Question on Homemade Bratwurst

I do believe that a shoulder is guestimated at about 20% fat content, while hams are very lean. If you use hams you will absolutely need to add fat. I would guess at least 20% of the weight of the hams in fat, and if the recipe calls for extra fat, I would add that ON TOP of the 20%. Brat recipes in general are pretty fatty. This is one I use and as you can see, there's a lot of fat. Would you believe that these cook up dryer than a johnsonville? Boatnut is brethren member..

Boatnut’s Brat’s

6lb pork butt
1 lb pork back fat
1 lb streaky bacon
3 ½ tbl kosher salt
1 TB + 1 tsp white pepper
2 ½ tsp ground ginger
2 ½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 TB ground coriander
1 ½ TB ground mustard
1 TB marjoram
1 ½ TB crushed caraway seed

3 eggs
1 ½ cups heavy cream.

Grind meat thru 1/8” plate or dye. Whisk together cream and eggs then whisk in all spices. Pour mixture over meat and knead and mix well till mixture becomes “sticky”. Stuff into hog casings. BBCubed

I agree that hams are going to be far to lean. I also use butts and try to keep it at 20% fat.

Brats

sparetime said:

I am planning to make up some homemade bratwurst.

This next weekend I am going to a relatives farm and butchering hogs. I am planning to get the front shoulders cut into the butt and picnic for making pulled pork. I was thinking of keeping the hams fresh and using those for my source of pork for the brats. I'm curious if the fresh hams (not cured) will be too lean for bratwurst.

Does anyone have experience using the hams instead of the shoulder for brats and if so was there enough fat in the hams or did you have to add some in? Planning a 100% pork brat.

Have a great day

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Hams would be too lean..Recipe for the brats?
Thanks DanB

sparetime said:

Darn, why can't the entire pig be Boston butt and bacon?

Any other ideas for the hams? I can send them in and have them cured. I plan to cure the bacon myself.

I appreciate all of your input.

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yeah no kidding.. I always use the pork butt to make my sausages... Just a quick idea though.. u could always go to a local store that still has a meat department that cuts meat and ask if they can give you some pork trimmings.. Last time I did it didn't cost me a thing. I still have 3 quart bags of ground pork fat in the freezer. Or...... you could ask for trimmings from the b ig your getting fresh.

Fresh ham is very lean so I agree that is not ideal for sausage making. That being said, you can make very juicy lean sausages. I have used boneless skinless chicken thighs and pork loin and turned out some juicy sausage. Is it the same as a nice 20-30% fat sausage of course not, but very good nonetheless. If you are worried that your mix is too lean, add about a cup of non fat dry milk powder to each five pound batch. Helps with moisture retention and the bind, especially for leaner sausages. I suggest you try some with added fat and some with just straight ground fresh ham to see how much of a difference there actually is.

Since you are butchering a whole pig: why not seperate some back fat and use that with the hams to make sausages?

I agree with Badjak. There should be more than enough fat back on a hog, to make sausage if that is what you want. If you have a leaner hog, just about any butcher will sell you fat back at dirt cheap prices.

sparetime said:

Darn, why can't the entire pig be Boston butt and bacon?

Any other ideas for the hams? I can send them in and have them cured. I plan to cure the bacon myself.

I appreciate all of your input.

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Looks like they answered your question about being too lean, adding fatback.

As far as other ideas for hams, you do know you can cure the hams yourself if you have a spare refrigerator. Takes 10 - 14 days with a wet curing brine, depending upon size.