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A customer at my shop in Boise said my pork shoulder trim was 'too clean' for good sausage.
He explained that leaving a bit more fat and connective tissue on the trimmings adds flavor and moisture, which made me reconsider my usual precision. Anyone have a specific ratio or method they prefer for sausage trim?
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white.keith6mo ago
That Boise customer is totally right. I used to trim my pork shoulder super clean too until my sausage kept coming out dry. Now I aim for about 25% fat in the mix, which is close to what @sandra_moore30 said. Leaving some of that softer fat and even a little silverskin makes a huge difference. It melts while cooking and keeps everything juicy. My texture and flavor got way better when I stopped being so perfect with the knife.
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zarat376mo ago
Yeah, that softer fat really is the secret for keeping things moist.
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ryan_hart384mo ago
Is leaving all that fat really the best move for every sausage though? I've been making sausage for years and I trim mine pretty lean, maybe 85/15, and my breakfast links come out snappy and not greasy at all. That extra fat just pools in the pan and makes a mess instead of staying in the meat. I remember a couple batches where I left more fat and the sausage just fell apart when I cooked it, like the texture was mushy instead of firm. Are you guys not having trouble with the casings splitting or the sausage being too loose with that much fat?
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sandra_moore306mo ago
Read somewhere that a 70/30 lean to fat ratio is the sweet spot for most sausage. That customer might be onto something.
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