Homemade Sausage Making

Lately, when I get a pork butt for sausage, I trim out as much of that soft fat and membrane as I can when I'm cutting it into chunks. I'll weigh the fat pile and replace that amount with back fat.

What's your feeling on this practice, is it worth the trouble? Does anyone else do this?

I think it's a good idea depending on what you are making and what the fat is like in the meat you're using. I don't bother and am happy with results.

Unless you are making certain dry cured products, you are wasting good fat and time. Some sausages actually call the softer fats.

I agree. A normal porkbutt will be just about perfect for most any sausage you might be making. If you're making sausage from wild game such as deer, elk, or even wild boar, then you'd need to be adding some backfat. When I go wild hog hunting I pretty much try go after a fat young sow, that way I just cut my sausage with about 35-40% straight porkbutt and it's fine. I won't even pull the trigger on a boar anymore, not for over a decade now. RAY