Venison summer sausage is indeed sensationally savory. This yummy sausage is full of protein and low in fat. The best part is you can keep them fresh for the whole summer.
However, when you start making sausages with venison – it can be a problem as there is very little fat content to act as the binding agent. So, you may ask, how much pork fat to add to venison sausage?
So, if you’re stuck wondering how much pork fat to add to venison sausage, you should be adding about 80% of venison and 20% of pork fat. You can certainly use more than 20% fat, but to stay under the “healthy” radar, don’t go over 40%. With the right ratio, you’ll get delicious venison sausage.
Keep reading below to learn more about venison sausages and adding fat!
How Much Pork Fat To Add To Venison Sausage?
If you’re making venison sausage at home, it’s best to purchase lean pork because most venison is already well-trimmed.
Ground pork, however, can add flavor and moisture to your sausage, but it won’t add much fat. Besides, it’s better to use cubed pork rather than bacon.
Pork fat is the most common type of fat to add to venison sausage. While it’s important to use fat from the back of the animal, this can also be obtained from the belly.
However, the back fat is typically higher in fat content than belly fat, making it the best choice for venison sausage. In addition to flavor, the fat in your sausage is good for you!
However, what are the pork fat and venison ratio? It’s 80% venison and 20% pork fat. Yes, you can use more fat; however, that won’t be a healthy addition.
But, don’t go above 40% pork fat if you want your venison summer sausage fattier. Or else, you will invite numerous unwanted health conditions with taste and flavor.
If you’re wondering which summer sausage suits you best, follow the table below to determine!
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How To Make Venison Sausage
When you want to make a sausage with venison, choose a pork cut that is 20% fat. Pork fat is great for venison sausages, but meat with a higher percentage will cause you to feel lethargic after eating it.
Below is a step-by-step method to make venison sausage at home:
- Once the meat is cut into small pieces, prepare the ingredients.
- You can then use a meat grinder to grind the meat and fat together.
- The first run of the grinder should be coarse, then switch to the next with the medium grind plate.
- Then, portion the meat into storage bags, and store it in the freezer until it’s ready to use. Lastly, marinate it before grilling it!
How To Make Venison Sausage Tips
Grinding venison is easy and delicious. However, it’s important to ensure that the meat is fresh and not frozen. You may also want to cut the meat into small chunks because large chunks will clog the grinder. In addition to fine-ground venison, you can also use meat tallow or fat to make chili or burgers.
The conventional ratio for venison to pork fat is 80/20. A higher ratio will make the sausages excessively greasy. So, we recommend experimenting with different ratios until you find one that works.
Just make sure you don’t exceed the 50% mark – you may end up with too greasy and dry sausages. So, don’t forget to mix the two types of meat well, and you’ll be good to go!
What Is The Fat-To-Meat Ratio For Sausage?
So what’s the right ratio of meat to fat when making a sausage? While there’s no hard and fast rule, there are some good guidelines to remember when figuring out the right ratio.
1. Find Out Fat Content
To find the right ratio for your sausage; you should first calculate the fat content of the meat. Most sausages are made from pork belly and fat. Fats in the sausages serve many roles, including transferring flavors to the meat.
First, know the amount of fat in the meat you’re using. Most meat labels will tell you how much fat is in 100 grams of meat. If the label says 11g of fat per 100 grams of meat, meat is 11% fat.
Without fat, sausages may be dry or taste bland. The ideal fat-to-meat ratio is around 20%. To ensure a balanced taste, add lean meat to the mix. Make your sausage – it’s easy and fun!
2. Meat Cut
If you want sausage with high-fat content, make sure to choose the right cut of meat. A great starting point for beef sausages is chuck, which comes from the shoulder.
If this is not enough fat, add fattier cuts of beef. Some meats need extra fat for sausage production, such as game meat.
When choosing the meat, you can also select shoulder or belly. Both meats have a 70 percent Visual Lean percentage, meaning they contain 70% lean meat and 30% fat. This percentage can be a good starting point.
Shoulder meat is fatter than the belly, but you can mix the fattier parts of the shoulder with leaner ones and still achieve the desired 70 percent VL.
Remember to choose a sausage grinder designed to grind meat properly when choosing the meat to fat ratio. You can find the best sausage grinders below:
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3. Fine or Coarse Grind
A fine-grind grind is best for breakfast sausage, while coarse-grinding produces a more dense and tougher sausage.
While you might think that the ratio of fat to meat is the best for your sausage, it can vary depending on the quality of your meat.
Avoid overmixing the meat, as this could lead to pasty meat. Also, frictional heat can affect the quality of your sausage.
How To Store Venison Breakfast Sausages
When making venison breakfast sausage, you can freeze it in one-pound portions. They can be stored in the deep freezer for up to a week.
When preparing for a family gathering, venison breakfast sausage is ideal for serving your family. With a little planning, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for the whole week! However, you can always freeze the leftovers to enjoy whenever you want!
Once the meat is ground and mixed, it’s time to stuff it into the casings. Be sure not to over-fill the casings, making the sausage look baggy.
It’s also important not to overfill the casings with the meat. Otherwise, it will be hard to tie, so keep the casings loosely in place. Cooking time depends on the size of the sausages, but if it’s more than three feet long, it’s OK.
Pork fat adds flavor and juiciness, while venison retains its natural leanness. If you’re making snack sticks out of them, add some pork fat to enhance the flavor.
How Much Fat Do You Add To Deer Summer Sausage?
When making deer summer sausage, the question of how much fat to add is common. The correct ratio varies from recipe to recipe, but there is a general rule of thumb.
If you’re unsure how much fat to add, experiment a bit. Start with a combination of fatback, pork trimmings, and venison. You can add up to half the pork fat, depending on your preference. However, keeping the fat content from 20%-40% is the best choice.
To make venison sausage at home, grind the meat as finely as possible. You don’t want your sausage to be chewy or tough, or you’ll end up with a mess. A quality meat binder can make all the difference. Using natural casing is best.
FAQ’s:
- Can you add pork fat to venison?
Typically, venison is mixed with pork fat to make sausage. But if you are looking for a less-fat option, you can add vegetables.
Vegetables have a lot of moisture and can be a great substitute for pork fat. But be aware that frozen vegetables will not add as much flavor as fresh ones. The best way to mix the two types of meat is to use a meat grinder.
Final Word
Venison sausage is the perfect protein-packed food for you. Making it and eating it both are pleasurable. However, one question that many ask is how much pork fat to add to venison sausage.
To make venison sausage, you will need about 20% pork fat. It will add flavor and juiciness to the sausage.
While you can add more or less pork fat, adding too much can make the sausage greasy. So, experiment with different amounts to find the perfect ratio for your taste.
