# $100 Meat Grinder Review



## wyogoob

Earlier this year I promised a review on an inexpensive meat grinder I bought for small kitchen jobs. I finally got the thing out and ground 30lbs of frosty pork butts. So far, so good. I am impressed with the outfit.

#12 Kitchener Meat grinder from Northern Tool & Equipment 
see: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200451267

> Lightweight
> 1/2 hp
> Easy to clean
> Has a kill switch with reverse
> Will take 1 1/2" diameter meat pieces
> 30lbs ground in 20 minutes (advertised to do 176lbs in an hour)
> Comes with 3 plates: 3/16", 1/4" and 3/8"
> Accepts other #12 plates. Some need a tiny bit of grinding on a bench grinder to fit.
> Comes with sausage stuffing tubes
> Comes with a Kubbe attachment (got me, some meat-inside-dough stuffing thingie)
> Has a circuit breaker, overload protection - I put some nearly-frozen meat thru it to puposely see if I could trip it out, but it just bogged it down a little and ran it thru.
> Noisy

Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna do some Teryaki deer sticks, breakfast sausage, and process an elk and will add more to the review.


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## wyogoob

Even my Mojo Duck is "all charged up" about this grinder.










-BaHa!-


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## fixed blade XC-3

Awesome, Ive been wanting a grinder.


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## wyogoob

First: Ground and stuffed 25lbs of antelope/pork Teriyaki sticks with the grinder and it went fine. The meat was frosty throughout the processing. Plate size was 3/16".

Second: Ground 10 lbs of pork Slim Jims thru a 3/16" plate. Tried to grind and stuff at the same time but the meat wasn't cold enough and it turned to mush and wouldn't go thru the stuffing tube. So I had to grind thru a 1/4" plate and then stuff it in the casings with a stuffer. That's usually the case for Slim Jims or any sausage that has to be pushed thru a 3/8" nozzle into those tiny dime-sized casings.

The grinder worked OK.









Teriyaki Sticks (left) Slim Jims (right)


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## Yonni

Goob those look so good, I need to learn how to do this!!!!


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## wyogoob

Yonni said:


> Goob those look so good, I need to learn how to do this!!!!


Beef sticks are easy and most sausage making supply houses have fantastic spice/cure kits for a large variety of beef sticks these days.

Slim Jims are labor intensive and I seldom make them. I had an extra pork butt in the freezer and all the equipment out, so I did them. What a pain and they're not even cooked (or smoked) yet. The Slim Jim recipe is very close to the store-bought variety; comes from _The Sausagemaker_ book.


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## wyogoob

The more I use this little grinder, the more I like it.

Here's 12 lbs of pork breakfast sausage. Ground and stuffed it at the same time into 24/26 mm sheep casings. Used the basic breakfast sausage spices and added some powdered honey.


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## cklspencer

> Used the basic breakfast sausage spices and added some powdered honey.


And what would those be?


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## KennyC

Goob- What kind of gear does this unit have? I had an LEM that had a nylon gear and it lasted about 30 minutes of easy use.


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## wyogoob

cklspencer said:


> Used the basic breakfast sausage spices and added some powdered honey.
> 
> 
> 
> And what would those be?
Click to expand...

Breakfast sausage spice #29 from the _Butcher & Packer_ $3.50 for a spice mix that will process 25 lbs. It's really good and I can't duplicate it.

I don't do a lot of breakfast sausage anymore so it's tough to keep fresh spices on hand, sage for example has a short shelf life. And fresh sausages lose their flavor quickly in the freezer.

see: http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php ... ath=86_113

I have some good home-made breakfast spice recipes, some all pork, some pork/wild game. Some recipes are the old standards, some have dextrose and/or phosphates added. Dextrose replaces sugar, neutralizes salt and chemical flavors, and binds meat. Phosphates (mostly sodium triphosphate...I think) helps retain moisture and makes a nice juicy sausage. But like I said, I prefer the taste and convenience of the packaged spice mixes these days.


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## wyogoob

KennyC said:


> Goob- What kind of gear does this unit have? I had an LEM that had a nylon gear and it lasted about 30 minutes of easy use.


I hope you got your money back Kenny.

For $100 my guess would be the gears on this one are plastic. The unit does have overload protection though. Like I mentioned, I ran some almost-frozen meat thru it and it bogged the grinder motor down some, but didn't trip the overload. I don't know if that is good or bad.


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## GaryFish

I surely don't want to distract from Goob's great sausage making skills.

I just wanted to throw in a product review for a grinder under $100. Last year, I got the Cabela's Heavy Duty Meat Grinder for Christmas. It was a black friday sale last year for $59. Right now, Cabela's lists it at $69.
[attachment=0:1h46srf7]Cabelas Meat Grinder.jpg[/attachment:1h46srf7]
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas- ... l+Products

After about a year of use, I have to report that I am quite pleased with the product and have no complaints. I have used it to grind 3 deer and 2 elk worth of burger, as well as dozens of beef and pork roasts. While not a real powerful unit, I find that it has enough power to do everything I have ask of it. It comes with three sizes of grinding blades, and all grinding parts are all metal. I have not used it to stuff any sausages. I have found that I need to cut the meat into cubes no bigger than about 1 1/2 inch square - bigger chunks tend to get stuck in the funnel. The grinding part can move bigger chunks, but its no big deal. So after using it for a year, I would defiantly recommend this grinder for basic home use. Since having it, we find that we seldom buy burger anymore - as we'll wait for good leaner roasts to go on sale and grind it ourselves - giving us premium 95% lean or better burger for about half the cost at the store. We also have enjoyed making our own breakfast sausage - we grind and then make patties or just cook up the ground sausage for use in spaghetti or other dishes. For someone wanting to do their own grinding without breaking the bank, this is an excellent value.


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## wyogoob

*GaryFish,* that's a good looking outfit and at a great price.

I see it too has the Kubbe attachments. Kubbe is a small meat pie thingie...I think.


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## waspocrew

I'm thinking I might need to get the meat grinder out and give it a shot!


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## pkred

Goob you ever thought of writing a recipe book? I'd by one.


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## wyogoob

pkred said:


> Goob you ever thought of writing a recipe book? I'd by one.


Thanks for the compliment. There's enough cook books out there and besides fewer and fewer people cook anymore, especially wild game. Wild game takes more time, and talent, to cook versus domestic meats. And the culture has changed, too much fast food, convience food. Hard to compete with salt, sugar and cooking oil.

"Variety meats" in Utah are when you do McDonalds, Arby's, and Pat's BBQ all in the same week. 

I don't need another get-rich-quick venture, thanks. So far I've been a dismal failure at custom rod building, fly tying, exotic dancing, big game guiding, union boss, carpenter and backpacking gear consultant. 

I gotta go, me and the grandson are overhauling my gabagool.


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## wyogoob

An update on the $100 Universal grinder.

Made a batch of antelope summer sausage, about 15 lbs. First the meat was ground thru a 3/4" plate and it went fine. The grinder would grind it as fast as I could push it in the hole. Then I mixed the coarse ground meat with the spice/cure mixture and put it in the freezer for about an hour to stiffen it up.

Then I ran the frosty meat thru a 3/16" plate and stuffed it into 3" fibrous casings at the same time. All but one of the casings were 14" long, a size that fits my smoker. One was 24" long, a little tough to hold by yourself and keep the sausage firm, the meat tight in the casing.

It's a little slow compared to my bigger equipment, but a lot easier to clean and move around. It's a little tough to keep the 24" x 3" sausage packed tight by yourself with this small of a grinder. When you apply back pressure the whole grind wants to walk away, move backwards. On the other hand, the 14" long casings went fine. Remember it goes without saying the meat has to be frosty, no matter what size of the equipment. Here's a close-up pic of the 3" x 24" casing sausage, the hardest one to grind/stuff:









This sausage has few, if any air pockets. The fat is cut smooth with no smearing. I do see 2 pieces of fat, probably tallow, that have some air around them, no fault of the grinder. Generally the sausage slices cleanly with minimal tearing. The sausage has a lactic acid culture product in it, called Fermento™. Fermento™ can make cured sausage crumbly sometimes, but this sausage only has minor crumbling, bottom left in the pic. So I'll give it an 8.5, and it will be better when it's fully cured in about 10 days.


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## wyogoob

It's always a good idea to put the aluminum grinding assemby in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes before grinding meat. It really helps keep the meat cold, the key to good meat flow thru any meat grinder.


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## wyogoob

Ran another 50 pounds thru this el-cheapo grinder; some elk, pork butts and a couple swans. 

All of the meat was frosty, and the grinder cutting blade was sharp. Made jerky, swan sausage and bratwurst. 30 pounds of the meat was ground twice, the second time thru a 1/8" plate. 20 pounds was ground thru a 3/16" plate. Didn't set any speed records, but that's OK.

Grinding thru an 1/8" plate is tough for any grinder and this unit did fine as long as the meat was frosty or very cold.


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## wyogoob

Dangit, this is what can happen when grinding and stuffing at the same time especially using long casings.










24" long casings are hard to hold back pressure on when at the end of the stick. This is the worst cavity I ever had. Really lost focus on this stick. A void is created in the center of the sausage as it comes off the grinding plate. The hand that is wrapped around the end of the stuffing horn should squeeze the air out, work the void shut, as the stuffing progresses; boy, easier said than done. My big #32 grinder doesn't do this like the smaller #10 grinders do. Hard for me to explain, I should do a video.

Grinding the sausage first and then stuffing it with a stuffer is alot of extra work but the finished product is higher quality.


