where do I get fat???

Short of liposuction, where can I buy pork fat back? I have asked every grocery store and butcher shop i know of around Houston if they have fat back. Their answers range from a sideways confused look to "We have quarter pound blocks of salt pork. You could buy 8 of those..."

Half the time I have to go into a lengthy explanation about what fatback is and why the heck I would even want it.

I would try ethnic markets, Iv'e had issues finding cut that are not the norm. Other than that the interwebs, you can find any thing if your willing to pay!

By us, you can get it at renders, so some grocery stores do carry it.

I have used pork jowls/cheeks in my sausage grind/mix. They work fantastically, and are generally much cheaper than fatback around here at least. 80-20% to 70-30% lean to fat mix is optimal. I usually mix the lean portion at roughly half venison, half pork shoulder to get a nice texture and consistency.

FlyingDutchman said:

where do I get fat???

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For me, it's a combination of the kegerator and the smoker.

bwarbiany said:

For me, it's a combination of the kegerator and the smoker.

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Exactly was I was thinking. Gotta polish off that keg for the next batch!

adiochiro3 said:

I have used pork jowls/cheeks in my sausage grind/mix. They work fantastically, and are generally much cheaper than fatback around here at least. 80-20% to 70-30% lean to fat mix is optimal. I usually mix the lean portion at roughly half venison, half pork shoulder to get a nice texture and consistency.

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Interesting, I had never even thought of that. The Fiesta grocery stores around us carry pork cheeks by the ton!

Well good, I guess that means I can get back to lounging around the bbq pit with a fresh pint of Caribou Slobber collecting the kind of fat I can't seem to get rid of.

Alabama?

Hmmmm....I was wondering what to do with the 20 lbs of pork fat back I have in my deep freezer from the hog my in-laws raised for us....now I think venison sausage sounds pretty good!

I think Hormel sells it vacuum packed. It's unusual but not rare.


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free fat?
I have to buy the stuff

I did 20 pounds of elk sausage this fall, used up all of the elk meat left over from last year. Man it was great.

I have to have the butcher save up fat from trimmings and you have it all there for free

Life is so unfair