Sausage Making

[smokininidaho]

Steve H is kindly sending me his old vertical stuffer, so it looks like I'm partially on the way to making sausage. The people here are great, like a big family and I'm proud to be a member of this family.

 

[sawhorseray]

I think that's truly great of Steve, sort of lifts my faith in humanity. Really a great forum with some truly great folks involved. You can get a table top hand crank grinder for about $20 from Amazon. That what I started with some time back, they work. RAY.

 

[zwiller]

+1 on a hand grinder. $20 ebay plastic grinder ground a 8lb butt up in like 10m. Throw in dishwasher when done. NO WAY will I upgrade unless I move to like 25lb batches. I have same stuffer as Steve's new one and it has served me well thus far mostly beef snack sticks. All this being said, I am having a heck a fun time just formulating 1lb batches and making patties. I am slowly dialing in my recipes and will not stuff until I get the formulation to my liking. On like batch 6 of nurnberger brats today.

 

[smokininidaho]

Found this grinder, has good reviews, 800W is 1.2hp? Minimal risk money wise 6% off coupon and it has a 1 year warranty. Negative feedback for the most part was putting parts in the dishwasher.

 

[chef jimmyj]

This one says 800W Max Locked, and claim 1.2 HP. The first Grinder was 1800W Max Locked and 250W Actual. So something don't add up...JJ

 

[smokininidaho]

This one says 800W Max Locked, and claim 1.2 HP. The first Grinder was 1800W Max Locked and 250W Actual. So something don't add up...JJ

Yes Jimmy, was just researching watts to hp conversion and this doesn't make sense to me 1800W should have more hp right?

 

[chef jimmyj]

If you follow the ratios, according to the the Spec's...1800 locked is 250 actual. Then 800W locked is 111W actual...JJ

 

[smokininidaho]

If you follow the ratios, according to the the Spec's...1800 locked is 250 actual. Then 800W locked is 111W actual...JJ

Thanks, but don't really know what that means, never really could understand how electricity works dating back to high school shop class, lol.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Bottom line, if the stated power ratings are correct, the first Grinder is Weak but twice the power of the second one...JJ

 

[jcam222]

Thanks, but don't really know what that means, never really could understand how electricity works dating back to high school shop class, lol.

You and me both! The only thing I know about electricity is not to pee on an electric fence or stick my finger in a light socket LOL

 

[tropics]

As a Grinder this is Marginal at best, for a few pounds of meat. The $53 unit is a better choice. As a Stuffer? It's HORRIBLE! This Grinder attachment is a great way to Trash your Kitchen Aid's gear box, unless your KA is one of the Pro Models with the Bowl Lift mechanism...JJ

JJ I have the pro model I am not hard on my equipment this is junk,the metal one they sell looks good,but I went with the Kitchen 12#
Richie

 

[tropics]

Found this grinder, has good reviews, 800W is 1.2hp? Minimal risk money wise 6% off coupon and it has a 1 year warranty. Negative feedback for the most part was putting parts in the dishwasher.

If you can get 2 years out of that just starting it is a bargain,don't just run off without reading on how to stuff casings,watch some u tube and ask here we are always willing to help.Here is the first step
https://www.mokingmeatforums.com/t/159729/how-to-handle-natural-casings
Have fun relax eat well
Richie

 

[S-met]

JJ I have the pro model I am not hard on my equipment this is junk,the metal one they sell looks good,but I went with the Kitchen 12#
Richie

I have the same one. Its$150 right now, but I got mine on a flash sale for slightly over $100. I wanted a bigger one and was saving for a $250-350 range, but overall happy with this. Way better than the cracked plastic attachment for my kitchen-aid. I was considering the $75 stainless kitchen-aid attachment, but $25 more got me a dedicated unit. Just did 15lb single grind for spaghetti sauce, stuffed bells and tacos in about 10 min.

Kitchener Heavy Duty Electric Meat Grinder 2/3 HP (500W), 3-Speed with Stainless Steel Cutting Blade, 2 Stainless Steel Grinding Plates and Stainless Steel Stuffing Plate

 

[chef jimmyj]

That's interesting the Kitchener was $129 earlier today. Guess a lot of members went to check it out, so the price went up. Sneaky...JJ

 

[sawhorseray]

I'd suggest letting Craigslist be your friend also, sometimes there are things that turn out to be real deals. If you are looking at where to buy casings all I can suggest is Cabelas. They are made by PS Seasonings and sold in small packets that that they say will stuff 25 pounds of sausage. I pretty much use 32-35mm natural hog casings, there's usually enough in the pack to stuff about fifty pounds, the leftovers packed in salt and kept in the fridge will last a long time.

https://www.cabelas.com/catalog/bro...pe=GNU&CQ_ref=~brand-PS+Seasonings+%26+Spices

Oh, Cabelas price is actually cheaper than ordering straight from PS Seasonings, hard to figure that one out. RAY

 

[cmichini]

I'm in the same boat, and just getting started.

I already had a KitchenAid grinder attachment. It works okay for small batches, which is all I have room for so far. I felt a little limited so I got some replacement grinder plates to allow making some charcuterie (using UMAI bags).

My only additional purchase has been a stuffer. I got a Hakka horizontal stuffer off Amazon (will hold 7 lbs). Works great, but a little hard to fill with the horn on - vertical may have been a better choice. This should work for me for a long time, I just need to get a strategy/tool for reducing waste of meat in the horn when the hopper is empty. It cost me $28 out of pocket due to an Amazon gift card.

Until I beat up the KitchenAid grinder it will work for me. I found that you really need the meat nearly frozen to get a good grind without a big smear, but that's easy enough now that I know.

So, if you already have something, you may be able get started with minimal cost.

Good luck and keep us posted!!!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

For sure not a cheap thing to get into.

 

[Lonzinomaker]

Save up for a better grinder and check Craigslist every day. I got a Lem Big Bite #5 for $125 in Wallace a little over a year ago. It will take meat as fast as I can push it in, and it has a lot of different grind plates available too.
I also have a stuffer like that, works very wll. Be VERY careful of the edges of the sheet metal, they are very sharp. I have cut myself several times even after taking a stone to the edges to get rid of the burrs.

 

[chef jimmyj]

For Casing, Syracuse is the only company I use, and have for years. Always high quality and any blowouts are my fault. Best of all...they are Tubed! Casings are loaded on a plastic tube. Slide the tube over the horn, slide the whole casing on in one simple motion...JJ

http://www.makincasing.com/

 

[buzzy]

Don’t understand the problem with meat left in stuffer. Make up some patties for taste test. After all the work why not.