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## wyogoob

Twice-ground another 75 pounds of partially frozen wild game and pork. Made breakfast sausage, kielbasa, Bangers and Chaurice.

1st grind with a 3/4" plate, 2nd grind (grind and stuff) thru a smaller plate.

Went OK for a #12 grinder. Gears seem noisier than before.


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## gdog

Great feedback Goob...I'm going to buy a new grinder before next fall....so I'm watching how this thing holds up. Scheels had a LEM grinder on sale for $99.00...believe it was the 575 #8 model. I picked the unit up and was surprised how light it was....seemed cheaply made(?)


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## wyogoob

gdog said:


> Great feedback Goob...I'm going to buy a new grinder before next fall....so I'm watching how this thing holds up. Scheels had a LEM grinder on sale for $99.00...believe it was the 575 #8 model. I picked the unit up and was surprised how light it was....seemed cheaply made(?)


The #8 is a handy kitchen grinder for small jobs. We processed many a whitetail deer with a #8 back in the day.

I ground and stuffed 2 different 25 pound sausage recipes, among others, with the $100 #12 meat grinder. Considering I have a #32 grinder, 25 pounds at one time is my limit for this small of a grinder.


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## wyogoob

Made some sausage with bread crumbs added and stuffed into sheep casings. The only thing harder to grind/stuff than that would be emulsified sausage like Braunschweiger or Bologna. The seasoned meat was partially frozen and the grinder did a good job grinding and stuffing at the same time. The sausage ended up firm with few air pockets and broken casings were held to a minimum.


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## gdog

Goob...elk meat in the freeze and an antelope tag at the ready. Need to pull the trigger on a new grinder now. Any new update on the $100 unit? I'm gonna either go for that one or one of the cabelas grinders (either 1/2 or 3/4 hp).


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## wyogoob

*252 pounds in 5 days!!*

Meat ground in the last 5 days:

60 lbs port scraps - grind once thru 3/4" plate (60 lbs total)

32 lbs Boston Butts - grind once thru 3/4" plate (32 lbs total)

12 lbs pork sirloin roasts - grind once thru 3/4" plate (12 lbs total)

26 lbs breakfast sausage links - grind once thru kidney plate, grind and stuff thru 3/16" plate (52 lbs total)

26 lbs bulk breakfast sausage - grind once thru kidney plate, grind and stuff burger bags thru 3/16" plate (52 lbs total)

11 lbs braunschweiger - grind once thru 3/4" plate, once thru 1/4" plate, twice thru 1/8" plate (44 lbs total)

Total for last 5 days: 252 lbs of frosty meat with this little #10 grinder.

The gear box is making an awlful noise most of the time. All the gear teeth seem to mesh-up OK.....doesn't seem to be generating any abnormal heat (at the moment) Could be a bushing or a thrust bearing.

I may have had the auger nut on too tight a couple of times. I know better. If the blade is sharp the auger nut doesn't have to be all that tight.

.


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## wyogoob

I put 4 or 5 drops of oil on the drive shaft where it comes thru the housing and the noise stopped. Run the motor in reverse for awhile and then ground another 10 lbs of frosty pork. Sounds fine now.


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## wyogoob

*I'm guessing 525 pounds ground in El Cheapo so far!!*

My guess is that somewhere around 525 lbs of (frosty) meat has gone thru this cheapo grinder.


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## Dunkem

Be interested to know how the braunschweiger turns out.


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Be interested to know how the braunschweiger turns out.


It could have turned out better. Some of the casings split and those sausages were over-cooked (around 166° internal instead of 152°). And then I fell asleep at the wheel and over-cooked the terrine loaf (168°).  If you cook braunschweiger to over 165° internally it's not pink any more and it gets a little crumbly; tastes ok though.

Tried a spice/cure pre-mix from PS Seasonings and some fancy-dancy gold barrier casings. My brother recommended the pre-mix. He used it for the first time this winter with pork and whitetail deer liver and everyone liked it. The spice mix had good flavor, similar to the store-bought Oscar Meyer braunschweiger.

Braunschweiger is so tough to make. I spent 2 days on 11 lbs. Split some of the casings cooking it; barrier casings are a pain.

.


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## Dunkem

Wow 2 days on 11 lbs ,dedicated or drunk


TOP OF THE PAGE!!!!


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Wow 2 days on 11 lbs ,dedicated or drunk
> 
> TOP OF THE PAGE!!!!


Yeah, this liver sausage was as close to being emulsified as one can get with a grinder. It's all about the amount of water used and the temperature of the meat when grinding.

Hey, you're sneaky. Dangit, I kept making my post bigger to get on the top of the page, but you beat me to it. 

.


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## wyogoob

*124 pounds thru El Cheapo!!*

Ground another 124 lbs of frosty meat (56 lbs of meat ground 2 or 3 times) with the El Cheapo grinder. The noise is gone. Thing is running like new.

Making:
Jalapeno/Cheese Antelope Summer Sausage
Soppressata
Celery Sausage
Andouille
Elk Heart & Liver Sausage

.


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## wyogoob

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/wyo...m 9-6-10/5kinds1day_a_sm_zps8061ffd8.jpg.html


good grief

.


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## hidrev

A web search brought me to this thread, great info for us new to making sausage!

I have the same machine but I messed up by putting the tray and similar pewter looking parts through the dishwasher. Now there's a black residue which takes a long time to clean every time I want to use it.

I know the original finish is long gone but I wonder if there's a way to eliminate that black stuff.

Then there's a problem making sausage. First time was flawless, after the grind we removed the blade and plate and used the plastic tube to make about 20 feet of sausage, no fuss no muss.

Next time we tried it the casings blew up like balloons and not much meat moved through. 

I ordered a kidney plate because I was told that solved the problem. We tried to fill with the blade and kidney plate behind the plastic tube but we had the same air problem again. What could be causing this?
(the question is kinda moot since I ordered a 5 lb stuffer today but I'm still curious why with the same apparent conditions we got such different outcomes) 

We are keeping the mix cold as we work.

Thanks in advance


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## phorisc

Ugh now i want a grinder!!! Thanks alot!


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## wyogoob

hidrev said:


> A web search brought me to this thread, great info for us new to making sausage!
> 
> I have the same machine but I messed up by putting the tray and similar pewter looking parts through the dishwasher. Now there's a black residue which takes a long time to clean every time I want to use it.
> 
> I know the original finish is long gone but I wonder if there's a way to eliminate that black stuff.
> 
> Just leave it black. Tell everybody it's the optional anodized finish.
> 
> Then there's a problem making sausage. First time was flawless, after the grind we removed the blade and plate and used the plastic tube to make about 20 feet of sausage, no fuss no muss.  Cool, I've been stuffing sausage for 53 years and can't do that.
> 
> Next time we tried it the casings blew up like balloons and not much meat moved through. Poke a few little holes in the casing at the tied end before you start stuffing. Hold the casing between the thumb and forefinger at the end of the horn, rocking your fingers back and forth letting the air escape up into the casing that is on the horn above your hand.
> 
> I ordered a kidney plate because I was told that solved the problem. We tried to fill with the blade and kidney plate behind the plastic tube but we had the same air problem again. What could be causing this? Meat has to be frosty, almost frozen, to use when grinding and stuffing at the same time, especially if using a small plate like a 3/16" or 1/4".
> (the question is kinda moot since I ordered a 5 lb stuffer today but I'm still curious why with the same apparent conditions we got such different outcomes)
> 
> We are keeping the mix cold as we work. Cold or frosty? Welcome to the forum and keep at it, don't give up. It'll all come together. Keep us posted, put up some pictures.
> 
> Thanks in advance


My comments are in red.


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## wyogoob

*60 to 75 pounds ground twice!!*

It's antelope season, time to clean the freezer out. I have no idea how much sausage I've ground and stuffed with the El Cheapo grinder since my last report. My guess is 60 to 75 lbs all ground 3/4" first then mixed well with the spices, then placed in freezer till frosty and then ground and stuffed at the same time thru the $100 meat grinder.

The gears are starting to get noisy. I'm pushin' the meat to her hard and fast and she's squeelin' like a hog caught in a fence.  Uh.....anyway, here's some new pics:


Elk BBQ beef stiks and a bunch of Antelope Pepperoni in 4 different casings. The sausage in the netting was hand rolled, no casing used.


Antelope Pepperoni close-up.


Jalapeno/Garlic/Pork in 42mm beef rounds, later smoked with pecan.


Antelope Pepperoni - 4 different casings.

more pics later


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## hidrev

wyogoob said:


> My comments are in red.


Thanks for the prompt reply.

Re the finish: I'm not concerned with looks, the black residue gets on my fingers when I handle the parts so I'm concerned about contaminating food with it.

I really wonder what the black stuff is, I've washed other aluminum utensils and never seen something like this.


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## wyogoob

hidrev said:


> Thanks for the prompt reply.
> 
> Re the finish: I'm not concerned with looks, the black residue gets on my fingers when I handle the parts so I'm concerned about contaminating food with it.
> 
> I really wonder what the black stuff is, I've washed other aluminum utensils and never seen something like this.


Got me.

Any pictures?

.


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## hidrev

I wanted to post pics I took but I don't know how.
Only option I see is to link to a pic online.

My stuffer arrived a day ahead of time. A Weston 5 qt vertical stuffer sold by
Meatprocessingproducts.com. Good price, good service, it feels solid. 
20 lbs of mixture in the freezer await.


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## Charina

Hand wash in hot water and dry immediately. Do not put it through a dishwsher. It's oxidized aluminum. Nothing dangerous.


