Deer Brats

[Dedduc]

What's everyone's ratio of pork to deer for brats? I do 50% pork butts to 50% deer.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I did closer to 70/30 and they were fine, but I would try to get closer to 50/50 next time

 

[SuperDUECE22]

70 venison
30 pork

 

[camping1601]

50-50 making sure to have at least 20% fat.

 

[mlevimadden]

I just did a batch with 75% elk and 25% beef fat. They turned out pretty well but still just a touch lean. I think 70/30 lean to fat ratio on brats is ideal.

 

[Logan1234]

70 venison
30 pork

Where do you get decent fat from

 

[mlevimadden]

Where do you get decent fat from

Call around to local butcher shops and ask for pork backfat. There will usually be very little meat on it and almost all fat.

I'm in an expensive metro area and the butchers usually charge somewhere between $2 to $4 per pound depending on the shop.

 

[Logan1234]

Call around to local butcher shops and ask for pork backfat. There will usually be very little meat on it and almost all fat.

I'm in an expensive metro area and the butchers usually charge somewhere between $2 to $4 per pound depending on the shop.

Have you found pork fat to be best? I have good access to good beef fat from a Greer butcher

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Where do you get decent fat from

backfat from butcher is best but most times we just buy pork shoulders.

 

[Logan1234]

backfat from butcher is best but most times we just buy pork shoulders.

Grind up the whole shoulder and use it? seems more cost effective

 

[mlevimadden]

Have you found pork fat to be best? I have good access to good beef fat from a Greer butcher

I prefer pork backfat. My preferred butcher was moving shop this fall, so that's why I was stuck with beef fat from another shop for my last batch of brats.

You'll definitely get some strange responses at first from the butchers. Just tell them you need fat to cut with wild game for grinding and they'll understand.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Grind up the whole shoulder and use it? seems more cost effective

We cut it up into smaller chunks and then mix it with the vension and then grind it all together.

 

[mlevimadden]

When I'm doing a batch burger at 90/10, I can add 5 lb of backfat to 45 lb of deer for example and only be out $10.

I don't know what pork shoulder is going for, but you'd need a lot more of it compared to fat, so I'd be very surprised if it was the same cost or cheaper.

Also, I want to eat the wild game I killed, cleaned, and butchered myself and minimize the other stuff going into it. It never made much sense to me to add 50% wild game to 50% costco meat but different strokes for different folks.

 

[Logan1234]

I prefer pork backfat. My preferred butcher was moving shop this fall, so that's why I was stuck with beef fat from another shop for my last batch of brats.

You'll definitely get some strange responses at first from the butchers. Just tell them you need fat to cut with wild game for grinding and they'll understand.

Local butcher is starting to process wild game and add their wagyu fat trimmings so I won’t be getting that for free anymore

 

[mlevimadden]

Local butcher is starting to process wild game and add their wagyu fat trimmings so I won’t be getting that for free anymore

If you were getting Wagyu trim for free, that was definitely a sweetheart deal. All good things must come to an end it seems....

 

[Logan1234]

If you were getting Wagyu trim for free, that was definitely a sweetheart deal. All good things must come to an end it seems....

May have to take him on a date or something

 

[HuntHarder]

Here in Phoenix, I call the local grocery store, either winco or Frys and ask them for beef fat. usually takes 24-48 hours, but they save all the trimmings and sell it to me for $.99 a lb. For brats I prefer pork fat because I cook brats to 165* anyway. For Burger I use Beef fat because I cook most of my burgers medium or140*ish. Ideal fat mixture for me on brats is somewhere close to 50/50.

 

[JeffP_Or]

@HuntHarder nailed it; go with these recommendations and you cannot fail.

I tried the pork shoulder route for some breakfast sausage and it was too lean to add as my fat content; I was working up a recipe and only needed small amounts which were available in pre-ground.

 

[Agross]

We always did 2/3 venison and 1/3 ground pork butts/shoulder. Chopped onion chopped green pepper and cheese. Then a can of beer to help mix and stuff. We would do 25 pound batches, so about 14lbs of venison , 6-7 lb of pork, and then about five pounds of cheese, onion and peppers. They turned out great.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

50-50 for me, venison-pork butt. I do not care for a dry brat.