4PoGo7's Christmas List - Any Advice?

[4pogo7]

My Christmas List – Any Advice?

I am making my Christmas list for this year.​ If you could give advice on specific items I would greatly appreciate it. I don’t own, nor have I ever owned many of these items before so I am not looking for the biggest or best of any of them. I am looking for simpler, starter items, nothing too high dollar. Something is better than nothing as long as it works. The more inexpensive these items are, while still being of good quality, the more of them I will likely find under the tree this year!

****EDIT

-Meat slicer – Chef’s Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer.

-Vacuum Sealer – FoodSaver V3240 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit

-Kitchen Scale – Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale.

-Small kitchen scale – American Weigh 100g x 0.01g Digital Scale.

-AMNPS – with Hickory BBQ Pellets.

-Meat thermometer – Maverick ET-733.

-Smoker thermometer – 2" River Country Professional Series Adjustable Grill & Smoker Thermometer.

-Smoker insulation – Wool fire retardant blanket, Mylar blanket.

-Auber PID controller – WS-1500GPH. (I don’t really think I will get it.)

-Knife sharpener – Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener

-Sausage Stuffer – Grizzly 5# Vertical.

Most of these were found on Amazon and I used the reviews there, plus advice here, and my wife's help to make this list.

End Edit****

As you may have noticed, these are all things for my smoker or for processing meat. That is all that will be on my list this year. If you can think of any other essential items that I have over looked please let me know. Also if you have a better recommendation than what I have listed please enlighten me. I currently own the following for meat processing:

Electric meat grinder, large cutting board, jerky gun (caulk gun thing), many knives (could always use more good knives), butcher freezer paper and freezer tape, and jerky racks for oven drying and cooling.

Thank you for looking and your help!

PoGo

 

[crankybuzzard]

Looks like you've got it covered!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Might as well add these now...JJ

Electric Meat grinder...Kitchener #12, all metal gears and $99 or less.

5Lb Sausage Stuffer...Kitchener, Grizzly or in you got the $$ LEM.

I have the Chef Choice 130 Electric Knife Sharpener, works well. The Trizor 15 XV looks good too..JJ

 

[sfprankster]

Hope you're not on Santa's naughty list... 

 

[crankybuzzard]

Might as well add these now...JJ

Electric Meat grinder...Kitchener #12, all metal gears and $99 or less.
5Lb Sausage Stuffer...Kitchener, Grizzly or in you got the $$ LEM.

I have the Chef Choice 130 Electric Knife Sharpener, works well. The Trizor 15 XV looks good too..JJ

Good catch JJ!

 

[4pogo7]

 
Might as well add these now...JJ

Electric Meat grinder...Kitchener #12, all metal gears and $99 or less.

5Lb Sausage Stuffer...Kitchener, Grizzly or in you got the $$ LEM.

I have the Chef Choice 130 Electric Knife Sharpener, works well. The Trizor 15 XV looks good too..JJ

Thanks JJ, I do already have a grinder, although that one looks like a pretty nice one to replace mine someday. I would love a stuffer but for now other things are more important. I can always use my jerky gun or grinder to stuff if I am desperate. Although I just checked Grizzly and they are on sale right now!

My list will be modified accordingly. Thanks

 
Hope you're not on Santa's naughty list... 

ME TOO!!!

 

[4pogo7]

Okay so my wife has been helping me pick specific items for my Christmas list. She made the comment, "Lot's of smoking/grilling stuff lol" I suppose that's a pretty good approval statement, or at least I'll take it as one!

So here is what she found based on reviews and such.

     -Meat slicer – Chef’s Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer.
     -Vacuum Sealer – FoodSaver V3240 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit.
     -Kitchen Scale – Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale.
     -Small kitchen scale – American Weigh 100g x 0.01g Digital Scale.
     -AMNPS – with Hickory BBQ Pellets.
     -Meat thermometer – Maverick ET-733.
     -Smoker thermometer – 2" River Country Professional Series Adjustable Grill & Smoker Thermometer.
     -Smoker insulation – Wool fire retardant blanket, Mylar blanket.
     -Auber PID controller – I don’t really think I will get it. WS-1500GPH
     -Knife sharpener – Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
     -Sausage Stuffer – Grizzly 5# Vertical.