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## 30-06-hunter

Goob, what do you do with all that sausage, sell it at a roadside stand? I was just looking at the grinder attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer that I might pick up.


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## 30-06-hunter

hidrev said:


> Thanks for the prompt reply.
> 
> Re the finish: I'm not concerned with looks, the black residue gets on my fingers when I handle the parts so I'm concerned about contaminating food with it.
> 
> I really wonder what the black stuff is, I've washed other aluminum utensils and never seen something like this.


Mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water in a spray bottle, spray your grinder parts, and then wipe clean.


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## Cooky

hidrev said:


> Thanks for the prompt reply.
> 
> Re the finish: I'm not concerned with looks, the black residue gets on my fingers when I handle the parts so I'm concerned about contaminating food with it.
> 
> I really wonder what the black stuff is, I've washed other aluminum utensils and never seen something like this.


Some of the parts of my Kitchenaid attachments will do that. I cleaned it off with one of those green scrubby thingies and a bottle brush and hosed them down with some aerosol cooking oil. After that I've hand washed them and squirt a little Pam on them before I put them up. It hasn't come back.


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## 30-06-hunter

Cooky said:


> Some of the parts of my Kitchenaid attachments will do that. I cleaned it off with one of those green scrubby thingies and a bottle brush and hosed them down with some aerosol cooking oil. After that I've hand washed them and squirt a little Pam on them before I put them up. It hasn't come back.


Are you using the meat grinder attachment?


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## GaryFish

30-06-hunter said:


> Goob, what do you do with all that sausage, sell it at a roadside stand? I was just looking at the grinder attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer that I might pick up.


A friend of mine got the kitchenaid grinder attachment. I helped him process a couple of elk. We had his kitchenaid, and my $69 Cabelas grinder. The kitchenaid went about 1/4 as fast as the Cabelas grinder, and we had to stop about every ten minutes from the kitchenaid over heating. Thing is, he dropped $150 for the kitchenaid attachment, and about burned up the motor. His wife about killed him. Side by side, there simply was no comparison - the $69 grinder from Cabelas totally out performed the kitchenaid attachment.


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## 30-06-hunter

GaryFish said:


> A friend of mine got the kitchenaid grinder attachment. I helped him process a couple of elk. We had his kitchenaid, and my $69 Cabelas grinder. The kitchenaid went about 1/4 as fast as the Cabelas grinder, and we had to stop about every ten minutes from the kitchenaid over heating. Thing is, he dropped $150 for the kitchenaid attachment, and about burned up the motor. His wife about killed him. Side by side, there simply was no comparison - the $69 grinder from Cabelas totally out performed the kitchenaid attachment.


Yeah, I have been researching it and will just get a regular grinder, seems the kitchenaid lacks the wattage needed to do it well.


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## wyogoob

30-06-hunter said:


> Goob, what do you do with all that sausage, sell it at a roadside stand? I was just looking at the grinder attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer that I might pick up.


I give a lot of it away, especially on the plant turnaround jobs I work.

Do some trading too. An example: Worked with a Japanese engineer this year whose father had a food business in Japan. We made some interesting trades.

And sausage is part of our normal table fare though: breakfast sausage, kielbasa, bratwurst, bologna, braunschweiger, andouille (seasoning type) and we do a lot of deli sandwiches with summer sausage, salami, pastrami, capicola, or ham.

#8 grinders like the Kitchenaide are very slow, made for small jobs really.


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## 30-06-hunter

wyogoob said:


> I give a lot of it away, especially on the plant turnaround jobs I work.
> 
> Do some trading too. An example: Worked with a Japanese engineer this year whose father had a food business in Japan. We made some interesting trades.
> 
> And sausage is part of our normal table fare though: breakfast sausage, kielbasa, bratwurst, bologna, braunschweiger, andouille (seasoning type) and we do a lot of deli sandwiches with summer sausage, salami, pastrami, capicola, or ham.
> 
> #8 grinders like the Kitchenaide are very slow, made for small jobs really.


Man, too bad we aren't neighbors, I could mow your lawn or work on your car in exchange for food!


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## Cooky

30-06-hunter said:


> Are you using the meat grinder attachment?


Yes, I use the grinder attachment. I works fine for me. I have the biggest motored kitchenaid that still tilts. I also don't do more than 15# or so at a time...and don't hurry much.
The stuffer attachment truly sucks.
If you already have a kitchenaid the grinder might be an option but if you are going to buy it to use as a grinder I wouldn't do it. I did because I already had the mixer.
The Mending Shed in Orem sells all the kitchenaid attachments a lot cheaper than any of the fancy kitchen stuff stores.
http://www.mendingshed.com/foodgrinder.html


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## hidrev

Charina said:


> Hand wash in hot water and dry immediately. Do not put it through a dishwsher. It's oxidized aluminum. Nothing dangerous.


Thanks for all the advice, guys.

I wanted to track this as far as I could, I called Northern Tool and ended up with Kitchenor Legal Dept. They urged me to replace the parts and told me at least 3 times I'd voided the warranty and any liability. Since $99. is less than replacing them I'm thinking having a grinder with a spare motor may not be a bad thing. No matter how hard I wash them, handling the parts makes my fingers greasy gray/black.

Meanwhile back in the kitchen the Weston stuffer finished the job superbly, much more quickly, and with less waste than using the grinder. It's a 3 hand job. I was surprised that even slow cranking filled it faster than she could keep up with at the casing side. Total wasted filling in the wash was less than a tablespoon.The tilt out canister is a brilliant feature, I imagine refilling it without it could be tedious. This is a quality gizmo f'sure.

The reward for our labors: 
Chiangmai sausage, a fresh pork sausage eaten after roasting, with flavors of lemon grass, ****** lime, galangal, cilantro, onion and a bunch of bottled stuff I lost track of. This sausage making venture began with a craving my wife had for a taste of home. Last little bit was stuffed by hand, which made her nostalgic for when her mom stuffed it using a cut off plastic bottle. The 20 lbs or so in the freezer should hold us for a while.

This project really woke the sausage maker within. Next projects: real Italian sausage with the taste of fennel and Merguez. We're in Miami and not hunters (don't eat alligator anyway) but we can shop with the best of em

I thank you all for the advice and inspiration, I'll be re-visiting this site often.

Now if I could figure out how to intersperse the pics in the text&#8230;some help please?


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## willfish4food

hidrev,

To intersperse pictures in you post do this:

First upload all the pictures you want to use by clicking on the manage attachments button below the text input box.








You'll get a pop-up that looks like this.








Browse for each picture and once you've got them all click the upload button. Your pop-up should now look something like this:








Click in the text editor box at the location you want the picture and then click on the little down arrow next to the paperclip and select the image you want to upload. 








Click on post preview to make sure the right pics made it to the right location.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of delicious sausage in the future. Also, thanks for posting up that link to where you got your stuffer. I've been wanting a vertical stuffer and that's as cheap as I've seen them. Maybe I'll have to put that on my Christmas wishlist...-Ov-


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## hidrev

Thanks Willfish4food, since my pics made it as thumbnails, I'll try it the right way next time.

In praise of the Weston stuffer:
Full link: http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/we5lbcavesas.html
I see an 11 lb model is on sale for just $23.00 more.

I had originally ordered a LEM but when I saw the Weston I cancelled and ordered this.
Steel, not nylon gears.
Effortless cranking.
Heavy base with grippy rubber feet. No need for clamping to the counter.
I can't enthuse about the tilt out canister enough. Brilliant design.
Air pressure relief valve worked well.
Well-written manual made everything clear.
Now that I've used it, disassembled and washed it, the impression of quality construction is enhanced.
Reasonable shipping charges, good price, good followup reflects well on the company.
The website has a huge variety of supplies, from casings to to spices to parts and machinery. 2 thumbs up.

Having had one successful stuffing session with the Kitchenor meat grinder, I think a separate stuffer is the way to go. Much faster, easier all around

PS to the whole process:
Lemongrass and galangal root defeated the food processor. We ran them through the Kitchenor finest plate for the fine grind/juicing they required for the recipe.


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## wyogoob

That's a great post hidrev. Nice looking stuffer too.

Those thumbnail pictures are fine, but you are right, you can't put text around them. What is kinda cool is that you can click on them and they will open up into a slide show. Another way to post pics is to copy and paste the URL of a picture stored on an online photo storage program like Photobucket.


hidrev, could you put up the recipe for Chiangmai sausage?


A special thanks to willfish4food. What an informative tutorial on posting a picture on the Forum. With your permission I'd like to copy and paste it in the Utahwildlife's Help Desk.

.


----------



## willfish4food

goob - no objections by me.


----------



## wyogoob

*93 pounds ground twice = 186 pounds*

93 lbs of pork, beef, and elk meat ground twice through El Cheapo this past week. That's another 186 lbs to it's total!!!


----------



## mrlenny

*beef sticks*

What is the best way to use the stuffer attachments. Grinding was great...stuffing was not on this little grinder.


----------



## wyogoob

*60 pounds frosty meat ground twice!! yer kiddin me!*



mrlenny said:


> What is the best way to use the stuffer attachments. Grinding was great...stuffing was not on this little grinder.


Welcome to the forum. Grinding and stuffing at the same time takes some practice with El Cheapo.

The knife and plate holes must be sharp and the lock nut screwed down firmly. I sharpen the knife and grind plate before each grinding project.

Freeze the aluminum grinder parts before using.

Try a plate with larger holes.

