New to sausage making ?

[Bigtank]

I've said before that I live in a small Iowa town. Sourcing sausage making ingredients in not much of a problem except pork back fat. Many recipes call for it. Where does every one get it? Is there a suitable substitute?

 

[okie sawbones]

I just tell my butcher at the grocery that I would like X lbs. of pork fat, and he calls me when he has it together. Buck a pound.

 

[DougE]

I'm in the same boat. The main store I shop at still has butchers. I asked them about pork back fat and they told me that they are only allowed to sell beef fat, the store won't let them sell fat trimmed from pork. Mostly what I make are pork sausages anyhow and pork butt already has about a perfect balance for sausage masking. I would just trim some fat off a pork butt for non pork sausage recipes calling for pork back fat, but then I have a pork butt that's too lean for sausage.

 

[indaswamp]

Local grocer butcher's here stock up on pork back fat from trimming this time of year for the hunters needing it so I can find it pretty easily. I suggest you start there-find a local butcher or grocer with a meat Dept. and ask them to save some pork back fat for you. Have them call when it is ready.

 

[DougE]

I suggest you start there-find a local butcher or grocer with a meat Dept. and ask them to save some pork back fat for you.

Be great if my grocer's meat dept. was allowed to sell it. As far as stand alone butcher shops, there hasn't been one in this town for years.

 

[indaswamp]

Be great if my grocer's meat dept. was allowed to sell it. As far as stand alone butcher shops, there hasn't been one in this town for years.

Big chain grocer or small town grocer?

 

[indaswamp]

Can also trim the fat caps off pork butts for when you smoke them. You don't really need the cap for pulled pork. Can get 4-5# per every double pack of boston butts. I do this as well and freeze the caps. How many pounds of pork back fat do you need?

 

[DougE]

Big chain grocer or small town grocer?

Chain. Meijer. They are allowed to sell beef fat, but not pork.

 

[indaswamp]

Chain. Meijer. They are allowed to sell beef fat, but not pork.

Well that is interesting....wonder why?

 

[DougE]

I have no idea. All I know is the butcher said the store won't allow it. They regularly have vac packs of beef fat in the beef aisle.

 

[Brokenhandle]

There's 3 lockers or butchers not far from you...not sure if they could or are allowed to get you some pork back fat. Around me you can't get beef tallow unless it's your cow you bring in to be butchered.
One in Whittemore, one in Ventura, and one in West Bend. One in West Bend has excellent beef sticks...got some as a gift once, but looked up their prices...not cheap. But then again none are.
If you can't find any I can look to see how much I have in the freezer. Get you fixed up one way or another!

Ryan

 

[Bigtank]

Thanks

 

[DougE]

Around me you can't get beef tallow unless it's your cow you bring in to be butchered.

See, it's completely different here. My local grocery has vac packs of beef tallow for sale in the cooler where the rest of the beef is. Pork back fat, no. They tell me they cannot sell it.

 

[jimmyinsd]

do these places that cant sell the pork fat make their own sausage in house? or perhaps they are contracted for their pork fat with some major sausage maker already?

 

[DougE]

do these places that cant sell the pork fat make their own sausage in house? or perhaps they are contracted for their pork fat with some major sausage maker already?

The one store that says they aren't allowed to sell it doesn't. Interestingly enough, there is a save a lot store way out of my way that makes sausage in house, and will sell it, but I never seem to make it there on the right day when they are cutting pork.