Pork butt question for the sausage makers?

[cptnding]

Here's my question for the sausage experts:
When cutting up bone-in pork butts for sausage do you trim at all or just cube all it up grind? I'm using it for just general sausage. Breakfast, italian, brats, ect. Thanks!

 

[Dave in AZ]

Here's my question for the sausage experts:
When cutting up bone-in pork butts for sausage do you trim at all or just cube all it up grind? I'm using it for just general sausage. Breakfast, italian, brats, ect. Thanks!

Don't trim! The main reason pork butt is the #1 cut for sausage, is that is has almost sufficient fat for sausage just by itself! Usually 20, 25% I'd guess for a really fatty one. You want 20-30% fat in sausage. Absolutely don't throw that fat away! On a lean butt, you might even need to add fat depending on your product.

I buy butts, i.e. shoulders, and cut off the fat caps with 1-2" of meat for buckboard bacon. Then make carnitas, pulled pork, or just pork coppa steaks with the meatier parts. Or use whole thing for breakfast sausage, brats, hotdogs etc. But again, I have to double up on the fat cap sometimes, then use the lean parts for more meaty products.

 

[chopsaw]

Take out the gland and anything that looks like something you don't want to eat . Leave the hard fat and get rid of any slimy fat . Once and awhile you'll find other junk in there too , like veins and vessels .
This is from last week . I don't usually take the fat cap off , but I was making some Mortadella and needed the fat cubes . I had another butt that was added to that . Those steaks are on the grill as I type .


Normal prep looks like this . I have a number 12 500 watt grinder . So I cut the chunks pretty big . I don't par freeze .

Also , if you're grinding more than one butt , grind them separate , and mix it in on itself after grinding . That way it keeps your lean to fat ratio around 80/20 .
Don't cube and cull out chunks for batches then grind .

 

[DougE]

I don't do much trimming at all. As said, though, grind 1 at a time, chill down and mix to equalize fat distribution as best as possible to maintain an 80/20, or so ratio. Move on to the next.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Cut grind and go.

 

[chopsaw]

I personally cut what I consider trash out of mine . Plenty of good meat and fat in a butt .
To each their own though .

I missed some in this batch .

 

[thirdeye]

When cutting up bone-in pork butts for sausage do you trim at all or just cube all it up grind?

I have a different method when preparing a butt for grinding. First, I cut off the Coppa roast which is the money muscle and "tubes" which are smaller muscles, and trim it for smoking or curing. I prefer it shy of pullable to make very tender slices.

Now, I might have to buy a couple of extra butts, but having Coppa roasts makes up for it.
Next, I leave a little meat on the blade bones, season and flavor smoke them. And do a pressure finish.

Take out the gland and anything that looks like something you don't want to eat . Leave the hard fat and get rid of any slimy fat

Bingo.

 

[chopsaw]

I leave a little meat on the blade bones, season and flavor smoke them

Most bang for your buck . I love it . I've cured them , then smoked and used in a pot of beans .

Whole front leg . Ham , sausage and some bacon .

I bought this at GFS when other stuff was out of stock . They don't normally have them , so I figure they were putting out what they could get . This was a at least 3 months ago . Maybe more . 99 cents a pound . Cleaned it up and boned it out . Tied up part of the picnic end and did Dave's...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[geostriata]

Lot of good responses here, so I don't have much to add.

On the topic of trimming. I've tried being meticulous (trimming the softer fat) and I've tried the lazy end of the spectrum, using literally 100% of the Swift shoulder butt from Costco.

I frankly don't notice the difference. If I see something odd during processing, of course I cut it out, but it usually all looks good to me. Just toss it in the freezer for a bit, plank it, and cube the planks and you're good to go. :)

 

[fxsales1959]

Here's my question for the sausage experts:
When cutting up bone-in pork butts for sausage do you trim at all or just cube all it up grind? I'm using it for just general sausage. Breakfast, italian, brats, ect. Thanks!e

I'm new and have only used my KA grinder until I commit to a counter top ginder. I just 1-2" cubed my butt and removed any nefarious tendons or stringy stuff. 1st grind went ok. sausage was on point. did a couple of beef chucks with same approach. smash burgers were good too.
Now to commit to a grinder (that I can afford) so I don't toast my new KA mixer.

 

[boykjo]

I chunk and Grind it all. I've never seen glands, clots or any other meat imperfections in the final sausage. Trimming is a matter of preference. My 2 cents

 

[okie sawbones]

Trim - no. Add pork fat to the butt - yes.

 

[crazymoon]

CPT, I remove 90% of the back fat and the nasty gland and internal gnarly fat. I also remove a lot of the fat ( not all )between the muscle groups. Never had a dry sausage in 40 years . IMHO the whole idea of making your own sausage is to make a high quality product with just enough fat to hold it all together. Sausage companies make their money by adding the maximum amount of fat allowed as fat is cheaper than good meat. The meat in pork butt has plenty of fat in it to make yourself an excellent sausage without adding all the external fat.

 

[zwiller]

Anyone know if the gland is removed from boneless butts? I am pretty happy with GFS (Swift) boneless of late.

 

[chopsaw]

the whole idea of making your own sausage is to make a high quality product with just enough fat to hold it all together.

That's how I look at it .

Anyone know if the gland is removed from boneless butts? I am pretty happy with GFS (Swift) boneless of late.

I find those to be pretty clean . They say something like minimally processed on the label .
I haven't seen the gland in one of those .

Back in the day when they had the double packs , those needed a bit more attention .

 

[geostriata]

IMHO the whole idea of making your own sausage is to make a high quality product with just enough fat to hold it all together.

I get the sentiment, but whenever I try to minimize fat it ends up impacting the taste.

I overemphasized the hand-diced lean on my last chorizo, which unintentionally took the fat ratio a bit too low. It held together fine, but didn't taste nearly as good as normal. So IMO, we should have more fat than the minimum necessary to hold it all together.

 

[DougE]

I don't get all jammed up with exact fat to lean percentages. Most butts will be in the 80/20 to 70/30 range. It works fine just grinding and going with it.

As others have said, if I see anything that looks un-kosher (pun intended) while doing the knifework, I trim and discard it.

 

[cptnding]

Thanks for all the responses fellas! Lots of really good info here! HUGE help for a sausage beginner. I've been making and cold smoking bacons for years have always wanted to try sausage making. Don't think I ever would have gotten started if not for all the real world info on here.

 

[cptnding]

Take out the gland and anything that looks like something you don't want to eat . Leave the hard fat and get rid of any slimy fat . Once and awhile you'll find other junk in there too , like veins and vessels .
This is from last week . I don't usually take the fat cap off , but I was making some Mortadella and needed the fat cubes . I had another butt that was added to that . Those steaks are on the grill as I type .
View attachment 701873

Normal prep looks like this . I have a number 12 500 watt grinder . So I cut the chunks pretty big . I don't par freeze .
View attachment 701874
Also , if you're grinding more than one butt , grind them separate , and mix it in on itself after grinding . That way it keeps your lean to fat ratio around 80/20 .
Don't cube and cull out chunks for batches then grind .

Those pork steaks look amazing! Nothing like the ones in the grocery store.Will give that a try for sure. Do you cook them low and slow or treat them like beef? I guess both could work. Just wondering if they are still too tough at 140 or so?

 

[DougE]

Me and many others are a PM away should you need any help. We are all glad to help someone starting out.