The best cuts of meat for making pork sausage are generally those with a good balance of fat and lean meat, enhancing flavor and ensuring the sausage is moist and not too dry. Here are some of the top choices:

1. Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt) – This cut, from the upper part of the pig’s shoulder, is a favorite among sausage makers due to its ideal fat-to-lean ratio, which is generally around 20% fat to 80% lean. This makes it perfect for creating juicy and flavorful sausages.

2. Pork Belly – While fattier than pork shoulder, pork belly contributes rich flavor and succulence to sausages. It’s often combined with leaner cuts in a blend to create a well-balanced sausage texture.

3. Trimmed Fat – When using leaner cuts of pork, adding separately trimmed fat allows for better control over the fat content. Ideally keeping the overall fat content around 25-30% ensures the sausages remain moist during cooking.

4. Ham – Parts of the ham or hind leg can also be used in sausage making when looking for a leaner option. However, adding some additional fat to the mix might be necessary to maintain moisture and enhance taste.

5.Pork Sirloin – For those who prefer a leaner sausage, pork sirloin can be used as it contains less fat than shoulder or belly cuts. Blending with fattier cuts or added fats may still be needed.

When selecting meat for pork sausage, look for fresh, high-quality cuts and consider grinding your own meat at home for the best results. The freshness of meat affects both the flavor and texture of your sausages significantly. A rough guide for ideal sausage meat is approximately 25-35% fat content; much less than that and your sausages could end up too dry after cooking; much more, they could become excessively greasy.

Remember that making sausage is both an art and a science: do not hesitate to experiment with different cuts and ratios to find what works best for your palate and preferred culinary applications.