Where can I buy pork backfat?

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

I live in Yucca Valley, pork backfat is hard to find and I make a lot of sausage. Does anyone know of a butcher shop or another supplier in the area that may be selling it?

Thanks.

 

[tallbm]

Wish I could help ya buddy but I'm nowhere in the area and looking on the map there doesn't seem to be much around you lol.

If I was in your shoes I would buy pork shoulders and trim off the fat and save for sausages. I would then do chops and such out of the rest of the shoulder as they are good eating and can be used in many ways.

If you do 80/20 meat to sausage ratio then you really can save up about 10 pounds of fat this way and at 80/20 that will allow you to make 50 pounds of 80/20 sausage if you are using 100% meat from things like deer or feral hogs that are pretty much zero fat.

If you can find a restaurant supply store nearby they usually carry trimmed pork backfat. I get mine from a butcher or a restaurant supply store that is open to the public.

For beef fat I save it from briskets I trim. I'm lucky that here in TX we have brisket sales about every 3 weeks for $1.69-$1.99/lb. I can save about 3 pounds of fat per 15 pound brisket and I do brisket at least once if not twice a month.
In TX we mix beef or beef fat in many of our sausages and I use it for stuff like my ground Venison pastarmi sandwich meat I make as well as my TX Hot Gut (hot link) sausage. They are out of this world good!!

I wish you the best of luck with it man :)

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

Wish I could help ya buddy but I'm nowhere in the area and looking on the map there doesn't seem to be much around you lol.

If I was in your shoes I would buy pork shoulders and trim off the fat and save for sausages. I would then do chops and such out of the rest of the shoulder as they are good eating and can be used in many ways.

If you do 80/20 meat to sausage ratio then you really can save up about 10 pounds of fat this way and at 80/20 that will allow you to make 50 pounds of 80/20 sausage if you are using 100% meat from things like deer or feral hogs that are pretty much zero fat.

If you can find a restaurant supply store nearby they usually carry trimmed pork backfat. I get mine from a butcher or a restaurant supply store that is open to the public.

For beef fat I save it from briskets I trim. I'm lucky that here in TX we have brisket sales about every 3 weeks for $1.69-$1.99/lb. I can save about 3 pounds of fat per 15 pound brisket and I do brisket at least once if not twice a month.
In TX we mix beef or beef fat in many of our sausages and I use it for stuff like my ground Venison pastarmi sandwich meat I make as well as my TX Hot Gut (hot link) sausage. They are out of this world good!!

I wish you the best of luck with it man :)

Hahahaha, yes where I live is horrible for getting scraps. I save all of my trimmings all the time... But I make sausage constantly, so I burn through my supply very quickly.

I have been looking for a decent priced online supplier, but most are outrageous. I wish I was in Texas, the moment I get orders out of California I will never look back.

The only thing I will miss from here is the views and the coffee.

 

[tallbm]

Hahahaha, yes where I live is horrible for getting scraps. I save all of my trimmings all the time... But I make sausage constantly, so I burn through my supply very quickly.

I have been looking for a decent priced online supplier, but most are outrageous. I wish I was in Texas, the moment I get orders out of California I will never look back.

The only thing I will miss from here is the views and the coffee.

I have a sneaky suspicion that if you removed the entire fat cap from a pork butt that you could still grind the existing meat and fat and produce a good sausage, never tried but I bet it might be possible. If this is the case then you could buy 10lb+ porkbutts when on sale and get all the sausage from them you want and score about 1.5-2lb of fat cap each time. This might be enough to limp by with.

Yeah it's tough not having supply.
Are there any hog farms nearby? You might be able to just buy a whole pig or see if they keep any fat from other slaughters. I don't know many people that have a pig slaughtered or proccessed say "package up the extra fat too" I assume that stuff gets tossed or kept by the farm/processor.
If you buy a whole pig you tell them you want one that clearly has the most amount of fat (big or small pig) and you want all the fat ground and bagged in addition to the rest of the meat and cuts. You should get a BUNCH of fat that way but it may cost a good chunk upfront. Would likely be cheaper per pound or per cut though.

This may be an option. And even if it isn't a place too close by. You go pick up 1 pig it's worth 1-3 trips a year to have all the meat and fat you want for sausage making :)

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

All great points and insight. While I don't really mind using the scraps, I can taste the difference between a sausage made with back fat vs it made with fat cap.... Not a huge difference, but enough for me to always prefer to use BF in my sausages.

I appreciate the feedback brother.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Cant help you out there. Have you tried in the 29 palms area?
Lots of ethnic there being by the base.

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

Cant help you out there. Have you tried in the 29 palms area?
Lots of ethnic there being by the base.

Yes sir I have.... Pre-pan it was easy to get, but now not so much. I even hit up the commissary. Oh well. It's all good. I'll just use fat cap and pork belly when available.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

My uncle was at the base for like 40 years.
Spent many a summer out in the arm pit.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I know its a drive to San Berdo, but you may have luck there. Lots of hispanic.

I can check the commissary here. Back fat freezes well.

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

I know its a drive to San Berdo, but you may have luck there. Lots of hispanic.

I can check the commissary here. Back fat freezes well.

I think I am going to call some butcher shops in San Diego and see if they have any.

But if you see any around please post. I would love to get some without having to pay shipping.

 

[checkdude]

Am up in Manitoba Canada and I can get pork trim around half inch high no problem but something like 2"-4" for lardo is impossible.

 

[Lorenzoid]

LOL. I think backfat is illegal in SoCal. I used to live there and don't recall ever seeing it, though I suspect the Mexican grocery stores would have had lard--not necessarily backfat. Having moved to the South, I find it in most grocery stores. What the heck are regular people--that is, not we who make stuff out of meat--using it for?

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

LOL. I think backfat is illegal in SoCal. I used to live there and don't recall ever seeing it, though I suspect the Mexican grocery stores would have had lard--not necessarily backfat. Having moved to the South, I find it in most grocery stores. What the heck are regular people--that is, not we who make stuff out of meat--using it for?

Pre-covid many of the ethnic markets carried it.... I am just not sure why it is just not available. Maybe it is now contraband, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

Am up in Manitoba Canada and I can get pork trim around half inch high no problem but something like 2"-4" for lardo is impossible.

That is my exact issue. LOL

 

[zwiller]

LOL. I think backfat is illegal in SoCal.

Hey man... I got some back fat (looks in both directions). You cool?

From what I gleaned here it's best to try and befriend a local butcher. IE Order 1/2 cow from a local guy and when you pick it up ask if they have any back fat...

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

"Making sausage ain't easy"- some rapper I'm sure.

 

[bauchjw]

Did you try calling the butcher at Whole Foods in Palm Springs?

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

I have not.... And come to think of it, I have not contacted Costco either. Great point brother!

 

[rc4u]

ya buy the whole loin top pic or center loin 2nd pic.. all the rib chops ya want or lion n ribs n roasts ect...im doing the center loin after thanksgiving

 

[Schwarzwald Metzger]

That is an outstanding recommendation! Thanks brother!