What to do with extra beef fat?

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 20:49

When I made my pastrami I started with a 12.5 lb brisket and lost about 2.5-3 lbs in trim loss before brining. It just about broke my heart to toss the fat trim but didn't know what to do with it.

Any suggestions?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 21:38

This is one answer. http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-re ... ef-sausage

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 22:40

I've never actually made an all beef sausage, however, with the amount of trim I had I'd be making 10# of sausage. Actually, that's not a big problem because it all gets eaten and eventually.

Any other ideas?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 22:44

it would probably add well to venison. Corned brisket fat has a good mouth feel.

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 03:42

Sadly in San Diego game meats are not that easy to come by.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 03:57

I would still freeze it against the day when I found a use for it. You could always grind it and incorporate it into dog food.

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 04:06

I'd definitely freeze it and while I'd like a dog, I don't have one right now. How did you find that recipe, just a search for beef fat on the site?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 04:23

The kosher beef sausage recipe is just one of many on the web page. http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 06:10

Thanks Ross!

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 09:31

Hi Guys,
Would you mind if I threw in my 2 cents worth? I'd hate to see Jerbear wreck ten pounds of otherwise good sausage. In Stan's excellent book, "Home Production Of Quality Meats And Sausages", he addresses this question. Allow me to include his words here:

"The meat for a sausage should contain about 25 - 30% fat in it. This will make the sausage tender and juicy, without fat it will feel dry. This is not such a big amount as it might seem so at first. Fresh sausages made in the USA can legally contain 50% fat and this is what you get in a supermarket. The fat is cheap and the manufacturer is not going to replace it with a higher priced lean meat. This is where the main advantage of making products at home comes to play: you are in control. Avoid beef fat which is yellow and tastes inferior to pork fat. Fat from lamb or wild game should not be used either, unless you make original sausages like Turkish Sucuk or Scottish Haggis. Sheep or goat fat has a specific odor which lowers quality of the sausage."

Not buttin' in boys... just hate to see anyone ruin a good batch of sausage. Pork fat rules! (and I come from a long line of cattle ranchers

). Hope this helps.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Big Guy · Post by **Big Guy** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 14:35

I'll take it. LOL
I use it in addition to Moose, whitetail and caribou it makes a great snack stix.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 16:19

I rather like the taste of corned brisket fat. While it is still hot from cooking I spread it on bread like butter.

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 17:26

So just to clarify Chuckwagon, are you suggesting to avoid the beef fat entirely or only the yellow fat? All my brisket trim was fairly white.

That said, can you recommend another use?

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 03:43

There will always be folks with different tastes who will disagree on the subject. I've known that beef fat just isn't all that tasty in sausage ever since I was a youngster on the ranch. It's terrific charred and hot on a steak, but cold in sausage is an entirely different matter. Pork fat rules! As for me, I'd avoid the yellow fat altogether and limit the white to a smaller percentage with the bulk of the fat being from a good ol' piggy. The color of fat is determined by the type of animal mostly, although age and diet also play a small part in the color. Fat in steers raised on grass during the summer months is yellow compared to that of those eating silage during the winter.

story28 · Post by **story28** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 14:44

There is a pretty cool technique of using beef fat, especially tallow, as frying oil for french fries. It is a great method for steak and frites (fries) which is amazingly tasty. That way, you get all that beefy goodness into the accompanying potatoes as well. I can post a recipe if you're interested.