Moose fat

[280rem]

Breaking down a moose last fall, it had a very thick layer of fat (which is probably fairly common). Trimming a lot of it off, my wife and I speculated that some people probably save that fat and use it. Just wondering if anyone saves and uses the fat? The small amounts that was still on meat I cooked seemed to have a pretty decent flavor. Wondering if anyone has mixed the moose fat into their grind meat? I always add nothing to ground meat, but the prospect of the moose fat seems intriguing. I know with whitetail deer if it’s white it gets trimmed, but maybe I’m missing something on other species. Thanks for any insight.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

My one and only moose had almost no fat whatsoever. This was in WA, early November cow. Made for easy trimming. Although, I wished I'd have save more of the bones for stock. The meat was like grass fed beef to the taste.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I wouldn't mix moose fat in with your ground meat, especially NOT the fat from a bull. Intestinal fat might be another matter, but I would definitely NOT use the waxy fat that's covering body parts. Stick with beef fat or, if you're not Jewish or Muslim, pork fat.

 

[keller]

Is it fat or is it tallow like whitetail or elk? I Never use tallow in meat spoils it. I use beef fat to mix in burger

 

[Chumsnagger]

We render the fat around the kidneys, makes for great moose meat pie crusts. Not so much for blueberry pie crusts. Month of harvest makes a big difference in how many qts you will get.

 

[SquatchN]

What percentage of beef or pork fat are you adding to your ground meat?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

10%

 

[280rem]

I just personally can’t see why anyone would take the most incredible organic meat on the planet (elk, moose, caribou, antelope, etc) and add crap to it they have no idea where it’s from or what’s in it. Like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest oil in it you can find. Just my opinion. Love having burger that doesn’t need drained when you brown it.

 

[AKDoc]

We render the fat around the kidneys, makes for great moose meat pie crusts. Not so much for blueberry pie crusts. Month of harvest makes a big difference in how many qts you will get.View attachment 581873

Well done sir...thank you for sharing that.

 

[307ArrowSlinger]

Breaking down a moose last fall, it had a very thick layer of fat (which is probably fairly common). Trimming a lot of it off, my wife and I speculated that some people probably save that fat and use it. Just wondering if anyone saves and uses the fat? The small amounts that was still on meat I cooked seemed to have a pretty decent flavor. Wondering if anyone has mixed the moose fat into their grind meat? I always add nothing to ground meat, but the prospect of the moose fat seems intriguing. I know with whitetail deer if it’s white it gets trimmed, but maybe I’m missing something on other species. Thanks for any insight.

Never kept any, will be interested to keep some in the future

Breaking down a moose last fall, it had a very thick layer of fat (which is probably fairly common). Trimming a lot of it off, my wife and I speculated that some people probably save that fat and use it. Just wondering if anyone saves and uses the fat? The small amounts that was still on meat I cooked seemed to have a pretty decent flavor. Wondering if anyone has mixed the moose fat into their grind meat? I always add nothing to ground meat, but the prospect of the moose fat seems intriguing. I know with whitetail deer if it’s white it gets trimmed, but maybe I’m missing something on other species. Thanks for any insight.

Never had it but interested to try some

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I just personally can’t see why anyone would take the most incredible organic meat on the planet (elk, moose, caribou, antelope, etc) and add crap to it they have no idea where it’s from or what’s in it. Like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest oil in it you can find. Just my opinion. Love having burger that doesn’t need drained when you brown it.

It's too lean otherwise.

 

[OrangeMan73]

I just personally can’t see why anyone would take the most incredible organic meat on the planet (elk, moose, caribou, antelope, etc) and add crap to it they have no idea where it’s from or what’s in it. Like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest oil in it you can find. Just my opinion. Love having burger that doesn’t need drained when you brown it.

Agreed. I never add to my ground.

 

[280rem]

It's too lean otherwise.

Have you tried without? It’s healthier without, that’s for sure.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Have you tried without?

Yes, I have.

 

[fishslap]

I made soap out of my whitetail fat last year. Easy and came out great. Still have some left for candles.

 

[Nooksack]

Yes. Always on younger bulls. Older ones just fry some up and taste it. Use the organ fat, and or rib fat. The rump is usually not as tasty. It makes some of the best burgers, I mix some of those heavier than 10% just to get the fat dripping into the grill to get that delicious smoky flavor.

 

[akcabin]

We mix our burger 10-15% beef fat. It's so lean that it won't hold together when you cook it otherwise. Use port fat when making brats and sausages. I'm going to start using the bone marrow more. Cut the knuckles off the femer bones and use them.
I would like to know who keeps the liver, tongue n such and how you prepare them.

 

[AKBC]

We mix our burger 10-15% beef fat. It's so lean that it won't hold together when you cook it otherwise. Use port fat when making brats and sausages. I'm going to start using the bone marrow more. Cut the knuckles off the femer bones and use them.
I would like to know who keeps the liver, tongue n such and how you prepare them.

I had bison tongue once and it was cooked in a pressure cooker until tender, the outer "skin" layer peeled off then eaten like a pot roast. I had caribou tongue cooked for taco meat but it wasnt pressure cooked/cooked long enough and was chewy but tasty. I need to cook up those moose tongues I have!

 

[william schmaltz]

I just personally can’t see why anyone would take the most incredible organic meat on the planet (elk, moose, caribou, antelope, etc) and add crap to it they have no idea where it’s from or what’s in it. Like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest oil in it you can find. Just my opinion. Love having burger that doesn’t need drained when you brown it.

My wife especially thinks along the same lines. It makes it very easy to go moose hunting every year. She practically looks at it as a necessity. It's pretty easy to find local grass only beef fat. There are several here that sell their fat scraps including a farm co-op. We already have ours ordered to make burger this fall. Typically do around 5-8%.

The only wild game fat I can stomach is a good bear or spring musk ox. We grew up cooking with only lard, so I'm very sensitive to it. This is about half of what I can get from a musk ox, the other half was used for soaps and balms (my wife's department, I know nothing about that process).


As far as liver, we freeze dry it into a powder and just add a small scoop to most meals. You don't even know it's there. I love eating and making liver sausage, but anything other than pork is too strong for me. My days of eating tongue are behind me. Unless my dad needs me to save em to make a batch of head cheese. Still prefer pork for that too.

 

[fishslap]

I just personally can’t see why anyone would take the most incredible organic meat on the planet (elk, moose, caribou, antelope, etc) and add crap to it they have no idea where it’s from or what’s in it. Like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest oil in it you can find. Just my opinion. Love having burger that doesn’t need drained when you brown it.

I used to be a purist but grilling burgers wasn’t great and I consider myself an excellent wild game cook. We started mixing in local pork fat from a farm down the road. Certainly not crap. Killer burgers and nice to have an option with a bit of fat in the meat. Our animal protein diet at home has been 99% self procured wild game and fish for over a decade. We ate well over 50lb of elk burger last year and will do the same this year on muley and whitetail.