A dumb question about cuts of meat

[adventureswiththepig]

Sorry to ask, this is real sausage making basics but I'm feeling dumb today and need some reassurance..

I've ended up with a load of good quality pork leg in my fridge and I was thinking about turning some of it into bangers. I've only previously used shoulder and belly to make sausages and wondered what difference using leg would make. Is it a good idea or should I use the leg for something else.

[tomwal]

Hi One of my first attempts at sausage making was made using pork leg as I could'nt get shoulder, I followed a good recipe and produced a nice looking sausage, when cooked it had a good flavour but I personally thought the texture was to firm, subsequent batched using shoulder seemed to have a better texture, but as I said using the leg was at the beginning of my sausage making adventures.

Cheers

Wal

[denty632]

I struggle to get any pork in the Falklands... Lots of mutton but very little pork

I only use leg, I don't know any better but it tastes fine to us...

[jloaf]

I'm no expert (but there are many here) but I guess maybe it is the percentage of lean meat to fat?

I think shoulder is about 20% fat, but don't know about leg.

[tomwal]

I'm no expert (but there are many here) but I guess maybe it is the percentage of lean meat to fat?

I think shoulder is about 20% fat, but don't know about leg.

That sounds about right Joe, if I ever use leg of pork in future I would increase the fat percentage accordingly.

Wal

[Dogfish]

Maybe the presence of more connective tissue in the leg meat means more myosin, which gives more bite to it?

I ground up venison shanks into some sausage and they had a real snap to them that I hadn't gotten before.

[gsevelle]

I'm no expert (but there are many here) but I guess maybe it is the percentage of lean meat to fat?

I think shoulder is about 20% fat, but don't know about leg.

I agree it is the percentage of fat to lean. I've taken leftover half cooked pig (was suppose to be pulled pork) it did not quite finish in time so had to cut it away from the bone. I wound up with 30 lbs of the stuff and have been using it in sausage. I add 1 lb of fresh pork fat to 5 lbs of the pork grind. I'd suggest find a butcher and buy the pork trimmings. I get mine at the local Oriental market that has real butchers. I just need to work on my sign language a bit as they don't keep this in the case.