What to use for Fat Content-Ground Venison

[mrgroundblind]

To all the grinders out there...

I know many (including MC's recipes) for ground venison include adding 50% ground chuck to get your fat content right. My in-laws own a steakhouse and I can get all the fat trims from standing rib roasts that I want. Would this be a suitable sub for ground chuck? Would the taste/texture be right?

Thanks in advance for letting me know your thoughts/experience. We're grinding next weekend and I am curious if I can stick with my original plan or if I need to buy some chuck at Sam's.

BTW, this will be used as hamburger, not link or pan sausage. Thanks again...

[mesquitecountry]

Just make sure it is not surface or (hard fat). If it crumbles easily in your hands and is extremely dry even at room temperature. I wouldnt recommend adding more than 10% of any kind of straight fat. It breaks down easily and will easiliy just boil out of your meat while cooking as it has little bind to it. For hamburger you should be okay. Just remember to keep it to 10% of your formula or less.

The cap off of a rib roast does contain a vast amount of true hard fat so just be careful. But if you want to grind up rib roast (or ribeyes) go nuts! You'll have some awesome high dollar eats!

Me personally I like my sausage or hamburger content to be right around 15-20%. Just my opinion. Most hamburger and sausage you get from a retail or barbecue establishment will run 22-30% fat.

[mrgroundblind]

Travis,

So, would it be better to just buy some chuck and be done with it? Trust me, I am not grinding ANY ribeyes, only asking about the cap as you said. It's a by-product for my in-laws and their steakhouse so I thought I might try as it's free. I definitely don't want to ruin a whole batch of ground venison just because I was trying to save a few bucks.

Let me know...thanks again.

[Snakelover]

I guess I am a purist when it comes to venison. To me it's almost blasphemous to speak of adding fat to this glorious meat of the gods. One of the things I love about venison is it's very lean. I would never even think of contaminating my venison with beef! There are plenty of recipes where lean ground venison is awesome and no fat is needed or desired. I don't make hamburgers out of venison. When I want a hamburger, I use ground beef.

[mesquitecountry]

I think you're overall product turns out better if you use chuck. But if it's free go for it. NO sense in wasting it.

[mrgroundblind]

I guess I am a purist when it comes to venison. To me it's almost blasphemous to speak of adding fat to this glorious meat of the gods. One of the things I love about venison is it's very lean. I would never even think of contaminating my venison with beef! There are plenty of recipes where lean ground venison is awesome and no fat is needed or desired. I don't make hamburgers out of venison. When I want a hamburger, I use ground beef.

Ummm...OK.

[Bowanta]

I guess I am a purist when it comes to venison. To me it's almost blasphemous to speak of adding fat to this glorious meat of the gods. One of the things I love about venison is it's very lean. I would never even think of contaminating my venison with beef! There are plenty of recipes where lean ground venison is awesome and no fat is needed or desired. I don't make hamburgers out of venison. When I want a hamburger, I use ground beef.

Amen, Snakelover..

But if I was going to add anything to my venison, it would be boneless pork shoulders. Not Boston Butts, but boneless Picnics. Especially if I am making sausage. Adds the fat and a little pork to add to the flavor.
Just my $0.02..

[eradicator]

I also use straight ground venison for chili, spaghetti, taco meat, hamburgers, etc. If cooking burgers with straight venison, I usually add some bread crumbs or an egg or something to help it hold together. The only time I add anything to venison is when making sausage. When I make sausage, it's straight pork fat from the butcher shop mixed at 15-18%. Some like a higher fat content, but it tends to get a little greasy for me(I know that's hard to believe if you look at me).

[mrgroundblind]

I also use straight ground venison for chili, spaghetti, taco meat, hamburgers, etc. If cooking burgers with straight venison, I usually add some bread crumbs or an egg or something to help it hold together. The only time I add anything to venison is when making sausage. When I make sausage, it's straight pork fat from the butcher shop mixed at 15-18%. Some like a higher fat content, but it tends to get a little greasy for me(I know that's hard to believe if you look at me).

Thank you eradicator. I appreciate it. This is the first time that I have ground my own and I appreciate the guidance.

[Dale Moser]

I don't add anything to mine either, but it's personal preference as far as that goes.


I was just curious what steakhouse your in-laws own?

[mrgroundblind]

I don't add anything to mine either, but it's personal preference as far as that goes.


I was just curious what steakhouse your in-laws own?

Thanks Dale. They own Texas Red's Steakhouse in San Marcos, TX. There's another family owned one in Red River, NM. Sorry D-Mo, no discounts at Silver Fox or Del Frisco's are in store. Come to San Marcos and beers are on me. I promise you'll not be disappointed with the food either...

chad

[kingfish007]

I prefer my ground meat with no added fat, but I like about 20% beef fat for making hamburgers hold together. Our sausage meat gets cut 50/50 with pork butts or picnics.

[mrgroundblind]

I prefer my ground meat with no added fat, but I like about 20% beef fat for making hamburgers hold together. Our sausage meat gets cut 50/50 with pork butts or picnics.

Thanks again!

[switchback]

We used to go to Kroger and buy a few pounds of beef fat from the butcher. Send it thru the grinder and then mix it in as your gringing your venison. That was for ground to make meat loaf, hamburger, etc. Now days, I don't add any fat to it. But like Snakelover said, I don't make burgers out of it anymore either.

[glrae]

I have been grinding my own meat for over 30 years and we have tried everything from 0% - 20% fat in both beef and pork. I prefer 10% beef fat in all my ground deer meat. We rarely cook hamburgers using venison but when I do I usually add some bread crumbs and/or egg to keep it together.

If you cook venison without any fat, you have to use a good bit of oil to prevent it from sticking and scorching.

I am planning the try the brisket thing next time that I saw on another thread.