Bacon ends in sausage

[skhunter]

I like to use bacon ends in sausage instead of ground pork. If I am using say 5lbs of ground beef and 5lbs of bacon ends would I need to add only enough prague#1 for the beef because the bacon has already been cured?

 

[goat]

I would like more info on what exactly you are trying to make, before I throw my hat in.

 

[richtee]

I don't think the fat cures at all, really. The meat does, but does the fat? Hmmm.. have to look into that. Deejay? Goat?

 

[goat]

Rich, That is why I wanted more info on what he was trying to make.

 

[richtee]

So the proper call would be add cure only for the meat weight of the mix then, correct? I'll be using some straight bellyfat in a couple batches coming up, when I'd always before used fattier chunks of butt. Cool!

 

[pgeobc]

Since the bacon is already cured, adding cure to it might be a bit much there. I suggest that you cure your beef separately and then mix the two. Some sausages are made that way, notably Kielbasa Krakowska; it is all pork and the pork is cured before grinding and mixing the last time.

Best to try a small batch first, as beef takes on an entirely different character when cured.

Yes, cure the added fat, too. At least the salt will get into the fat properly that way.

 

[bigarm's smokin]

I don't think the fat cures at all, really.
There's where your wrong Rich, the fat around my belly cures the problem of having a wife around the smoker.

 

[goat]

Skhunter, to err on the safe side, I would say to you, "follow the instructions".

 

[deejaydebi]

Skhunter -

Did you MAKE the bacon or is it store bought? I use pork belly fat before it's cured into bacon to add to my sausages but I would go light on the cure for total weight of the meat if the bacon is already cured. Maybe beef weight plus 1/4 of the bacon weight for example.

 

[skhunter]

The bacon ends are store bought already cured, The ones I get are pretty meaty. I like to use bacon ends in all recipes where it calls for a mixture of pork and something else.