grease in the meat. It requires less Pork Fat added.
When doing hamburger out of Deer I like to add a small amount of pork fat to it.
Post by: pianoman9701 on August 04, 2011, 12:55:07 PM
Double J. Your just going to have to expirement. What works for one may not work for another. The sausage me and BTKR made IMO is some of the best so far we have done.
Bear meat isn't like Deer or Elk meat. Deer and Elk are a much leaner meat and require more Pork Fat when making Sausage IMO. Bear meat has a lot more fat/grease in the meat. It requires less Pork Fat added.
When doing hamburger out of Deer I like to add a small amount of pork fat to it.
Look at her picture. Listen to Michelle!
Post by: uplandhunter870 on August 04, 2011, 07:07:50 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on August 04, 2011, 08:23:35 PM
i use a 60/40 mix of bear to pork shoulder. i made the majority of last years bear into pepperoni and with that mix ratio it came out great, everyone ive given some all have loved it and didnt believe me when i told them it was bear pepperoni
This is our ratio on sausage too, about 60wild/40pork shoulder or butt.... We make large links and smoke them, then freeze or pressure can.