Sinew and white skin can clog up the holes on the grinding plate. Stop and clean the plate as needed. I ground about 60 lbs of elk burger into burger bags using a 2" stuffing horn. Half of the grind/stuff was thru a 1/8" plate the way Mrs. Goob likes it. The elk scraps were frosty and ground at 3/4" first but they had too much sinew in them and I had to clean the plate after each 10 lbs. On the other hand I ran "my" 30 lbs of very cold burger scraps thru a 3/16" plate quickly and without stopping to clean the plate.

The meat and fat should be cold, almost frosty. The casing should be stacked up on the end of the stuffing horn, Let the grinder fill the casing without any pressure towards the auger. If you're doing fibrous casings work the sausage so the pressure is towards the rear, towards the sausage. Massage the sausage so the air vents back through the stacked-up casing on the end of the horn.

Did I say "Keep the meat frosty"? http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/72330-sausage-keeping-meat-frosty.html

Good luck.

.


----------



## mrlenny

Thanks for the advice.... I got the Cyclone stuffing attachment and things went so well I couldn't believe the ease and speed. Best $20 I ever spent.


----------



## wyogoob

*150 pounds since the last report!*

El Cheapo is still grinding away! Ground about 150 lbs of elk, chicken, pork, beef scraps, antelope and rabbit since the last report. The gearbox is getting a little noisy. :sad:

Grinding rabbit bones (trunks and necks) for dog food:


I bought the Cyclone stuffing attachment that mrlenny recommended but haven't used it yet.

.


----------



## wyogoob

*75 pounds is easy!!*

The $100 grinder is still plugging away. Probably ran another 75 lbs thru it in the last couple months.

Here's a helpful hint that some may not be aware of:

You can clean out the grinder by running 2 or 3 ice cubes thru the machine. Just let the crushed ice go right in to the ground meat; it won't hurt it:


Look how clean this baby is after running 3 ice cubes thru it:


Keep yer meat frosty!

.


----------



## elkmule123

Thanks for tip !!!


----------



## wyogoob

Here's a couple more grinder tips:

It's very important that grinder knives and plates are kept sharp. Here's some unique and durable sandpaper I'm having good luck with. Medium 100 grit is about right:




Another tip:
Is there a gobbly-goop mess of meat coming out of the center of the grinder plate when you're grinding? It may be the cutting blades on the knife are short, missing some or all of the holes in the center of the plate. Check out the difference in these two #10 knives below. The cutting blades on one is at least 1/8" longer than the other:


Keep yer meat frosty!


----------



## wyogoob

*150 pounds again!!*

Another 150 lbs since the last report.

The $100 grinder is still doing OK. Ground 25 lbs of semi-frosty pork butt pieces in 7 minutes today:


On sale $99.99 at Northern Industrial:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...rKJGJydwkT9aJtyDp6G9TK0ugvgnMZEG_fBoCu0vw_wcB

.


----------



## wyogoob

*300 pounds more!*



wyogoob said:


> Another 150 lbs since the last report.
> 
> ........................................................
> 
> On sale $99.99 at Northern Industrial:
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...rKJGJydwkT9aJtyDp6G9TK0ugvgnMZEG_fBoCu0vw_wcB
> 
> .


Actually this 150 lbs of meat was ground twice, once through a kidney plate and then the final grind through appropriately sized plates with smaller holes. So 300 lbs more!!


----------



## wyogoob

*154 pounds this time!*

This weekend: 77 lbs of frosty beef, pork and wild game ground twice = 154 POUNDS!!

The gear noise has stopped, probably wore the end of all the teeth off. :smile:

I had help:




.


----------



## wyogoob

I bought El Cheapo grinder January 10, 2011. I kept the box and the return paperwork in the basement anticipating sending the cheap grinder back to Northern Tool after it broke down. 

Guess I'll throw the box away now. :grin:

.


----------



## wyogoob

*66 more pounds!!!*

33 pounds of frosty antelope ground twice. It's true, I'm not making this up.

.


----------



## wyogoob

*50 pounds of pork n chicken ran thru lickety-split*

Another 50 lbs ground lickety split.

The meat in the pic below was rough ground thru a kidney plate. That method is so much faster and more consistent than cutting the meat up with a knife. There's 13lbs of rough-ground bratwurst ready for the mixing in the seasonings in that big tub. I mix with a plastic paddle to keep the meat cold and my hands warm:


The second grind was stuffed into casings at the same time:


This meat grinder is a #12 and advertised to do 176lbs an hour!!!

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451267_200451267






Keep yer meat frosty.

.


----------



## DallanC

Perhaps I missed it in this thread, where do you get your casing? We bought a cabelas $100 grinder earlier this year, the supplied casing is really hard to get on the feeder tube. 

The grinder is great, works flawlessly (although its louder than hell), just gotta figure out something different for the casings.

-DallanC


----------



## wyogoob

*where I get casings*



DallanC said:


> Perhaps I missed it in this thread, where do you get your casing? We bought a cabelas $100 grinder earlier this year, the supplied casing is really hard to get on the feeder tube.
> 
> The grinder is great, works flawlessly (although its louder than hell), just gotta figure out something different for the casings.
> 
> -DallanC


What size is your Cabela's grinder? #8? What type and size where the casings?

I get my casings from 8 or 10 different places. Depends on the type, size, pricing and quality. I follow the sales too; the "certain % off" and "free shipping" sales.

My main casing suppliers are:
Butcher Packer
The Sausagemaker
Allied Kenco
PS Seasonings
eBay
LEM

.


----------



## DallanC

Uhhh its this one: grinder (it was on sale when we got it for $100).

Neck size: #8, 2.41"
Grinding plates: 4.5mm and 7mm
Funnels included: 10mm and 20mm, plastic
Stuffing Tube Lengths: 20mm = 4.75", 10mm = 4.75"

I guess my only question is there a specific type of casing that works best, or brand maybe? The default ones are collagen and rip so easy when trying to put on the funnel. Also I'm surprised the entire length of casing doesnt fit on the funnel so you can use what you want. It seems like I can only get about 3-4ft of casing on the funnel at any one time before it starts to rip.

-DallanC


----------



## Dunkem

At work we only use hog casings, don't like the collagen. I believe you can get them at Tri B supply. Been awhile since I got any.566-8070 is their phone #. Gonna get me one of those grinders, they don't want us making sausage at work anymore-O,- Stupid supervisers, gonna retire completly:!:


Edit; I should add that all we did at work was Sausage links, no salami etc. that you would need a different casing for.


----------



## wyogoob

*collagen casings*



DallanC said:


> Uhhh its this one: grinder (it was on sale when we got it for $100).
> 
> Neck size: #8, 2.41"
> Grinding plates: 4.5mm and 7mm
> Funnels included: 10mm and 20mm, plastic
> Stuffing Tube Lengths: 20mm = 4.75", 10mm = 4.75"
> 
> I guess my only question is there a specific type of casing that works best, or brand maybe? No The default ones are collagen and rip so easy when trying to put on the funnel. I didn't know there where "default casings" Also I'm surprised the entire length of casing doesnt fit on the funnel so you can use what you want. It seems like I can only get about 3-4ft of casing on the funnel at any one time before it starts to rip. I seldom, if ever, stuff a collagen casing over 3ft long.
> 
> -DallanC


From what I've seen Cabela's markets some good grinders.

Most of my collagen casings are cut less than 24" long to fit my oven or smoker. Collagen won't twist so I don't do the long linked loops that go on smoking sticks like I would with natural beef or hog casings. Sheep casings are fragile so I keep them short too.

It's important to me to tightly stuff small-diameter sausages like beef sticks, Slim Jims, jerky sticks, 1 1/4" pepperoni sticks - no air pockets and there will be controlled shrinkage after processing. To do that I keep the sausage lengths short for easy handling. I cut collagen 24" long and about 1 1/2" on each end is left un-stuffed, usually knotted, but sometimes tied off with butcher's twine. So my longest collagen sausages will be 21" long after tying. That fits nicely on my oven racks.

There are hundreds of different kinds of collagen casings divided into two groups; edible and non-edible. The stuffing/curing/smoking/cooking technique for each group can be very different than the other group.

Good grief, I could start a long and boring separate thread on collagen casings but I'm thinkin' a lot of guys would fall asleep reading it and they'd get in trouble with their boss.

.


----------



## DallanC

Heh, my ignorance on this topic comes through in spectacular fashion.



wyogoob said:


> I didn't know there where "default casings"


I used the wrong term, I meant the casings included in the kit with the grinder.



wyogoob said:


> From what I've seen Cabela's markets some good grinders.


Quality seems good. I believe if we dont drop it or run over it with the truck it should last for quite a while.



> Most of my collagen casings are cut less than 24" long to fit my oven or smoker. Collagen won't twist so I don't do the long linked loops that go on smoking sticks like I would with natural beef or hog casings. Sheep casings are fragile so I keep them short too.




Ok, that makes me feel better. We were doing lengths about 3ft at a time. We were able to twist them with little problem. Probably because we didnt have them filled super tight. We let them sit a minute to let the casing "soften" and they twisted just fine. In fact that was the least of our troubles lol



> It's important to me to tightly stuff small-diameter sausages like beef sticks, Slim Jims, jerky sticks, 1 1/4" pepperoni sticks - no air pockets and there will be controlled shrinkage after processing. To do that I keep the sausage lengths short for easy handling. I cut collagen 24" long and about 1 1/2" on each end is left un-stuffed, usually knotted, but sometimes tied off with butcher's twine. So my longest collagen sausages will be 21" long after tying. That fits nicely on my oven racks.




Great info.



