It’s easy to make your own ground pork, so you can always have it on hand for when you want fresh meatballs. This short guide will show you how to buy, grind, and store ground pork meat at home so that you can use it in many recipes.
In the past, I have never bought ground meat from the store, whether it was pork, beef, or chicken. Many people think why go through all that trouble when you can buy ready ground pork. The reason is that when I work with meat, I like to know how clean the meat I’m eating is. I make sure that my ground meat doesn’t have any blood vessels or other things that aren’t needed. I am very picky when it comes to meat! .
When you cook it yourself, you get the solid meat and a little fat, which makes the food tasty and not dry. The best way to satisfy my expectations is to buy meat myself, grind and store by freezing. You can even use this ground pork to make homemade sausages.
What Cut of Pork is Best for Grinding?
Ground pork is a versatile and flavorful meat that can be used in many dishes like sausages, burgers, meatballs, and more. But not all cuts of pork are created equal when it comes to grinding. The cut you choose affects the texture, fat content, and overall flavor of the final ground pork. So what cut of pork is actually the best for grinding?
The best cuts of pork for grinding are the shoulder, also known as Boston butt, and the leg. These cuts have the right balance of fat and lean meat to produce juicy, flavorful ground pork. Here’s a closer look at why these two cuts shine when ground up:
Pork Shoulder
The pork shoulder also called Boston butt is one of the most popular cuts for making ground pork. It comes from the upper part of the front leg of the pig. This cut has a good ratio of fat to lean meat, around 20-30% fat content.
The high fat content gives ground pork from the shoulder a lot of moisture and flavor The fat adds juiciness while the lean meat provides texture This makes pork shoulder ideal for sausages, burgers, meatballs, or any ground pork recipe.
When grinding shoulder it’s common to use an 80/20 ratio of meat to fat. This produces a versatile ground pork with a mild flavor that works well in most recipes. Pork shoulder also has a decent amount of connective tissue. When ground this breaks down to give great binding qualities. Overall, pork shoulder makes for delicious, well-textured ground pork.
Pork Leg (Fresh Ham)
The leg is another excellent source of meat for grinding. Often sold as fresh ham, the rear leg has a similar fat to lean ratio as the shoulder, around 20-30% fat. This gives it the same juicy and flavorful properties when ground.
One benefit of the leg is its large size, which provides plenty of meat to work with. The leg muscles get good use, so they have great texture and a pleasant chew. When ground, fresh ham produces a firm ground pork that holds up well when cooked.
The leg does contain some connective tissue, which adds substance when grinding. Fresh ham can be used alone or combined with shoulder meat for an optimal ground pork blend. Many butchers use 100% fresh ham for their ground pork because of its stellar binding abilities and mild taste.
Why These Cuts Are Best
The shoulder and leg are the clear winners for ground pork because of a few key factors:
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Fat content – Around 20-30% fat provides the right balance of moisture and flavor. Too little fat makes dry, bland ground pork.
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Good ratio of fat to lean meat – Combines the juicy fat with the textured muscle meat.
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Mild flavor – Versatile for many recipes and easy to season to taste.
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Binding abilities – Connective tissue gives great consistency and texture.
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Large size – The shoulder and leg offer plenty of meat.
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Exercise – Muscles get a good workout so the meat has great texture.
While most whole pork cuts can be ground, the shoulder and leg really excel when ground up. Their fat content, mild taste, large size, and binding qualities produce exceptionally moist, rich, and textured ground pork perfect for any recipe.
What About Pork Tenderloin and Loin?
While tenderloin and loin are delicious for pork chops or roasts, they aren’t the best choice for ground pork. Here’s why:
Pork Tenderloin
The tenderloin is very low in fat, around 2-3%. Ground pork needs fat for moisture, texture, and flavor. Using only tenderloin would make dry, dense ground pork. It can be mixed with fattier cuts in small amounts, but isn’t ideal on its own.