Let me know what you think? Good choices, bad choices, good for starting out and for the money?

Thanks for your help!

PoGo

 

[bmaddox]

 
Okay so my wife has been helping me pick specific items for my Christmas list. She made the comment, "Lot's of smoking/grilling stuff lol" I suppose that's a pretty good approval statement, or at least I'll take it as one!

So here is what she found based on reviews and such.

     -Meat slicer – Chef’s Choice 615 Premium Electric Food Slicer.
     -Vacuum Sealer – FoodSaver V3240 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit.
     -Kitchen Scale – Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale.
     -Small kitchen scale – American Weigh 100g x 0.01g Digital Scale.
     -AMNPS – with Hickory BBQ Pellets.
     -Meat thermometer – Maverick ET-733.
     -Smoker thermometer – 2" River Country Professional Series Adjustable Grill & Smoker Thermometer.
     -Smoker insulation – Wool fire retardant blanket, Mylar blanket.
     -Auber PID controller – I don’t really think I will get it. WS-1500GPH
     -Knife sharpener – Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener
     -Sausage Stuffer – Grizzly 5# Vertical.

Let me know what you think? Good choices, bad choices, good for starting out and for the money?

Thanks for your help!

PoGo

It is a pretty good list but here are the changes I would make:

Slicer - Chef's choice 609. That's what I have and based on the feature list I don't see a real return on the extra $50 for the 615

Sealer - Vacmaster Pro110. I have had it for a year and used it a ton. It works great for the money. I have boycotted Foodsaver after they wouldn't honor their pricing on my order a few weeks ago.

You should also invest in lots of cutting boards and tubs. When you are breaking down whole cuts and grinding you seem to never have enough of those. 

 

[floridasteve]

I think I'll photocopy your list and leave it lying around!

 

[4pogo7]

 
It is a pretty good list but here are the changes I would make:

Slicer - Chef's choice 609. That's what I have and based on the feature list I don't see a real return on the extra $50 for the 615

Sealer - Vacmaster Pro110. I have had it for a year and used it a ton. It works great for the money. I have boycotted Foodsaver after they wouldn't honor their pricing on my order a few weeks ago.

You should also invest in lots of cutting boards and tubs. When you are breaking down whole cuts and grinding you seem to never have enough of those. 

Thanks for the info bmaddox!

On Amazon right now the 609 and the 615 are the same price. I think that is why my wife chose it. Looked a little "fancier" maybe. 

I remember the whole ordeal with the FoodSaver price issue. I tried getting in on the "good deal" but it wouldn't even let me get as far as you and others did. I will have to look into the VacMaster more. It's a decent amount cheaper than most FoodSaver models, which would mean more money for other things!

Very true about the tubs and cutting boards! I will have to look into that too. Thanks!

 

[4pogo7]

Got a question about the Grizzly 5# stuffer: what will I be able to make with this, size wise? I am assuming sausage links, hot dogs, and brats. Will I also be able to make small snack sticks and large summer sausage? Thanks!

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
Got a question about the Grizzly 5# stuffer: what will I be able to make with this, size wise? I am assuming sausage links, hot dogs, and brats. Will I also be able to make small snack sticks and large summer sausage? Thanks!

YES...The larger stuffers can't handle Snack Sticks without bending the piston shaft...JJ

 

[4pogo7]

 
YES...The larger stuffers can't handle Snack Sticks without bending the piston shaft...JJ

Thanks JJ, what about summer sausage? Would I need to buy I different attachment for it?

 

[muralboy]

that's one heck of a list..you will be one fortunate man (and the envy of many here) if you get a 1/3 of it.

