# Making brats



## Pool_shark_dc (Mar 25, 2018)

So I'm not sure if this is the right form or not.  Made venison brats is hog casings.  After I grilled them it seems like when u cut the brat it's like crumbly burger.  Not like a store bought brat that doesn't crumble.   Any ideas?


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## wild west (Mar 25, 2018)

Whats the recipe you used.  Could be not enough fat or could be not mixed enough to get a good bind or a combination of both.


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## hillbillyrkstr (Mar 25, 2018)

Did you add pork fat? How about water to the mix?


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## Pool_shark_dc (Mar 25, 2018)

I wanna say 80/20 or 70/30.  Don't remember if I used water. Pretty sure I did.  Along with some other odds and send spices. I mixed with my hands for quite a bit .... At least I thought so


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## indaswamp (Mar 25, 2018)

How long did you grill the links and what temp.?


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## hillbillyrkstr (Mar 25, 2018)

I’ve had crumbly brats before when not adding water to the mix. My buddy who does all the deer processing around here (750 a season) has me start adding a pitcher of water to every 25 pound batch. Add it slowly as it’s mixing. It really made a difference.


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## Pool_shark_dc (Mar 25, 2018)

Don't know how long. Just grilled them for a bit.


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## indaswamp (Mar 25, 2018)

Next time try grilling @275* for 35 minutes...indirect heat.


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## myownidaho (Mar 25, 2018)

Could be several things that have mostly been mentioned. Mixing the salt and sugar with the meat and letting it sit overnight really helps with texture as well.


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## chopsaw (Mar 25, 2018)

If you don't know what you did how are you going to make a change ?


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## archeryrob (Mar 27, 2018)

Pool_shark_dc said:


> I wanna say 80/20 or 70/30.  *Don't remember* if I used water. *Pretty sure I did*.  Along with some other odds and send spices. I mixed with my hands for quite a bit .... *At least I thought so*



Here is a lot of your problem, you don't have proper records when trying something new. You didn't keep a recipe card so when it went wrong on something new or a change, you know what was different. Unfortunately, we learn the best went we trip and fall like this. ;)

You were not very clear on what you added. Did you cut deer with 80/20 beef or 70/30 beef, or did you add 20% or 30% pork fat? 20% to 30% fat added should have liquid fat squirting out. 80/20 beef cutting deer is dry for bologna and 70/30 is good for bologna but barely enough to get near sausage. For sausage I would think a 20% total fat content or slightly higher is what you want.

Added water as suggested too.


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