Pork Loin
The loin also has very low fat at around 5-10%. It does have good flavor, but lacks the fat and connective tissue needed for proper texture. Loin can be combined with shoulder or leg meat, but doesn’t work well alone for ground pork.
Tips for Grinding Pork
To get the best results when grinding pork, follow these tips:
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Use fresh, cold meat – Grinding slightly frozen meat helps it grind evenly.
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Choose quality fat – Bright white fat is best. Avoid yellowish or old fat.
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Cut in smaller pieces – 1-inch chunks grind easiest.
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Alternate fat and lean – Evenly distribute fat for balanced texture.
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Don’t overmix – Mix just until blended to avoid a smearing effect.
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Chill before cooking – Let ground pork chill for an hour for the best shape.
Use the right grinder – A meat grinder or food processor yields the best texture.
With a little practice, you can master grinding pork at home. Always start with quality shoulder, leg, or a mix of the two. Follow proper technique and you’ll have great homemade ground pork every time.
Conclusion
When selecting a cut of pork for grinding, it’s hard to beat the shoulder and leg. Their near-perfect ratios of fat to lean meat make them ideal candidates for sausages, burgers, and more. Aim for 20-30% fat, a mildly flavored cut, and good binding abilities. Combine pork shoulder and fresh ham to get the best of both cuts. With the proper prep and grinding technique, these two cuts will give you rich, juicy ground pork bursting with flavor.
How Do You Grind Pork at Home?
1. Cut pork meat into 1. 5-2” pieces, disposing any blood vessels or little unnecessary things and place pieces into large sieve. Optional, but I like to rinse meat pieces in cold water to wash off any blood etc. Put in sink for 5 to 10 minutes to let any extra water drain out of the sieve. Do this again when you’re ready for the next batch. Line paper towel with a cloth towel or cutting board. Place the cleaned meat on the paper towel. Use a second paper towel to pat off any extra water.
2. Grind cut meat pieces, and weigh out ground meat into plastic freezer bags. (For example, I do 2. 5 lb for oven meatballs, 1. 5 lb for fried meatballs, 8 oz for meatball soup, etc. ).
3. Press bagged ground meat down to about 1” thick so it thaws faster when you need it. Refrigerate any ground meat you’re going to use same or next day and freeze the rest. (Avoid storing ground pork meat in the refrigerator for more than 2 days).
It might not be cheaper to grind your own meat, but the taste is better and you have more control over the size and quality of the grind.
Our meat grinder is not only used to grind meat, but we also use to make cookies and use for other needs. Maverick meat grinder comes with several attachments that are very handy. It is definitely worth it getting a meat grinder, in my opinion.
We recommend checking the manufacturer’s care instructions. When in doubt, hand wash with hot soapy water.
Why I Make Homemade Ground Pork:
When I need ground pork, I always look for a sale on natural pork. It has to be natural pork, not regular pork, because the taste is different. I purchase 5-10 packs and each pack is about 3-5 lbs. I prepare it, grind it, and set aside a good amount of ground pork to make meatballs the same day and freeze them to enjoy later. I then weigh out the rest of the ground pork to the amount I need (depending on the recipes I usually make), put it in ziploc bags, flatten it out a bit, and freeze it.
If I need ground pork, I put it in the sink before bed and use it in the morning. Just don’t leave it there all day; if you can’t use it “now,” put it back in the fridge after it thaws. My husband likes fresh or fried meatballs better than frozen ones, so we often let a bag of ground meat thaw, mix in the other ingredients, and fry them in a skillet. It sounds like dinner, but for us, it can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner! If you have fresh or frozen meatballs at home, you’ll always have something to eat!
You can follow the same process to make ground beef and ground chicken. You’re going to need an electric meat grinder. (I’ve been using this pork grinder since 2013; my mom and sisters have the exact same one. Wouldn’t recommend it unless I really loved it ).
- natural pork meat
- cold water
5 Ways To Use A Pork Shoulder
FAQ
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