> There are hundreds of different kinds of collagen casings divided into two groups; edible and non-edible. The stuffing/curing/smoking/cooking technique for each group can be very different than the other group.
> 
> Good grief, I could start a long and boring separate thread on collagen casings but I'm thinkin' a lot of guys would fall asleep reading it and they'd get in trouble with their boss.


We'll I cant speak for someone driving down I15 reading this as they drive, but its interesting to read at my boring job.

-DallanC


----------



## wyogoob

*retire and cut mo meat*



Dunkem said:


> At work we only use hog casings, don't like the collagen. I believe you can get them at Tri B supply. Been awhile since I got any.566-8070 is their phone #. Gonna get me one of those grinders, they don't want us making sausage at work anymore-O,- Stupid supervisers, gonna retire completly:!:


I don't think there's a better casing than hog small intestines. Durable, edible, thin, and no flavor....keep for a long time if salted down and kept in fridge.

I get my hickory sawdust, 40lb bag, and burger bags, 1000 at a time, from Tri B. Nice people.

I've used and owned a lot of grinders from #5 Oster to #42 Hobarts. This grinder is well worth $100. It will do twice as much as any #8 grinder I've owned or used.


----------



## wyogoob

*use a kidney plate*



DallanC said:


> Heh, my ignorance on this topic comes through in spectacular fashion.
> 
> I used the wrong term, I meant the casings included in the kit with the grinder.
> 
> Quality seems good. I believe if we dont drop it or run over it with the truck it should last for quite a while.
> 
> [/color]
> 
> Ok, that makes me feel better. We were doing lengths about 3ft at a time. We were able to twist them with little problem. Probably because we didnt have them filled super tight. We let them sit a minute to let the casing "soften" and they twisted just fine. In fact that was the least of our troubles lol
> 
> [/color]
> 
> Great info.
> 
> We'll I cant speak for someone driving down I15 reading this as they drive, but its interesting to read at my boring job.
> 
> -DallanC


yeah

I recommend getting a kidney plate if you don't already have one. They're a real time-saver and help getting a consistent seasoning blend in the meat:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/152070057175?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true


----------



## wyogoob

*2,041 lbs to date*

I've added up the pounds of meat ground thru El Cheapo that I have posted in this thread; *2,041. *That seems a little conservative but I use my #32 for the big projects.

Grinder purchased January 2011.

keep yer meat frosty

.


----------



## wyogoob

*Over 2,000 lbs ground so far!!!!*

Tips on making a meat grinder last a long time:
> Keep yer meat frosty.
> Keep the cutting blade sharp.
> Keep the grinding plate sharp.
> Don't mix carbon steel with stainless steel blades and plates.
> Tighten the grinder nozzle nut "hand tight" with a nozzle nut wrench. Don't over-tighten.
> Put a little grease on the gears when they start to make noise.
> Use a nylon thrust washer and at least one metal thrust washer where the the auger shaft goes into the housing.
> Did I say "keep yer meat frosty"?


----------



## wyogoob

*A hog's small intestine is over 20 feet long!*



wyogoob said:


> I don't think there's a better casing than hog small intestines. Durable, edible, thin, and no flavor....keep for a long time if salted down and kept in fridge.
> 
> I get my hickory sawdust, 40lb bag, and burger bags, 1000 at a time, from Tri B. Nice people.
> 
> I've used and owned a lot of grinders from #5 Oster to #42 Hobarts. This grinder is well worth $100. It will do twice as much as any #8 grinder I've owned or used.


Sometimes when work is going bad I think about cleaning, flushing out, hog intestines when I was a kid and then suddenly everything is cool.

.


----------



## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> At work we only use hog casings, don't like the collagen. I believe you can get them at Tri B supply. Been awhile since I got any.566-8070 is their phone #. Gonna get me one of those grinders, they don't want us making sausage at work anymore-O,- Stupid supervisers, gonna retire completly:!:
> 
> Edit; I should add that all we did at work was Sausage links, no salami etc. that you would need a different casing for.


yeah

Edible collagen casings are great for small to medium diameter straight sausages.

They are making curved collagen casings that you can loop, make an individual circle out of.

.


----------



## gdog

I just stuffed 15 lbs of snack sticks into the Cabelas 18mm clear collagen cases. I don't like clear cases...I like the amber colored better. The casings did not adhere well to the meat. I may have been too hot while cooking. I didn't dunk in cold water...just let them sit out on the counter for a few hours, then stuck into the fridge for a few days prior to shrink packaging.

The cases are loose in some places and not tight. Just doesn't look as nice as it should. It like the casings didn't shrink up with the meat after cooking. I packed the snack sticks as much as possible. Last batch I didn't have this problem and used a different manf. casings. Not sure if it was the Cabelas cases or not...but going to buy something else next time.


----------



## longbow

I just ordered a meat grinder this morning from Northern Tool just like the one you've been using. Lisa just moved back to the lower 48 and took her Kitchen Aid and all the attachments with her.
I hope it hurries, I have meat to grind!


----------



## gdog

If you need a stuffer...the NT 5lb stuffer works great too. Same story as Goobs with the $100 grinder...it works.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_food-processing+stuffers


----------



## wyogoob

longbow said:


> I just ordered a meat grinder this morning from Northern Tool just like the one you've been using. Lisa just moved back to the lower 48 and took her Kitchen Aid and all the attachments with her.
> I hope it hurries, I have meat to grind!


Hey, when you get it look and see what side of the nylon washer on the auger shaft has the steel thrust washer?

Thanks

.


----------



## wyogoob

gdog said:


> I just stuffed 15 lbs of snack sticks into the Cabelas 18mm clear collagen cases. I don't like clear cases...I like the amber colored better. The casings did not adhere well to the meat. I may have been too hot while cooking. I didn't dunk in cold water...just let them sit out on the counter for a few hours, then stuck into the fridge for a few days prior to shrink packaging.
> 
> The cases are loose in some places and not tight. Just doesn't look as nice as it should. It like the casings didn't shrink up with the meat after cooking. I packed the snack sticks as much as possible. Last batch I didn't have this problem and used a different manf. casings. Not sure if it was the Cabelas cases or not...but going to buy something else next time.


Man I got some of those too. Got em on eBay. I should know better.

Edible casings are the best for shriveling up with the sausage. And the non-edible ones replace fibrous casings, some purposely made NOT to stick to the sausage. What's bad is many outfits don't specify if the casings are edible or non-edible. Those usually end up being non-edible. 

.


----------



## longbow

gdog said:


> If you need a stuffer...the NT 5lb stuffer works great too. Same story as Goobs with the $100 grinder...it works.
> 
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_food-processing+stuffers


Dang it, I thought since it came with those tubey thingys that it would stuff sausages too.


----------



## wyogoob

longbow said:


> Dang it, I thought since it came with those tubey thingys that it would stuff sausages too.


It does. Dozens, perhaps thousands, of my sausage and meat grinding posts (that no one reads) allude to that.

Stuffing and grinding at the same time takes some practice and the meat has to be very cold. Many times it's faster to grind and then stuff thru a stuffer like gdog did.

Grinding n stuffing at the same time into fibrous summer sausage casings is really hard to do. Grinding n stuffing at the same time loosely into hog or sheep casings like for breakfast, brats, or Italian sausage is easy once you get the hang of it.

I just ground n stuffed these at the same time thru El Cheapo:


Nice n firm, plump with no air pockets. Had very few busted (sheep) casings:


Keep yer meat frosty.

.


----------



## wyogoob

I pack my burger and bulk ground sausage into burger bags using a 2" stuffing horn on El Cheapo....no mess, no freezer burn, no wrapping paper. Here's some breakfast sausage ground n stuffed at the same time:


You can use the 1 1/4" stuffing horn that comes with your grinder to fill burger bags too.


----------



## wyogoob

I have had good luck with these casings:

https://www.psseasoning.com/collections/casings/products/21mm-collagen-casing-mahogany-for-smoke

.


----------



## gdog

wyogoob said:


> Hey, when you get it look and see what side of the nylon washer on the auger shaft has the steel thrust washer?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> .


I can't remember which way it goes either......


----------



## longbow

wyogoob said:


> Hey, when you get it look and see what side of the nylon washer on the auger shaft has the steel thrust washer?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> .


Hey Goob, my grinder showed up today. I like it! It's more rugged looking than the KitchenAid I used to use. I can't wait to try it.
Here's a picture of the washer and nylon bushing as it was shipped. Hope that helps. Chuck J.


----------



## wyogoob

Thanks. I had it wrong for a long time. 

Lost my washer and bought a couple replacements that are like 0.035". Those look about 0.015" thick. I didn't know so I just put 1 washer on each side of the plastic thrust washer.

I'm sure you'll like the grinder. Get a kidney plate Chuck. Alaska Butcher Equipment and Supply in Anchorage had them when I was there last.

Did it come with the 3 stuffing horns?

.


----------



## longbow

wyogoob said:


> Thanks. I had it wrong for a long time.
> 
> Lost my washer and bought a couple replacements that are like 0.035". Those look about 0.015" thick. I didn't know so I just put 1 washer on each side of the plastic thrust washer.
> 
> I'm sure you'll like the grinder. Get a kidney plate Chuck. Alaska Butcher Equipment and Supply in Anchorage had them when I was there last.
> 
> Did it come with the 3 stuffing horns?
> 
> .


I measured the washer and it is indeed .015. It also came with three stuffing tubes.

A kidney plate? I googled it and I'm not familiar with it. Looks like you use it after you grind your meat and it makes stuffing casings easier, right?

