Grinding our own for 1st time-suggestions?

[Anyfish]

I am fanatical about removing the silverskin and as much other anatomy as possible, just leaving just pure muscle. I don't add any suet to the grind either, but I usually use it for tacos and spagetti sauce and not too many burgers.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I know the ratio on game/fat, but how much does everyone remove of tendon and such. I've got some whitetail and there just seems to be some muscle groups that are laced with tendon or "silver" skin. My uncle doesn't remove much of this and claims his grinder picks most if it out and wraps around the blades.

I really don't bother to get all the silverskin off. As someone remarked in another thread, its all collagen and melts when you fry it. I think the reasoning that it makes burger taste bad is all in peoples heads, but that is my opinion. I do make sure and take out the bigger tendons on the shanks.

The last deer I killed I slow roasted an entire front shoulder with the bone in. All that silverskin and tendons just melted in the heat and the shanks were some of the most succulent portions instead of being tough and nearly inedible.

 

[mtjk]

I remove what's easy to get to and forget the rest. I use about 10% beef suet for elk And use pork and bacon ends with deer.

 

[CabinFever]

The last deer I killed I slow roasted an entire front shoulder with the bone in. All that silverskin and tendons just melted in the heat and the shanks were some of the most succulent portions instead of being tough and nearly inedible.

I had some of a smoked front shoulder of a real small deer and was incredibly surprised how good it was. No more spending so much time cutting for so little clean meat on those things.

 

[Zach]

I really don't bother to get all the silverskin off. As someone remarked in another thread, its all collagen and melts when you fry it. I think the reasoning that it makes burger taste bad is all in peoples heads, but that is my opinion. I do make sure and take out the bigger tendons on the shanks.

The last deer I killed I slow roasted an entire front shoulder with the bone in. All that silverskin and tendons just melted in the heat and the shanks were some of the most succulent portions instead of being tough and nearly inedible.

I kept 2 rear hams from a smaller deer just for this reason. I'm thinking this would be a good excuse to get a new smoker!

 

[Randy11]

I really don't bother to get all the silverskin off. As someone remarked in another thread, its all collagen and melts when you fry it. I think the reasoning that it makes burger taste bad is all in peoples heads, but that is my opinion. I do make sure and take out the bigger tendons on the shanks.

The last deer I killed I slow roasted an entire front shoulder with the bone in. All that silverskin and tendons just melted in the heat and the shanks were some of the most succulent portions instead of being tough and nearly inedible.

I agree on the silverskin, I just really don't see it effecting anything too much flavor wise.

I'm in the no fat/suet camp as well. I get it ground 100% game meat and add olive oil as needed. Adding pork or beef kind of defeats the purpose a little in my mind.

 

[sbhooper]

Cabela's has excellent grinders and other equipment if you decide to buy your own. I agree to go with at least a 3/4 horse.

The only reason to add fat to the meat is to keep it together to make patties for the barby. We make patties with a patty maker that fits on our grinder. We use 12 pounds of venison, five pounds of the cheapest hamburger from Wal Mart and three pounds of bacon or bacon pieces. These are the best burgers that I have ever eaten. We also bag some of this meat to use in taco pie and such dishes. We also add pickled jalapenos when grinding.

For other dishes such as meatloaf, you do not need to add grease to the meat. Venison meatloaf with out the grease is the best there is.

 

[DWarcher]

I really don't bother to get all the silverskin off. As someone remarked in another thread, its all collagen and melts when you fry it. I think the reasoning that it makes burger taste bad is all in peoples heads, but that is my opinion.

Gerald is spot on with that. Make sure you do yourself a favor and cut those pieces with the silverskin into the smallest cubes possible. This will save you a lot of headaches in cleaning a gummed-up plate every few minutes.

Also, if any of you guys have a Kitchen Aid mixer, the grinder attachment works like a charm!

 

[Zach]

Also, if any of you guys have a Kitchen Aid mixer, the grinder attachment works like a charm!

Just picked this up last night, also going to get a sausage stuffer attachment when it's available.

 

[putm2sleep]

Cabelas 3/4 = suet, pork shoulder from the grocer for sausage = we go with a 30-40% mix = grind yer meat then grind your fat then combine your grind! Get a couple of your big coolers, and grind the meat
into them.
I would recommend adding some spice, spice is nice and make some sausage.
If ya make brats, stuffing, be sure to add some water to your ground meat.