First time making summer sausage & snack sticks - Need Advice

[Jimbo]

I am going to try my hand at making some venison summer sausage and also some snack sticks.

I have 3 options on mixing the venison:

1)  mix with beef fat

2)  mix with pork fat

3)  mix with pork butt

Any recommendations? 

Thanks,

James

[Smudge]

I firmly believe you should go with total pork fat. Your target should be 80% lean venison (that means absolutely no venison fat) and 20% pork fat.

Many old recipes call for the 80/20 percentage using pork butts. That was pretty much the industry standard. However, it is my opinion that today's pork is considerably leaner, and simply adding 20% of the weight in pork will leave you with a pretty dry end product.

After all, look at a pork butt next time you're shopping. How much fat really is on  our new genetically modified piggies? I'd guess 15-20% and no more. So adding 100% lean meat with 80% lean meat is... (let's see, add the two, divide in half, carry the one, multiply by 4/5ths... ???) 

Well whatever. I hope you get my drift. Go with the pork fat. 

[iceman]

I have to side with Smudge on that pork fat thing. I like to use "back fat" if you can get your hands on it. It's a harder fat than belly fat and melts at a higher temp. Seems to make the texures just right. 80 / 20 meat to fat ratio seems to be about right most of the time for me too. Have fun. ;)

[Jimbo]

Thanks for the advice guys.  I called my butcher and he does hogs on Tuesdays so I will be stopping by either tomorrow or the next week to pick up some hog fat.