Adding FAT

[the blur]

I have heard many many times people add FAT to Venison.  Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of eating healthy lean deer meat ?

I like my arties unclogged, and would NEVER add pork fat or beef fat to any venison recipe.

It just means we have to learn to cook it a different way.

[Bleitten04]

Me and my dad always used to add pork fat to our ground beef.  This year we got a little lazy and didn't.  Although it was good with the pork fat I also really like it without and enjoy the taste of just the plain venison.  Not adding the pork fat is probably how we will do it in the future.

[wooly]

You guys help yourself to the Farina and oatmeal.....I'm having venny breakfast sausage, 3 eggs- with yolks over easy, heavily buttered toast, and a strong cup of caffinated joe.

[Fitzy]

When I make ground venison I add a little beef fat just to keep it together. Maybe an 8 to 1 ratio. That amount doesn't alter the mild flavor but helps keep a burger in one piece if you don't poke at it too much.

[jr.deerslayer]

I have heard many many times people add FAT to Venison.  Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of eating healthy lean deer meat ?

I like my arties unclogged, and would NEVER add pork fat or beef fat to any venison recipe.

It just means we have to learn to cook it a different way.

We prefer to be actually able to enjoy it, we always add pork fat to the ground venison. I dont like to pretend i'm betty crooker, I just cook what tastes better, which is adding fat.

[Doewhacker]

You guys help yourself to the Farina and oatmeal.....I'm having venny breakfast sausage, 3 eggs- with yolks over easy, heavily buttered toast, and a strong cup of caffinated joe.

I'm with you on this one, live a little guys, you can allways do an extra excersize to make up for it.

[Bleitten04]

You guys help yourself to the Farina and oatmeal.....I'm having venny breakfast sausage, 3 eggs- with yolks over easy, heavily buttered toast, and a strong cup of caffinated joe.

I'm with you on this one, live a little guys, you can allways do an extra excersize to make up for it.

The reason I don't add fat is not because of health issues.  We just happened to be a bit lazy this year and not add it.  I think it is very delicious without the fat IMO and will not be putting it in for the future. 

[Caveman]

We add about 10% beef fat to our venison.  It's not as healthy but your burgers will actually hold together.

[Bleitten04]

I agree they do fall apart though if you don't add fat.  But I don't really care lol its all the same to me  !!!!

[Doewhacker]

I agree they do fall apart though if you don't add fat.  But I don't really care lol its all the same to me  !!!!

Thats right they all taste the same with Heinze 57 on top!

[HounderEmily]

The main reason for adding fat is that venison can be awfully dry without fat. That's why ground venison doesn't hold together. There are healthy ways to avoid adding fat and keep it a little moister--just about any grain soaked in water, or alcohol or fruit juice mixed in. 

I sometimes add an individual-size can of V8 juice to about 2 lbs of ground venison and a half cup of bread crumbs. For a meat loaf, rolled oats work well instead of bread crumbs.  Leftover cooked rice, barley, or corn meal will work also. Another thing you can add is an egg or milk or mayonaise--still some fat, but less than pork or beef..

[backstrapper]

It has nothing do for me with healthy or not.  My wife and I hate using a spoon to eat our burgers and without a little beef fat to tighten up the meat and to keep it moistened they burger just falls apart.  For the 7 types of sausage I make Ialways add pork fat.  It is just too dry without it and good luck making breakfast sausage patties that hold together without it.  But that's just us, to each their own, but life without some grease isn't life. haha

[WNYBuckHunter]

It has nothing do for me with healthy or not.  My wife and I hate using a spoon to eat our burgers and without a little beef fat to tighten up the meat and to keep it moistened they burger just falls apart.  For the 7 types of sausage I make Ialways add pork fat.  It is just too dry without it and good luck making breakfast sausage patties that hold together without it.  But that's just us, to each their own, but life without some grease isn't life. haha

Im the same way with mine. What meat I make burgers with, I cut in some boneless chuck roast, and with sausage I cut in some boneless center cut pork loin. It just helps to hold things together and keep them from drying out too easily. I also keep ground venison on its own for meatloaf, tacos, etc.

