Scrap for sausage?
11-20-2014, 12:28 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
Scrap for sausage?
I have yet to make sausage except for once. Mostly because the only meat grinder I have is the old attachment for the Kitchen Aid.
What I want to know is how much of the "junk" do you need to trim out of the meat before grinding? Sinew, etc. This is probably the other reason I haven't made much sausage…I don't have much patience after a quartering and butchering to be meticulous about getting "meat only" out of my scrap.
What I want to know is how much of the "junk" do you need to trim out of the meat before grinding? Sinew, etc. This is probably the other reason I haven't made much sausage…I don't have much patience after a quartering and butchering to be meticulous about getting "meat only" out of my scrap.
11-23-2014, 06:17 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
I trim most the sinew and most the fat out. It is almost impossible to get it all out unless you have a lot of time on your hands. I like to mix a little pork fat with mine when I grind it to keep it from being too dry. Normally I put about 3/4 a lb of fat per 5 lbs of venison.
Normally I'll make 20-25 lbs of sausage a year. I vacuum pack it and freeze it in 1 lb packages in the bulk form. I don't bother with links or casings myself.
Normally I'll make 20-25 lbs of sausage a year. I vacuum pack it and freeze it in 1 lb packages in the bulk form. I don't bother with links or casings myself.
11-23-2014, 07:08 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,428
Deer fat not only tastes like crap and will ruin your sausage flavor, it also has a texture that will clog your grinder and sinew isn't chewable. As Flags said, use some fatty pork in the mix, 25 percent or so to keep it from being too dry.
11-24-2014, 03:47 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The "empire" state-NY
Posts: 583
I grew up behind the counter in a butchershop, we made a lot of sausage!
It was only natural that I stuffed venison into casings; used to make 100 lbs per year at one point-hot,sweet, apple-pear, garlic-chipotle,etc.
Those little kitchenaid grinders have some oomph but aren't really what you want for making several pounds.
Trimming the silverskin is the key to easy grinding. They key to trimming is a sharp knife.
Generally, I'd use the shoulders and some of the hind for sausage; obviously the shoulders require more trimming. Having done it so much, it's pretty quick- an hour or so to get a deer cut & wrapped. It helps to have a tenderloin in the skillet!
Personally, I like venison fat's flavor and throw some in as well with pork.
My regimen was a double course grind in a hand cranker- once each pork and venison, then together.
It was only natural that I stuffed venison into casings; used to make 100 lbs per year at one point-hot,sweet, apple-pear, garlic-chipotle,etc.
Those little kitchenaid grinders have some oomph but aren't really what you want for making several pounds.
Trimming the silverskin is the key to easy grinding. They key to trimming is a sharp knife.
Generally, I'd use the shoulders and some of the hind for sausage; obviously the shoulders require more trimming. Having done it so much, it's pretty quick- an hour or so to get a deer cut & wrapped. It helps to have a tenderloin in the skillet!
Personally, I like venison fat's flavor and throw some in as well with pork.
My regimen was a double course grind in a hand cranker- once each pork and venison, then together.
Last edited by ModernPrimitive; 11-24-2014 at 03:50 PM.
11-25-2014, 08:37 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alberta Canada
Posts: 1,081
As already stated, trim as much as possible, or you will be spending more time taking your grinder apart to clean the knife than making sausage. I use 5 pounds pork per 25 deer or elk. Spices are your own preference, but garlic and pepper is a staple at my place.