I thought it was for grinding kidneys...like to eat :shock:. I heard kidneys were good to eat but you have to cook the piss out of them. :rotfl:


----------



## NVDuckin

http://www.ebay.com/itm/252284545187?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Here's the one I bought. I ordered the same grinder and ordered this kidney plate after reading Wyogoob's thread.


----------



## DallanC

I ordered a #8 kidney plate a couple days ago as well. Should be here tomorrow maybe.


-DallanC


----------



## longbow

NVDuckin said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/252284545187?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
> 
> Here's the one I bought. I ordered the same grinder and ordered this kidney plate after reading Wyogoob's thread.


I just ordered one. $18.75 + free shipping. Heck ya!


----------



## wyogoob

No, you didn't.

A stainless plate should only be used with a stainless knife. El Cheapo grinder has a carbon steel knife (and plates). El Cheapo knife will be harder than the stainless kidney plate and you will cut a groove in the plate. Also, stainless gets hotter faster than carbon steel.

I have alluded to this in a number of threads, one such post just a little while ago. Oh well, just don't tighten the auger nut too tight.

.


----------



## wyogoob

*Avoid mixing stainless with carbon steel plates n knives*



wyogoob said:


> Tips on making a meat grinder last a long time:
> > Keep yer meat frosty.
> > Keep the cutting blade sharp.
> > Keep the grinding plate sharp.
> *> Don't mix carbon steel with stainless steel blades and plates.*
> > Tighten the grinder nozzle nut "hand tight" with a nozzle nut wrench. Don't over-tighten.
> > Put a little grease on the gears when they start to make noise.
> > Use a nylon thrust washer and at least one metal thrust washer where the the auger shaft goes into the housing.
> > Did I say "keep yer meat frosty"?


Tips on how to get over 2,000 lbs of meat ground thru the $100 grinder.

.


----------



## muddydogs

KennyC said:


> Goob- What kind of gear does this unit have? I had an LEM that had a nylon gear and it lasted about 30 minutes of easy use.


I have a $90 LEM grinder with nylon gears that has seen over 1000 pounds of meat through the last 4 years, it chews up anything I can stuff down the feed tube even mostly frozen meat. Buddy has the same grinder that has seen close to 500 pounds of meat as well. Nothing wrong with a LEM grinder.


----------



## wyogoob

*50 more pounds ground!!!*

If you are doing small batches of loose sausage, by "loose" I mean sausages like brats or Italian, there's no reason to go to all the trouble of using a stuffer. Grinding and stuffing at the same time will work fine.

> Cut the meat into 1" chunks or run thru a kidney plate on a grinder.
> Blend in the seasonings.
> Keep the meat frosty.
> Attach the stuffing nozzle to the grinder. Use the biggest one that the casings will fit on.
> Grind and stuff thru the appropriate plate.

To allow for expansion while cooking and to facilitate linking sausage like breakfast, brats, or Italian, the casings should be stuffed to about 75% full.

Took about 45 minutes to grind and stuff a 13 lb batch of pork bratwurst:


Another 15 minutes or so to link the sausage and cleanup:


That's a whole lot quicker than doing the final grind and then transferring the sausage to a stuffer and stuffing. Note that the meat needs to be frosty when grinding and stuffing at the same time.

.


----------



## wyogoob

*44 more pounds!!*

44 lbs, 22 lbs ground twice, thru the little grinder. 2nd grind was 'grind and stuff'



keep yer meat frosty

.


----------



## mycoltbug

Reading this thread made me super interested with making my own sausages and meaty deliciousness. Not having a ton of money and wanting to be frugal I went to the local Harbor Freight and bought their grinder, yes I know super cheap but I figure it would at least let me see if I enjoyed doing this. I then went up to cabelas and bought what I thought would be properly sized casings to make some snack sticks but turns out I bought brat sized casings, oops! I also got the teriyaki seasoning/curing mix not wanting to leave anything to chance on my first time. I would say that overall my 40 (thank you 20% discount codes) did a great job. My coworkers all seemed to love them and my kids couldn't stop eating them.


----------



## Jasek

Good job you have done here. This top meat grinder is perfect to make breakfast, evening snacks etc. I am a big fan of meat, whenever I get time I would like to make some meat related recipe and this grinder helped me so much to make my dish more easier.


----------



## wyogoob

74 more pounds of meat through the little grinder. 37 lbs of pork and bison ground twice.

.


----------



## jaxonjesse

Recently I bought a Waring Pro MG855 meat grinder which cost is near about $100 including shipping charges. It works brilliantly. It's features, durability, and easiness of use is awesome. After lots of searching on the internet, I got a great link, where I can find a good and appropriate reviews for these products. If you want you can check the link: http://pro-meat-grinder.com/best-product-reviews/


----------



## tander123

So I'm ready to give this a shot. I had a $100 gift card to Cabela's so I bought a Cabelas "Heavy-Duty" grinder.

Want to try making teriyaki venison sticks. I have a Masterbuilt Sportsman's Elite Smoker. Anybody have a favorite mix and smoking instructions?
THANKS!


----------



## muddydogs

tander123 said:


> So I'm ready to give this a shot. I had a $100 gift card to Cabela's so I bought a Cabelas "Heavy-Duty" grinder.
> 
> Want to try making teriyaki venison sticks. I have a Masterbuilt Sportsman's Elite Smoker. Anybody have a favorite mix and smoking instructions?
> THANKS!


Start out slow with the grinder until you figure out its limitations if any. buddy has on about like yours and he finds that he has to clean it often as it tends to plug up the cutter frequently. I'm wondering if these little 400 watt units just don't have the power needed? My 575 watt unit never plugs up so I don't know for sure.

I would suggest before you even turn it on you true up the grinder plates and knife. Its an easy job to do which will help with the grinding in the end. To true up the plates and blade lay a piece of sand paper on a piece of glass or other very flat surface and move the plate or blade around in a curricular motion until the plate is nice and flat. To see how your doing paint the plate or knife edge of the blade with a sharpie which gets remove as you sand so you can see when you have the item flat and true.


----------



## wyogoob

Jasek said:


> Good job you have done here. This top meat grinder is perfect to make breakfast, evening snacks etc. I am a big fan of meat, whenever I get time I would like to make some meat related recipe and this grinder helped me so much to make my dish more easier.


That's a cute little grinder. It is a #8, much smaller than the $100 #10 grinder reviewed in this thread.

I see you are posting from India. Please, do not come in the back door and then advertise on the UWN.

.


----------



## wyogoob

Approximately *2,254 pounds* of meat ground through the $100 #12 Kitchener Meat grinder from Northern Tool & Equipment to date.

.


----------



## Critter

wyogoob said:


> Approximately *2,254 pounds* of meat ground through the $100 #12 Kitchener Meat grinder from Northern Tool & Equipment to date.
> 
> .


After my last session of grinding 40 lbs of elk meat into burger for jerky I just might need to look into that $100 wonder.


----------



## muddydogs

My $100 LEM has 1500 + pounds through it after this hunting season, just last week I did close to 200 pounds.


----------



## Huge29

GaryFish said:


> I surely don't want to distract from Goob's great sausage making skills.
> 
> I just wanted to throw in a product review for a grinder under $100. Last year, I got the Cabela's Heavy Duty Meat Grinder for Christmas. It was a black friday sale last year for $59. Right now, Cabela's lists it at $69.
> [attachment=0:1h46srf7]Cabelas Meat Grinder.jpg[/attachment:1h46srf7]
> http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas- ... l+Products


What about now after 6 years of usage? Still holding up? Most of their units seem to have lifetime warranty now...


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## Huge29

This thread inspired me to go check my grandpa's old meat shop to see what was left of it after sitting for twenty years. Still have the big old heavy grinder and the band saw, so we will have to get them going again.


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## wyogoob

*comparing apples to aranges*



Huge29 said:


> What about now after 6 years of usage? Still holding up? Most of their units seem to have lifetime warranty now...


That's a great price for a grinder. It's a #8 grinder, considerably smaller than the #12 grinder reviewed in this thread.

Ran 40 more pounds thru El Cheapo!!

total - *2,294lbs

*Keep yer meat frosty!


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## wyogoob

While cleaning the auger out yesterday with some ice cubes I pushed too hard on the ice cubes and tripped the grinder's circuit breaker, only the sceond time since I owned it. 

The circuit breaker did what it was supposed to do, protect the motor, and I reset it in less than 10 minutes.

.


----------



## Huge29

This old grinder of my grandpas seems to only have the knives left. The tube appears to be about 2.5". Where would I find the new plates, nut, and possibly auger to replace them?


----------



## Dunkem

Huge29 said:


> This old grinder of my grandpas seems to only have the knives left. The tube appears to be about 2.5". Where would I find the new plates, nut, and possibly auger to replace them?


Try Tri B supply *Home* [www.*tri-bsales*.com]


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## The_Alpha_Dog2017

*Meat Grinders - Don't Go Cheap*

There are a ton of options out there for meat grinders right now, but my biggest suggestion is to not go cheap on them. Most models are going to be coming from China anyways (that's just the way things are nowadays), so finding quality ones are going to be huge.

My personal preference is for the STX Turboforce II or a similar model from LEM. I know a lot of people like the Cabelas brand & I can't necessarily argue with that, but I can tell you that their meat grinders are made by a major brand that they slap their logo on.

