# Pork Fat Question for Elk and Venison



## Noah (Sep 23, 2019)

I have a probably silly question but when you do your ratios for Elk and Venison summer and snack sticks and you want to add some pork to it do you used just the fat or do you use the fat and meat of a pork butt and or shoulder? Im a newbie!!! 

I am thinking just the fat.  I have been searching around for a butcher or store that will supply fat and came across one that will sell pork belly to me. What is the best to use when adding pork to your venison or elk.

Pork butt, shoulder or belly?

Thank you for your help


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## indaswamp (Sep 23, 2019)

Just the fat for the ratio...
The best IMO is hard pork fat, i.e. pork back fat. Like the fat caps on pork boston butts and loins.


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## indaswamp (Sep 23, 2019)

BTW, I usually go 60/40 venison to pork; with a fat ratio around 25~30% so most of what you are adding is pork fat for the pork portion.....


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## Noah (Sep 23, 2019)

Thank you so much for the information! I found a store that will give me loin fat.

Also same ratio for summer sausage and snack sticks?


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## indaswamp (Sep 23, 2019)

I don't do summer sausage or snack sticks so I'll defer to someone else that does so they can give you advice for what works for them...


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## mike243 (Sep 23, 2019)

lean on the summer sausage, no fat in mine other than whats in the meat


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## crazymoon (Sep 23, 2019)

N, I do 75/25 if I'm using straight back fat or a 60ish/40ish if using pork butt.


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## tallbm (Sep 23, 2019)

Noah said:


> I have a probably silly question but when you do your ratios for Elk and Venison summer and snack sticks and you want to add some pork to it do you used just the fat or do you use the fat and meat of a pork butt and or shoulder? Im a newbie!!!
> 
> I am thinking just the fat.  I have been searching around for a butcher or store that will supply fat and came across one that will sell pork belly to me. What is the best to use when adding pork to your venison or elk.
> 
> ...



Hi there and welcome!

I too am a huge believer in just adding the pork fat.  I like to know that my venison sausage is almost all venison with the exception of the mandatory amount of fat that must be added to make sausage.

I rarely make summer sausage but I make plenty of venison sausage and in both cases I do 80/20.  This is 80% pure good venison grind and then 20% pork fat (or beef fat if I'm doing Venison Pastrami sandwhich meat).

I always get great and consistent results with 80/20 AND the math is easy.

5 pounds sausage = 4 pounds venison and 1 pound fat
10 pounds of sausage = 8 pounds venison 2 pounds of fat

Make 15, 20, 25, etc. in increments of 5 or 10 pounds more and the math remains simple with fantastic sausage results! 

General sausage practices have you using 15% fat or higher where 15% is like as low as you probably should go and likely for a leaner sausage.  For me 20% is perfect.  If I made bologna I would likely do 30% fat unless I wanted a "meatier" version then I would stick with 20% fat.

Many people will add pork butt instead of pure pork fat but you must undrestand that the pork butt itself is about 80/20 meat to fat so for you to get to your desired fat number you add so much pork butt that you dilute the venison.  That is not what I am looking for but for others they seem fine with that.

I'm glad to hear you can get some pork fat trimmings, that is the way to go.  Also a true butcher shop or meat market should/would be able to order you a box of trimmed pork backfat for sure but they may not have it on hand.  Restaurant supply stores usually have it on hand as well.

Let us know more about the summer sausage you plan to make like amount, seasoning, cooking method, etc.
I hope this info helps and best of luck with your summer sausage! :D


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## texomakid (Sep 23, 2019)

Believe it or not years ago (many) I worked in a small mom & pop packing plant. We mixed Deer 80/20 to 70/30 with pork fat dependent upon order request & type of mix. I remember some of the sausage mix being 30% pork fat. 70/30 was actually a very good mix. It's all personal preference.


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## archeryrob (Sep 24, 2019)

For snack sticks and summer sausage I would stay between 15% - 20% fat content. I cut deer 50/50 with 73% beef to get a ratio of 13.5% fat for SS and Sticks. I like it leaner. I also only cook to 145° Internal temp and rest there for a while. No shriveled casing, no dry sausage and stays very moist.

Bump up to about 30% fat if making sausages. 20% or less is dry and not as nice to eat.

My fat calculator in excel.


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