[First-light]

Just my opinion, but once years ago I had fat added to the chop meat and it changed the taste.  I will never have anything added to the meat, it tastes and cooks just fine.

[skyzmine]

fat and grease = taste  and I love that taste ;D

[jasons75]

I've been told that you have to add fat to venison when making sausage.... Not sure if that's true or not.. It makes sense because of how lean the meat is.

[NYDeer]

100% venison sausage will be dry, dry, dry.. Uncle was given a bunch years ago, and no cooking method could salvage it..

Personally, after processing the deer, Im a bit worn out by the time its sausage time.

I get 2 huge tubes of Jimmy Dean pork breakfast sausage from the club,

and mix another 2 parts of ground venison to it, and shape up patties.

Tastes great, and has the distinct venison flavor still..

[Pygmy]

Tastes vary.....

Plain ground venison is very dry and difficult to make into a burger...

For my BURGER, I always add some beef... Sometimes I use chunks of chuck or brisket, other times I add some 70-30 0r 80-20 ground beef...I use this for burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, chili, tacos, salami or any other dish that would call for ground beef..

I feel that most good pan sausages need some pork.. I add some chunks of pork butt to my breakfast or Italian sausage...

Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse... ;D .....

I can't help but think that my venison burger and sausage is still significantly healthier than straight beef or pork , since the end product is still 75 or 80 percent venison and the beef and pork I add is not pure fat, but meat with some fat content..

Are any of you familiar with the " Heart Healthy" diet...??..

There is one rule of thumb.... If it tastes GOOD....Spit it out....

[Dave]

You guys help yourself to the Farina and oatmeal.....I'm having venny breakfast sausage, 3 eggs- with yolks over easy, heavily buttered toast, and a strong cup of caffinated joe.

Wooly, just add some home fries and I'll join you.

Dave

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I always add pork scrap or trimmings to my venison when grinding, we have a "real" butchers shop in town and I get all my casings, scrap/trimmings(as they call it) from there. The "scrap/trimmings" are the exactly that.....................the pieces of pork trimmed/cut off the loins & roasts, it is a very good marble blend of meat and fat.

I generally mix up to 30% pending on what I intend to do with the mixture, by adding the pork it acts as a binder for the venison and also allows the venison to stay moister and retain more of its natural flavor instead of coming out crumbly and tasteless.

Nearly every single sausage mix will instruct you to add some form of pork to the venison to achieve the proper consistancy. Also, the additional juices help blend and hold the flavor of the seasonings much better compared to straight uncut venison.

Personally, I would not walk across the street for straight ground venison even if it was free...........................................I dislike the texture and taste of it in that form. And yes there is a big difference between a venison steak and straight ground venison, even from the same cut of meat.

FDXX75

[Fantail]

I think venison fat is plain nasty. As much as possible is cut out. Then there is alot ground up. So I use that in spaghetti sauces, chilli-mac or stuff like lasagnia. But I have taken to a 1/4-1/3 ground pork & venison mix that works good for burgers.

I often think about making sausage but like NYdeer said after I process a few deer I just want to be done.

[Single_shot]

Split a whole cow one time with a family member who insisted we add pork fat to the burger...........long story short,ALL RUINED. I"m talking alot of ground.

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I think venison fat is plain nasty. As much as possible is cut out. Then there is alot ground up. So I use that in spaghetti sauces, chilli-mac or stuff like lasagnia. But I have taken to a 1/4-1/3 ground pork & venison mix that works good for burgers.

I often think about making sausage but like NYdeer said after I process a few deer I just want to be done.

I normally freeze the pieces or amount of meat I intend to grind for sausage and then later on down the road, a few weeks or a month later on a crummy weather day, I break out the gear and go to town on making my sausage.

FDXX75

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Split a whole cow one time with a family member who insisted we add pork fat to the burger...........long story short,ALL RUINED. I"m talking alot of ground.

Not sure what the method to "their" madness was, but there really is no need to add pork fat to beef. Now, adding good ground pork, veal and beef together in a good ratio makes one hell of a meatloaf mix.

[nuynai]

Check out sausagemaker.com.  They have a commercial fat replacer that's USDA approved if you don't want to use animal fat in your recipes.  Says it gives it a creamy, fat texture.  Hope this helps.