We just reviewed 10 or so meat grinders on our site. As you'll see the STX Turboforce II outperformed the rest of them. It has a patented cooling system that has been proven to almost double the life of the unit, which is always a good thing!

https://theuplandhunter.com/best-meat-grinder-reviews/


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## wyogoob

The_Alpha_Dog2017 said:


> There are a ton of options out there for meat grinders right now, but my biggest suggestion is to not go cheap on them. Most models are going to be coming from China anyways (that's just the way things are nowadays), so finding quality ones are going to be huge.
> 
> My personal preference is for the STX Turboforce II or a similar model from LEM. I know a lot of people like the Cabelas brand & I can't necessarily argue with that, but I can tell you that their meat grinders are made by a major brand that they slap their logo on.
> 
> We just reviewed 10 or so meat grinders on our site. As you'll see the STX Turboforce II outperformed the rest of them. It has a patented cooling system that has been proven to almost double the life of the unit, which is always a good thing!
> 
> https://theuplandhunter.com/best-meat-grinder-reviews/


The STX Turboforce II appears to be essentially the same grinder as the El Cheapo but costs $60 more. It does have a fancier case though. How does it do after grinding 2,200 pounds of meat?

.


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## Fowlmouth

muddydogs said:


> I have a $90 LEM grinder with nylon gears that has seen over 1000 pounds of meat through the last 4 years, it chews up anything I can stuff down the feed tube even mostly frozen meat. Buddy has the same grinder that has seen close to 500 pounds of meat as well. Nothing wrong with a LEM grinder.


I just ordered the LEM #8. Looking forward to reading through all the recipes Goob and others have posted on here.


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## lanny

not bad grinder and good price:smile:


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## Fowlmouth

Received the LEM #8 grinder today and put it right to work. I stuffed 6 pounds of goose meat mixed with pork sausage and a LEM bratwurst mix into a pork casing. I fired up the grill and cooked up a 3' link. Holy smokes it is good. Probably the best thing I have tasted with goose meat.


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## wyogoob

Fowlmouth said:


> Received the LEM #8 grinder today and put it right to work. I stuffed 6 pounds of goose meat mixed with pork sausage and a LEM bratwurst mix into a pork casing. I fired up the grill and cooked up a 3' link. Holy smokes it is good. Probably the best thing I have tasted with goose meat.


Pictures?

Samples?

Trade?


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## High Desert Elk

I bought a #8 grinder for the same reasons, small kitchen jobs. I also bought a bratwurst "kit" to compare with what our meat shop does (reference when someone says a store bought kit is just as good). Made 24 lbs - yeah, not a small job. 

Grinder can handle 1-1/2" cubes as well, and is rated to do 3 lbs/min which it did a little faster than that. One guy can stuff fairly easy. Grinder came with two plates (one coarse and one fine), three stuffing funnels, and a stuffing plate. Quite certain it is a LEM made for an outdoor retail store with that store's logo on it.

First batch I added cure, then smoked with apple wood and vacuum packed, the second I left fresh. 

Overall, they turned out pretty good. I'll be biased and say ours is better.


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## Fowlmouth

5 more pounds of goose/pork through the grinder today. Stuffed twenty 7" brats using the Sweet Italian mix today. I ordered another bratwurst mix from Bass Pro this morning, It does 25 lbs of meat.


----------



## sagebrush

FYI cal-ranch has the Lem products in their store. Most of the Cabela’s brand seasons is made by lem


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## wyogoob

*Dunkem run em off cause he is a Communist*



High Desert Elk said:


> I bought a #8 grinder for the same reasons, small kitchen jobs. I also bought a bratwurst "kit" to compare with what our meat shop does (reference when someone says a store bought kit is just as good). Made 24 lbs - yeah, not a small job.
> 
> Grinder can handle 1-1/2" cubes as well, and is rated to do 3 lbs/min which it did a little faster than that. One guy can stuff fairly easy. Grinder came with two plates (one coarse and one fine), three stuffing funnels, and a stuffing plate. Quite certain it is a LEM made for an outdoor retail store with that store's logo on it.
> 
> First batch I added cure, then smoked with apple wood and vacuum packed, the second I left fresh.
> 
> Overall, they turned out pretty good. I'll be biased and say ours is better.


If my old friend, and UWN short-time member* lanny,* was here he'd say those look good.

.


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## High Desert Elk

wyogoob said:


> If my old friend, and UWN short-time member* lanny,* was here he'd say those look good.


Thinking about doing some green chili cheese brats tomorrow...


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## Dunkem

wyogoob said:


> If my old friend, and UWN short-time member* lanny,* was here he'd say those look good.
> 
> .


:mrgreen: Ha Ha you funny old fart!!eace::hippie: (opps, can I say fart?)


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## wyogoob

62 more pounds of meat thru the $100 meat grinder.

Approximately *2,316 pounds* of meat ground through the $100 #12 Kitchener Meat grinder from Northern Tool & Equipment to date.


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## Critter

If I would of shot me a animal this year I was going to buy one of those new fangled electric grinders and retire my old hand crank one. Just thinking of how many pounds of meat that has gone through that old #32 grinder makes me tired. 

But then I still can pick up a OTC elk tag for the season that starts next Wednesday, perhaps I'll get one of those new grinders yet.


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## Fowlmouth

I was grinding up some goose meat and a large steel BB locked the machine up tight. It made an awful noise and I quickly turned it off. The BB was the size of T or F shot, none of us shoot that crap, so the bird had taken another hit at some point in it's life. Anyway, I took the grinder apart and found that the gears were fine, but the top portion of the internal case had broke where it holds a gear shaft in place. A quick call to LEM explaining what happened and I had a new part in the mail, free of charge and free shipping. I fully expected to pay because it was my own fault, but they didn't question a thing.


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## wyogoob

88 lbs more thru the $100 grinder.

2,404 lbs total!


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## wyogoob

36 more pounds!

2,440 pounds total.


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## wyogoob

The $100 El Cheapo grinder has overload protection. Sometimes mine trips if I force too many ice cubes thru it or get a spatula stuck in it. Manual reset in 5 minutes or less.


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## wyogoob

Critter said:


> If I would of shot me a animal this year I was going to buy one of those new fangled electric grinders and retire my old hand crank one. Just thinking of how many pounds of meat that has gone through that old #32 grinder makes me tired.
> 
> But then I still can pick up a OTC elk tag for the season that starts next Wednesday, perhaps I'll get one of those new grinders yet.


Hand cranking a #32 is cheaper than going to the gym...ha


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## StillAboveGround

A guy told me they used to jack the old truck up and wired the crank of the hand grinder to the rim... They would idle the old truck and kick it into gear... They said it ground meat like crazy and gave it a smoky flavor at the same time... 



Amazed at the amount of meat Wyogoob has run thru the $100 grinder...


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## wyogoob

72 lbs more thru the $100 grinder.

2,512 pounds total!


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## BPturkeys

Dang, but this grinder is no longer available through Northern Tool. .0409 cents a pound and still workin...good deal. Other facts...that's 3lbs of meat per day, every day for the next 2.22 years...3,269,600 calories, or 831 meals of 4020 calories per meal.:smile:

Thanks Goob, after all that work, you tell me you did another 72lbs. At that rate I am going to need some sort of fancy "log-rhythm" (ain't that the name of some boy band up in the timber country of northern BC) to just to keep track.


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## wyogoob

58 lbs more.

2,570 lbs total
.


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## wyogoob

52 pounds more.....some Southern-style pork breakfast sausage

2,622 lbs total

The meat wasn't cold enough, dangit.


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## Critter

Sad, your $100 meat grinder is no more $100. It went up to around $120 when on sale. 

Keep grinding and 

Merry Christmas


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## wyogoob

Critter said:


> Sad, your $100 meat grinder is no more $100. It went up to around $120 when on sale.
> 
> Keep grinding and
> 
> Merry Christmas


Really? I see a #12 with the same wattage on sale for $79 on Northern Tool.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200680782_200680782

I'd buy one of those but I figure I can still get another 5,000 pounds out of the $100 one I have now.

Keep grinding and Merry Christmas.

.


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## wyogoob

10 pounds more in the EL Cheapo $100 grinder. Chicken thighs, bones and all.

2,632 total.


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## wyogoob

Critter said:


> Sad, your $100 meat grinder is no more $100. It went up to around $120 when on sale.
> 
> Keep grinding and
> 
> Merry Christmas


Geezus, are you still grinding by hand?

.


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## wyogoob

wyogoob said:


> Really? I see a #12 with the same wattage on sale for $79 on Northern Tool.
> 
> https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200680782_200680782
> 
> I'd buy one of those but I figure I can still get another 5,000 pounds out of the $100 one I have now.
> 
> Keep grinding and Merry Christmas.
> 
> .


Ah, same wattage (power) but plastic gears. I don't know if El Cheapo has plastic gears. Doesn't sound like it.


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## Vanilla

Any time I see “plastic gears” I get scared. But obviously you’ve got your money’s worth and then some. 

$79.99 plus $11 shipping seems like a steal if you got half the amount of meat through than you did.


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## wyogoob

*plastic gears suck*



Vanilla said:


> Any time I see "plastic gears" I get scared. But obviously you've got your money's worth and then some.
> 
> $79.99 plus $11 shipping seems like a steal if you got half the amount of meat through than you did.


Yeah

I'm kinda curious. Think I'll take the cover off mine and look at the gears.

El Cheapo has overload protection. I don't think the $79 Northern Tool special does.


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## Critter

wyogoob said:


> Geezus, are you still grinding by hand?
> 
> .


Yep, my right arm is usually twice the size of my left arm after I get done with hunting seasons.


