# Sausage Stuffer Advice Needed



## Cooky

I need a sausage stuffer that works. I made a batch of Weisswurst today and the stuffer attachment on the 'ol Kitchenaid just isn't making the grade. What features are important and which don't matter? What kind do you use? Is it any good?


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## Critter

I have been using one of these for years. It doesn't grind the meat for you but it stuffs the casings just fine.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...sage+stuffer&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


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## sknabnoj

I like vertical sausage stuffers... something like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200449319_200449319

This one will stuff with a lot of control and is easy to clean. I usually don't recommend using a grinder to stuff as well because the consistency of the meat won't be right, it gets too hot when you throw through the grinder again. Anyway, I think Cabela's sells a vertical stuff like this, I really think you'll enjoy it, it holds 5lbs of meat so, you don't have to keep filling up the stuffer.

Good luck and let us know what you end up going with!


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## gdog

I've got the Northerntool stuffer and it works great. You can't beat the price and can get extra parts from NT if anything ever breaks.


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## Cooky

Does anyone know where one can go look at sausage stuffers? Cabelas has a couple on display but I'd like to look at some others. LEM lists CAL Ranch as a distributor but when I asked the little girl there if she had a sausage stuffer I could look at she called the manager and I was asked to leave.


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## archerben

I have one like Critter linked to. It makes a great paperweight, but I will NEVER use it to stuff sausages again. I now use this one in the 11lb capacity:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Sausage-Making%7C/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104552280/Cabelas-Commercial-Grade-Vertical-Stuffers/1242292.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1101296%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd1242292&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd1242292%3Bcat104552280

It works pretty well and I am pleased with it, but honestly I would have preferred a smaller (5-7 lb) stuffer. When looking for this one, the biggest problem I encountered was finding a small stuffer capable of stuffing through a 10mm tube (I like to do snack sticks).

Also, Scheels carries LEM, and they do have them stocked on the shelf if you want to look at one.


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## lifes short

Cooky if you would like to try the stuffer sknabnoj link to send me a pm and you can borrow mine. The only way I see you can hurt it is to force the crank after the plunger hits bottom. Very easy to use.


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## sknabnoj

Same here. I'm in Provo if be happy to let you borrow mine.


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## Cooky

Thanks for the offers guys. I think I'll go with the vertical type. The reviews on all of them are full of broken gear stories, you guys had any issues?


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## sknabnoj

No... I think it's overblown. Just don't keep twisting when you are at the bottom of the stuffer. Seriously, don't worry about it.


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## wyogoob

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/38333-need-sausage-stuffer-recommendation.html

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/17989-diy-meat-grinder.html


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## Cooky

wyogoob said:


> http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/38333-need-sausage-stuffer-recommendation.html
> 
> http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/17989-diy-meat-grinder.html


Thanks.
I looked all through the sausage recipe thread and didn't see anything. Didn't catch the separate thread.


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## wyogoob

The ole #35 15 lb manual crank stuffer. I'd like to have a nickel for every pound of meat that went thru that baby!


Cabelas 15 lb electric with rheostat. Motor trips out before plunger hits bottom of cylinder so it's virtually impossible to strip the gears. This leaves a lot of meat in bottom though. I made a distance piece out of styrofoam so most of the meat gets pushed out. I wrap it with Saran wrap when stuffing with it.


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## lifes short

Cooky said:


> Thanks for the offers guys. I think I'll go with the vertical type. The reviews on all of them are full of broken gear stories, you guys had any issues?


No it is just common sense stop cranking when it hits bottom.

My lawnmower blade gets dull when I hit my patio. Does that mean it is a crappy blade or is it an operator problem?


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## LostLouisianian

lifes short said:


> No it is just common sense stop cranking when it hits bottom.
> 
> My lawnmower blade gets dull when I hit my patio. Does that mean it is a crappy blade or is it an operator problem?


According to my wife when SHE does that it's a crappy blade...any other questions? :shock:


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## wyogoob

lifes short said:


> No it is just common sense stop cranking when it hits bottom.
> ...............................


That's right, you can't fix dumb. But good luck finding one a new vertical stuffer these days that will bottom out. In order to warranty a vertical stuffer they are making them so the plunger plate stops short of the bottom, way short.

Off the shelf, my 15-pounder leaves 2 lbs of sausage in the bottom. The gear teeth on the shaft stop at a point about 2" off the bottom. Nothing happens then, there's no teeth to mesh together nothing to break.


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## gdog

Goob...the Northern Tool one bottoms out...I think....gotta check.


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## lifes short

The Northern tool one only leaves enough for 1 maybe 2 hamburger size patties.


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## wyogoob

gdog said:


> Goob...the Northern Tool one bottoms out...I think....gotta check.


Yeah, I can believe it on a Northern. I got a new fancy-dancy one with a lifetime warranty. I'm gonna weld and machine-down 3 more gear teeth on the shaft so it will bottom out.


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## Cooky

There appears to be two types of vertical stuffers. On one kind the shaft is a threaded rod; the other kind has a square shaft with gear teeth down one side. 
The threaded rod kind seems (to me, with no experience) that it would likely work more smoothly and have better mechanical advantage. (I'm thinking C-clamp.)
Suppose it really makes any difference?


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