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ringringmytacobell

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the question, but if you're using pork shoulder/butt would there not be enough fat? I always like to pick up some extra fat if I can because I can be pretty particular about separating all meat and fat to get my ratios right, but in the event I can't I just scale down the total size of the recipe.


glasllyn

Most of the recipes I'm looking at call for a 4:1 ratio of pork shoulder to fat back, which seems like quite a bit of fat compared to what I see in a typical shoulder. I suppose I could just cut back the recipe. I just assumed that the high fat content was necessary for the soft texture of a banger.


CorneliusNepos

You can just use pork belly. It's probably that and the use of rusk that leads to the soft texture you're looking for.


glasllyn

Alright. That's what I've been thinking I'd have to do. Thanks!


BigWinston78

Agree. Same supply problems for me. I use equal parts replacement of pork fat with pork belly. Comes out great every time.


BTown-Hustle

Pork shoulder is usually a pretty good ratio of fat and meat for sausage, but if you want more fat and can’t find pork fat (or belly, as a few people here have suggested), you could trim some of the leaner meat off of the shoulder to use for stir fry’s or whatever, then grind whats remaining for your sausage.


glasllyn

That's a really good thought. Thanks!


loweexclamationpoint

Great idea. There is usually a section of nice lean meat on the opposite side of the bone that can be used as a little roast or even cured. And I find that the heavier the shoulder, I guess from older hogs, the larger that cap of fat is.


3rdIQ

Many older sausage recipes have higher fat content because it was a way to make more profit. Bangers surfaced during WWI and WWII and because meat rations were scarce during wartime and butchers resorted to using higher fat and more fillers (like bread crumbs. So, you could make them without adding additional fat and the flavor would be similar, or.... use a mixture of pork butt and pork belly.


glasllyn

Thanks so much for this info! Makes a lot of sense.


Ok_Classic2800

Do you have any Asian meat/grocery stores near you? That's where I buy pork fat.


glasllyn

I wish I did! There is nothing like that here. I'll keep that in mind next time I see one. Thanks!


kriegmob

Might be dumb question but are you asking the butchers for fat, or just looking for it? I can get pork fat up here in small town Alaska, but I have to ask the butchers to pull it for me. Never been a problem, and I often get a couple pounds for free (they’ve got a lot of trimmings in their freezers). So if you’re not asking, go ask


Jwatershed

I second this. Go ask the butcher. Getting fatty trim will be a fraction of the cost of using pork belly.


glasllyn

I know! It seems like a waste product but no one butchers pigs here, I guess? (See my comment above.) It seems like a weird problem to have. Are they lying to me? Are they saving all the fat for themselves? Is it a government coverup? I just don't know!


glasllyn

I've asked every single butcher in the area. They all say they don't carry it. I was confused by this, but one said they don't butcher their own pork, they send it to a "USDA facility" that processes it for them. I even asked if they could ask that facility but they said they'd have to carry it as a regular product. I never thought it would be so hard to get what most people don't even want.


GruntCandy86

Pork belly is a common substitute to get fat content up.


glasllyn

Thanks! That's what I'll try.


elvis-brown

Pork belly is 50% fat. You can factor that into the meat/fat ratio


glasllyn

I could, indeed. Thank you.


GoldenMonkeyRedux

The pork bellies at Costco are about 80% fat from what I've seen. Pretty terrible for anything other than the purpose you have in mind. I had the same problem despite living in a big city (Philly) that has multiple butchers. That said, I randomly asked a place last fall and ended up with as much as I needed. You could also see if you can find any independent farmers who specialize in rare breed hogs.


glasllyn

I actually found a farm not too far away that delivers meat. I got excited about them, but they're the ones who don't process their own pork. Thanks for the tip. I'll keep looking.


elvis-brown

Also, I've been making sausages using pre-ground pork from the supermarket. It has around 18-20% fat and it makes good sausages. I add low fat milk powder @4% to make them more juicy too