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## gdog

"$100 grinder" is now the "$119 grinder" BUT updated to 3/4 hp (from 1/2hp) and 360lbs per hour :-|O|-:-()/--/|\\-

Goob...might be time to pass that $100 unit on the the grandkids and upgrade!


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## KineKilla

Did I really just read 16pages of posts about Goob stuffing sausages!? Holy hell, I need to get back to work. Obviously this Coronacation I am on is not good for the psyche.


----------



## wyogoob

*Only 16 pages?*



KineKilla said:


> Did I really just read 16pages of posts about Goob stuffing sausages!? Holy hell, I need to get back to work. Obviously this Coronacation I am on is not good for the psyche.


Ha, ha, ha, hoe, hoe, hee, hee.


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## wyogoob

gdog said:


> "$100 grinder" is now the "$119 grinder" BUT updated to 3/4 hp (from 1/2hp) and 360lbs per hour :-|O|-:-()/--/|\\-
> 
> Goob...might be time to pass that $100 unit on the the grandkids and upgrade!


Uh...I have a number of grinders bigger than my $100 EL Cheapo grinder. :smile:


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## gdog

wyogoob said:


> Uh...I have a number of grinders bigger than my $100 EL Cheapo grinder. :smile:


Eh..you missed the point. The $100 grinder now is new and improved, so should be even a better deal now.

Don't worry...I know, you're dating.8)


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## wyogoob

Critter said:


> Yep, my right arm is usually twice the size of my left arm after I get done with hunting seasons.


Yep


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## wyogoob

gdog said:


> "$100 grinder" is now the "$119 grinder" BUT updated to 3/4 hp (from 1/2hp) and 360lbs per hour :-|O|-:-()/--/|\\-
> 
> Goob...might be time to pass that $100 unit on the the grandkids and upgrade!


Ok, Ok, This story is dead.....I'm anticipating your *$119* Meat Grinder Review thread.op2:op2:


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## AlexCaro

I had an old hand grinder but during moving to a new house we accidentally lost a handle. So we thought it was a sign to get a new meat grinder. My parents have Weston electric grinder but I did't want an expensive one. It took me a week but I got mine for less than $100


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## AlexCaro

AlexCaro said:


> I had an old hand grinder but during moving to a new house we accidentally lost a handle. So we thought it was a sign to get a new meat grinder. My parents have Weston electric grinder but I did't want an expensive one. It took me a week but I got mine for less than $100


Quick update:

Forget what I said about this cheap crap. It broke! Yesterday I wanted to make some meatballs, started to grind meat and suddenly heard some strange scratchy noizes. Turned out the grinder's teeth tend to wear down FOR A MONTH! I used it 3 or 4 times. I started reading maybe someone had the same problem and found out that it should be used for less than 10 min per one time to prevent it from heating. (In case you are wondering, I found it in this description). If I had found it earlier, I could have saved my money.

So you know what? I went to the store and bought my NEW HAND GRINDER! And now I'm happy.


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## wyogoob

OK, 24 pounds more in the EL Cheapo $100 grinder.

2,656 total.

Auger shaft at the grinder plate showing wear and the gears are noisy but old El Cheapo is grinding ok.


----------



## wyogoob

46 pounds ground through my El Cheapo $100 grinder.

2702 pounds total!!


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## High Desert Elk

Keep it lubed with food grade white oil and it will last a long time.


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## NHS

2700 lbs??!! That is a TON (1.35 tons) of meat! Did you eat all that?


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## wyogoob

NHS said:


> 2700 lbs??!! That is a TON (1.35 tons) of meat! Did you eat all that?


Ha, no. Many times when making sausage, even burger, the meat is ground twice.


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## wyogoob

62 more pounds of meat through el Cheapo!!! 2764 lbs total 

Grind baby, grind!


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## RandomElk16

Kitchener #12 Electric Meat Grinder


Purchase Your Brand New Kitchener #12 Electric Meat Grinder Today! Limited Quantities Available! Call 1-866-606-3991.




www.saferwholesale.com





"2 piece carbon steel gear"


Looks like the new el cheapo - https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200680782_200680782 has the plastic gears and some complaints of stripping/breaking.


----------



## wyogoob

RandomElk16 said:


> Kitchener #12 Electric Meat Grinder
> 
> 
> Purchase Your Brand New Kitchener #12 Electric Meat Grinder Today! Limited Quantities Available! Call 1-866-606-3991.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.saferwholesale.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "2 piece carbon steel gear"
> 
> 
> Looks like the new el cheapo - https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200680782_200680782 has the plastic gears and some complaints of stripping/breaking.


That's too bad. Although, the overload kill protection should help. Mines kicked out a coupla times when running ice cubes through it.


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## wyogoob

32 more pounds, 2796 lbs total. Grind baby, grind!


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## DallanC

RandomElk16 said:


> "2 piece carbon steel gear"
> 
> Looks like the new el cheapo - Huntrite No. 12 Electric Meat Grinder 3/4 HP, 360-Lb. Capacity Per Hour | Northern Tool has the plastic gears and some complaints of stripping/breaking.


Reminds me of those home hobby metal Lathes you can buy for $500-800. The first thing everyone is told to do is to use the lathe to make new metal gears to replace its internal nylon gears. LOL

-DallanC


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## wyogoob

92 more pounds!! Grind, baby, grind.


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## wyogoob

28 more pounds of meat ground!!!


----------



## wyogoob

8.5 pounds of horseradish root ground twice!!! Man, that stuff makes the cheap grinder moan and groan!

2,933 lbs of meat ground through the little grinder so far!


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## wyogoob

Good news!!! - 11 lbs of frosty beef fat ground twice for a sub-total of 22lbs!!!! 2,955 lbs total for my little friend.

*Bad news!!!! *- Stripped a gear tooth running a couple ice cubes through the grinder to clean it out. Dangit

Sad sad day at the Goober Estate.


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## DallanC

I think the bigger question at this point is who ate 2,955 lbs of meat? I mean burgers and sausage are awesome... but a ton and a half of it... lordy. 😆

-DallanC


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## DallanC

wyogoob said:


> *Bad news!!!! *- Stripped a gear tooth running a couple ice cubes through the grinder to clean it out. Dangit


PS: In this day and age, you should be able to find a matching gear on Aliexpress or McMaster Carr. Or worse come to worse, hire one of those cheap youtuber guys in 3rd world countries who make custom things for people, have them hobb you a new aluminum gear for cheap.

You can also hire someone to 3d print you a gear as well, if you measure shaft ID, the overall size, tooth depth and count etc etc.

Or... go home-brew and make a mold of it... then fill the mold in with fiber reinforced JBWeld 

-DallanC


----------



## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> PS: In this day and age, you should be able to find a matching gear on Aliexpress or McMaster Carr. Or worse come to worse, hire one of those cheap youtuber guys in 3rd world countries who make custom things for people, have them hobb you a new aluminum gear for cheap.
> 
> You can also hire someone to 3d print you a gear as well, if you measure shaft ID, the overall size, tooth depth and count etc etc.
> 
> Or... go home-brew and make a mold of it... then fill the mold in with fiber reinforced JBWeld
> 
> -DallanC


Yeah, I'll take the gearbox apart and see what's up. Reverse works OK....kinda weird. If it's a broken tooth and the tooth is carbon steel I can TIG weld a new one on......same with some aluminum alloys.

I found one just like it, new "out of the box", on eBay for $123..I'll have it Wednesday. Hope it lasts another 11 years!

11 years, 2955 lbs of meat ain't bad. I kept track because a number of people told me it was junk when I bought it....ha

I was grinding frosty beef fat. I was unaware there was a plug of partially frozen fat at the end of the auger. I forced 2 ice cubes in the auger and it jammed up, circuit breaker didn't trip.

Most everything I make, even burger, gets ground twice. Once thru the kidney plant, then placed in the freezer, and then the last grind thru a smaller plate. If it's a small batch and the meat is frosty I will grind and stuff all at once.


----------



## wyogoob

El Cheapo has a toothache.


----------



## wyogoob

2,955 lbs in 11 years. Close to 270 lbs a year thru El Cheapo. (That's 135 lbs of product ground twice)

So we normally processed 400 to 500 lbs a year for ourselves, friends and family. I have other, larger, grinders. For grinding jobs over 25 lbs we use my homemade #32 grinder.


----------



## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> PS: In this day and age, you should be able to find a matching gear on Aliexpress or McMaster Carr. Or worse come to worse, hire one of those cheap youtuber guys in 3rd world countries who make custom things for people, have them hobb you a new aluminum gear for cheap.
> 
> You can also hire someone to 3d print you a gear as well, if you measure shaft ID, the overall size, tooth depth and count etc etc.
> 
> Or... go home-brew and make a mold of it... then fill the mold in with fiber reinforced JBWeld
> 
> -DallanC


I found the gear in China, of course.......AliExpress, for less than $5. Ordered two of them but having trouble getting the order to go through.


----------



## wyogoob

Couldn't get the gear ordered through China but found one in the good ole USA....$27.82 including taxes and shipping....ouch. Anyway, got El Cheapo back together and ground 7 pounds of frosty pork butt and some ice cubes ha.

Back in business, she purrs like a kitten.








2,962 lbs ground through El Cheapo!!


----------



## wyogoob

Ground 34 pounds of pork and 11 pounds of quartered apples....45 pounds.

3,007 lbs through my $100 grinder......uh, actually my $127.82 grinder.


----------



## wyogoob

El Cheapo is purring like a kitten with it's new drive gear and new axle grease.

Ground 21 lbs of frosty chicken n pork today. 3,028 lbs total. Go baby, go!


----------

