Mixing Lean/Fatty Mince

[4mylgl6]

Hi,

 

I have many recipes that call for fatty pork/beef mince, typically for braised dishes like ragu, meatballs, etc.

In order to have better control over the fat content, I am wondering if it's OK to mince a lean cut like pork loin/beef rump, and mince backfat/suet separately into the mix so I can control the ratio precisely. I prefer this to just using a fatty cut like shoulder for instance, as the fat content can be very inconsistent. The question is, if there's some inherent difference here that would alter the dish even if my lean/fat ratio is correct.

Has anyone tried this? Thanks for any tips!

Edited December 25, 2021 by 4mylgl6 (log)

[FlashJack]

@4mylgl6 Welcome to EG.

 

Mixing lean and fattier mince is a great idea to get the ratio you'd like. Just make sure each is well mixed through the other so it's of uniform consistency.

[btbyrd]

There can be a flavor difference in the meat itself, but there's nothing wrong with your overall approach. This is how a lot of what is commercially sold as "ground beef" is created -- lean beef scraps are ground with a certain ratio of fat to yield a particular percentage in the end product. But I usually prefer the flavor of the tougher cuts (like shoulder) that are commonly used to make ground pork and beef. My local market sells 80/20 ground beef (made from random mince and fat) and 80/20 ground chuck, and I prefer the flavor of the chuck. But if getting the fat percentage right is your main priority, there's nothing wrong with taking a good-favored but lean cut and then grinding it with fat (or grinding it and adding ground fat back in). 

[FlashJack]

8 hours ago, btbyrd said:

here's nothing wrong with taking a good-favored but lean cut and then grinding it with fat

Yeah. What he said much better than me.