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When you all say 80% pork to 20% fat, I assume you mean 80% pork shoulder and 20% pork fat back? (I.e., not just the pork shoulder which brings to the table 20-25% fat?)

Meat>

Not a silly question at all.
I guess that in this context it means 80% Lean Pork Shoulder plus 20% fat. The lean Pork Shoulder will contain about 8% fat even if you can't see any and the Pork back fat is not 100% fat. This will give you about 22% fat in total. You may wish to increase this to give 25-30%.
For info about this see:
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?p=2097&highlight=#2097

I find it very difficult to determine the Visible Lean in meat so generally use fairly fatty shoulder on its own, or a mix of lean shoulder and belly pork - it seems to work OK for a British Banger! Wonder if anyone has found an easy way of judging the VL?

Hope this helps

Phil

Thanks again for the response.
(By the way, I've stolen your avatar for use elsewhere.)

I've asked this quwstion before on another thread but no response...so I'll ask again! Does anyone know of any list of the percentage fat of the various piggy parts? I realise there are going to be variations but just an average amount would help.

Failing that...how is the VL of any cut established?

Hobbitfeet

I think you have pretty much answered your own questions there.
I doubt you will find any such documentation outlining visual lean on specific parts of pork. As you state, the variations are just too vast.. Not only are there variations between breeds, but variations within breeds, dependant on a lot of factors. Feed rate, excerise, age/size etc..

Failing that...how is the VL of any cut established?

Visually?..

Regards, Paul Kribs

Hobbitfeet,
Paul is right or put another way "how long is a piece of string" however here is a Meat classification list.
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/meat-selection/meat-classification.htm
LD

LD

Even that classification list is open to interpretation of whoever is evaluating it.. Reckon it's up to the assessment of the individual, and any recipe that states 80%vl etc should expect to be used inaccurately to an acceptable extend, that extent being determined by an acceptable end product.. if that makes sense..

Regards, Paul Kribs