Can You Mix Lard with Venison to Make Juicier Burgers and Sausage?

Venison is a delicious, lean meat that many hunters are lucky enough to fill their freezers with every fall. While wild venison has a depth of flavor that beef will never achieve it does lack one thing – fat. The leanness of wild deer meat is part of what makes it so healthy, but it’s also the reason that venison patties can turn out dry and tough when cooked.

This is why many home butchers choose to mix pork fat or lard into their venison before grinding it The added fat helps the ground meat retain moisture and prevents burgers and sausages from becoming dense hockey pucks. But is diluting the pure flavor of venison with another animal’s fat really necessary? Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of adding lard or pork fat to venison

Why Add Fat to Venison?

There are a few good reasons to mix fat into lean venison before grinding

1. Improves moisture and texture

Fat is juiciness. Because it doesn’t have any marbled fat, venison dries out quickly while it’s cooking. By adding pork fat, you give the meat’s protein structure some much-needed moisture. This results in a more tender texture and succulent mouthfeel.

Without added fat, venison burgers can become unpleasantly dense when cooked. They shrink considerably, squeezing out moisture instead of retaining it. The meat can take on a rubbery, livery consistency that’s very unappealing.

While venison sausage is usually enhanced with spices and seasoning, it still relies on fat for the signature bouncy, juicy texture of good sausage. Lean venison sausage ends up mealy and crumbly unless you add extra fat into the meat mixture.

2. Helps venison bind better

Ground meat needs some fat content in order to bind together and form a cohesive patty or sausage. Fat acts as a glue between the proteins in meat. This is why super lean venison has trouble binding and often falls apart easily.

Adding supplemental fat improves the binding properties of the meat so it can form more solid patties and sausages that don’t break apart. The fat acts as a mortar that cements the meat particles together. This gives a nicer appearance and mouthfeel.

3. Balances out venison flavor

While some venison purists argue that pork fat dilutes the flavor of their precious wild meat, others say it actually enhances it. Venison has a pronounced gamy flavor from wild diet and exercise. The mellow richness of pork fat balances out those strong notes.

Mixing a small amount of fatty pork balances the venison flavor instead of covering it up. When used in moderation, pork adds light sweetness and savory depth without overpowering the natural venison flavor. The result is a burger or sausage with layered, complex flavor.

4. Makes meat easier to grind

As anyone who has tried to grind straight venison knows, it can be hard to get lean meat through a grinder. Because venison doesn’t have fat, it doesn’t have the ability to keep meat moving smoothly through grinding plates.

Without sufficient fat content, venison can smear on grinder plates instead of cleanly extruding through the holes. This slows down the grinding process considerably. Adding some pork fat reduces friction and allows the meat to grind faster and more efficiently.

Drawbacks of Adding Pork Fat to Venison

However, there are also a few potential cons to keep in mind:

1. Dilutes purity of flavor

To venison purists, adding the fat and flavor of a domestic animal to pure wild venison is sacrilege. They argue that venison should be enjoyed on its own merits, not masked and diluted by pork.

If you’re one of these venison traditionalists, you’ll likely want to keep your ground venison completely fat-free. That way all you taste is the true flavor of wild meat.

2. Alters nutritional profile

Venison is one of the leanest and healthiest meats you can eat. The protein is high and the fat content is low, especially compared to conventional beef and pork.

When you add pork fat, you alter the clean nutritional breakdown of pure venison. The overall fat content increases along with cholesterol and calories.

Of course the proportions are still relatively low compared to beef with 20% fat. But for health enthusiasts or people on restrictive diets, even 10-15% added fat can be significant.

3. Can change texture

While pork fat generally improves moisture and binding, if you add too much it can have a negative effect on texture. Excess amounts of fat make the meat greasy and soft instead of just juicy.

With sausages particularly, an overage of fat leads to an unpleasantly pasty, fatty mouthfeel. Start with 20-30% fat and adjust based on your texture preferences. But use a light hand, as you can always add more but not take away.

4. Requires an additional ingredient

Having to source and prepare an additional ingredient is one more step in an already lengthy butchering and grinding process. Pork fat must be purchased or cut off other cuts then finely diced by hand before mixing together with venison.

If you want simplified processing with fewer ingredients, you may opt to grind venison without any pork fat. This allows you to skip directly to the grinding once the meat is trimmed.

How Much Fat Should You Add to Venison?

When it comes to the ideal amount of fat to mix with venison, expert opinions vary widely. Some butchers insist on grinding venison completely solo. Others mix up to 40-50% pork fat into their venison sausage. Most fall somewhere in the middle.

Here are some general fat percentage guidelines to consider:

• Venison burgers – 10-15% fat. This keeps burgers lean yet moist, with venison remaining the star.

• Venison sausage – 20-30% fat content. Sausage needs extra fat for ideal snappy texture. Around 1 part fat to 3 parts venison is a good starting point.

• Venison snack sticks or summer sausage – 30% or more. Heavily seasoned dried sticks require ample fat to achieve proper density after drying out. Up to equal parts venison and pork fat works well.

Of course there is wiggle room in these ranges depending on your tastes. The percentages can fluctuate up or down by 5-10% and still produce excellent finished products. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Remember that you can always add flavorful fats during the cooking process too. Mix in butter, bacon grease, olive oil, or duck fat while searing venison patties or crumbles. Their richness will boost moisture and round out the lean flavors.

What is the Best Type of Fat to Mix with Venison?

While any type of animal fat can be used to enrich venison, pork fat is generally considered the best choice. Here’s why:

• Pork fatback – This is the fat trimmed off the back and sides of a hog. It has a neutral flavor and creamy consistency that perfectly complements venison. The soft fat seamlessly incorporates into ground meat. Fatback can be purchased from butcher shops.

• Pork butt/shoulder – This affordable cut has intricate marbling throughout the meat. When ground together only some of the fat renders out, leaving fine streaks in the venison. Choose well-marbled sections when trimming.

• Pork belly – If you want rich, heavy flavor then incorporate diced pork belly into the grind. Just beware that the pronounced porkiness can overtake the venison. Use sparingly and taste as you go.

• Beef suet – Suet is firmer than pork fat with a higher melting point. This can leave a waxy mouthfeel. Stick to pork or wild game fat if possible.

• Deer/elk/moose fat – The fat from deer and other cervids tends to have a musky flavor. It’s very hard even when ground. Add only 10% or so for a true wild blend.

No matter what type of fat you choose, keep the proportions moderate so the wonderfully unique flavor of venison still shines through in your homemade sausage and burgers. With just enough rich pork fat to balance out the lean venison, you can enjoy the best of both worlds in one satisfying bite!

So can you mix lard or pork fat with venison? The answer is a definitive yes! When used correctly, adding supplemental fat can help make venison’s naturally lean meat even more delectable.