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Hi All,

I want to make my next batch of sausages but am being frustrated in my efforts because I can't find pork belly anywhere.

I used a 2:1 ratio of shoulder to belly in terms of meats in the last batch (plus rusk, water, spices) and it came out really well.

Could I use something else? Pork neck perhaps? Or would it be better to use all shoulder and add some pure pork fat?

Many thanks for any pointers!

Pork shoulder (lean) with 20% added fat from the shoulder, collar or back should be fine. You want about 20% fat visible in the mix. HTH

(Note how I refrained from Russian pork belly jokes!)

Phil

wheels wrote:(Note how I refrained from Russian pork belly jokes!)

Only because you haven't got a chocolate fountain to dip the left over rind into (no offence intended as I adore salo/lardo/toucinho etc)

Another option would be jowl which is about 75 % fat.

Thanks, All - Very helpful.

If I'm aiming for 20% fat I will be able to cobble something together, I think.

I'm glad someone brought up the topic of 'salo' (which I think is awful stuff - will never forget the first time a Russian offered me some, just after I arrived out here - when he told me what it was, I thought he was joking!) - is salo the hallowed "back fat" that sausage-makers seek out?

If so (or if not), do you think that some of the unsmoked, unspiced stuff could be put through a mincer to get to that 20% fat target?