Grind the Venison Twice You might also have a medium grind die that falls in the middle of those two. Starting with the coarse grinding plate, followed by a second grind with the finer die helps break down tougher cuts of meat and slices through stringy sinew.
Should I grind meat once or twice?
The meat will not break down as much as a fine grind, therefore producing a moist, chunky texture. With all sizes of grinds it’s best to grind the meat through twice for a consistent product.
What do you add to deer meat when grinding?
Deer meat is very versatile, and you can mix almost anything you prefer after grinding. We prefer a simple cheese and venison hamburger. However, you can add mustard, ketchup, bacon, pork belly, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or even barbecue sauce.
How much fat should I grind with venison?
My rule of thumb is to add 10-20% fat when making venison burgers. The 90-10 ratio will produce a lean patty, whereas an 80/20 will be richer. On the other hand, an authentic sausage should be succulent. Fat is fundamental to creating a juicy product.
Should Venison be ground twice?
The medium or large plates are perfect if you want coarse ground meat for recipes like chili. If you cut your meat into huge chunks you may need to do a double grind starting with the large or medium plate and finish with the small.
Can you grind meat too much?
Meat grinding also affects binding, and if meat is ground too much or too fine, it can cause smearing. The majority of home sausage makers grind their meat twice, and there are a variety of options for this.
Can you freeze deer meat before grinding?
Hunters from all over the world were having a discussion about the best way to grind fresh meat, and they all agreed that partially freezing it (or partially thawing it if it’s already frozen) before grinding it makes the process so much easier.
How do you add fat when grinding meat?
The best way to add fat to lean ground beef is to use beef back fat (tallow). Ensure the tallow and ground beef are cold before mixing in a food processor. Other fats such as butter, bacon fat, and pork mince work well too.
How do you keep deer burgers from falling apart?
Egg is known to make a great binder. This could be useful for you when you are making venison burgers. You simply need to mix the egg into the meat before you start making your patties. This works best when the meat is cold but then the egg is activated and will hold your burgers together as you cook it.
What is the best meat to grind with venison?
Best Fat for Grinding with Venison
Pork fat has a more neutral flavor but goes rancid quicker in the freezer. I typically use beef fat in my normal grind to get a longer freezer life, but I use pork fat when making venison sausages because the neutral flavor allows the sausage seasonings to shine through better.
What is the best fat to mix with deer meat?
Pork fat trimmings is one of the cheapest and purest ways to add fat to venison, if you can find it. Most pork at the grocery store is usually well-trimmed, but if you find an extra fatty shoulder, trim off that fat, freeze it and save it for your venison.
Can you grind venison without fat?
Cook Ground Venison, Elk, and Other Game Without Fat
The fat not only makes a burger juicy, it also helps it stay in patty form. Next time you have some 100 percent ground venison you want to throw on the grill, trying adding an egg and some breadcrumbs to serve as a binder.
Can you make deer burger without adding fat?
Instead of adding fat to your ground venison, use a binder and pan fry for a perfect burger. There are many ingredients that can serve as binders. Raw eggs are a top choice, but I don’t use them for burgers because I like them on the rarer side. I lean towards dry binders like dried eggs or dried milk.
How much pork should I add to ground venison?
- You should mix roughly 30% pork fat with venison when making snack sticks, venison sausage should have up to 50% pork fat, and venison burgers and meatballs need only contain about 20% pork fat.
- You should mix pork and beef fat with deer when grinding.
What does double grinding meat do?
The double grind will better activate the protein in the meat that keeps the strands sticking to one another instead of crumbling apart on your grill. Different combinations of meats will result in different flavors for your burgers.
Is Grinding your own meat better?
Then start grinding your own meat. It’s a major upgrade in flavor and quality, and easier than you think. You don’t need butchering skills or an old hand-crank grinder to reap the benefits. What it lacks in convenience it makes up for in texture: light and airy meatballs, burgers that actually taste like steak.
Should you freeze your meat before grinding?
Freezing the meat helps it hold its shape better and keeps it firm so that it goes through the grinder more easily. Also, starting with semi-frozen meat is preferable from a food safety standpoint.
Should I wash meat before grinding?
You do not want to soak and rinse ground meat if you’re planning on having some left to cook. So if you want your ground meat to be the cleanest possible, first soak and rinse the cut of meat well before grinding it. Keep it in a bowl, in the fridge during soaking.
How do you get the last bit of meat out of a grinder?
You CAN get all of the meat out.
One of the best ways to get it out is to run a piece of bread through the grinder. The remaining meat will come out, and the ground bread that comes out behind it can just be discarded (it won’t really hurt to add it to your ground meat either though).
Can you freeze venison twice?
Storage and Thawing
Properly wrapped or packaged venison can be stored in a freezer for 9-12 months. To avoid quality deterioration, never refreeze thawed venison. Always thaw venison properly in a refrigerator or in a microwave. Venison thawed in the microwave should be for immediate use.
Can you refreeze venison after grinding?
Once ground meat starts thawing, it should be used as quickly as possible. However, if you have unground meat (that is not thawed) and grind it, you should be able to re-freeze it.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.