I have the Chef Choice 615 - I believe slightly higher power than the 609 - 120 watts vs 100 watts

I also have the Foodsaver vac - works well.  I do like the bags from Vacmaster though.

As far as scale - the OXO 11 lb food scale features a pull out display.  Very handy when dealing with larger bowls/plates.  

 

[4pogo7]

 
that's one heck of a list..you will be one fortunate man (and the envy of many here) if you get a 1/3 of it.

I have the Chef Choice 615 - I believe slightly higher power than the 609 - 120 watts vs 100 watts

I also have the Foodsaver vac - works well.  I do like the bags from Vacmaster though.

As far as scale - the OXO 11 lb food scale features a pull out display.  Very handy when dealing with larger bowls/plates.  

Thank you for the info/experience!

Oh man, that does look handy for the scale! 

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
Thanks JJ, what about summer sausage? Would I need to buy I different attachment for it?

Just use the largest tube, will work fine. I have filled 2 3/4 in X 20 in long Krakowska with no trouble. I have had the OXO 11Lb Scale over 6 years and never had a problem. If the Ozeri really does measure in even numbers, per reviews, that is not very accurate...JJ

 

[crankybuzzard]

Thanks JJ, what about summer sausage? Would I need to buy I different attachment for it?

I did well over 100 pounds of SS, bologna (3.5"), and pepperoni, combined last season with my 5# unit just using the large tube as Chef JJ said. Lord only knows how many pounds of regular sausage went through it as well...

Also, I do snack sticks that are 16mm, but I bought a different tube just for that size. Slow and easy will get the job done, and also remember where the bottom is. When my son started assisting me a couple of years ago, I put a spacer on the top of the rod to prevent bottoming out and damaging gears.

He knows better now, short learning curve.

 

[tropics]

 
My Christmas List – Any Advice?

I am making my Christmas list for this year.​ If you could give advice on specific items I would greatly appreciate it. I don’t own, nor have I ever owned many of these items before so I am not looking for the biggest or best of any of them. I am looking for simpler, starter items, nothing too high dollar. Something is better than nothing as long as it works. The more inexpensive these items are, while still being of decent quality, the more of them I will likely find under the tree this year!

-Meat slicer – for bacon, jerky, lunch meat, and whatever else.

-Vacuum Sealer – for everything.

-Kitchen Scale – for weighing meat. If accurate enough, for measuring cure and spices.

-Small kitchen scale – for measuring cure and spices if larger scale can’t.

-AMNPS –for smoking of course.

-Meat thermometer – Maverick ET-733 or iGrill is what I am thinking.

-Smoker thermometer – 2” analog dial. River Country brand.

-Smoker insulation – welding blanket, water heater blanket, or wool army blanket.

-Auber PID controller – I don’t really think I will get it. WS-1500GPH

*EDIT*  -Knife sharpener – 1 vote for the Chef Choice 130 or Chef Choice Trizor 15 XV

*EDIT*   -Sausage Stuffer – Grizzly 5# On sale right now!

As you may have noticed, these are all things for my smoker or for processing meat. That is all that will be on my list this year. If you can think of any other essential items that I have over looked please let me know. Also if you have a better recommendation than what I have listed please enlighten me. I currently own the following for meat processing:

Electric meat grinder, large cutting board, jerky gun (caulk gun thing), many knives (could always use more good knives), butcher freezer paper and freezer tape, and jerky racks for oven drying and cooling.

Thank you for looking and your help!

PoGo

Being as I only do 5 lb. batches I still use my Jerky Cannon for sausage,snack sticks,salami LOL

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233631/salami-in-the-mes40

I just bought a knife sharpener haven't used it yet.

Richie

 

[4pogo7]

 
Just use the largest tube, will work fine. I have filled 2 3/4 in X 20 in long Krakowska with no trouble. I have had the OXO 11Lb Scale over 6 years and never had a problem. If the Ozeri really does measure in even numbers, per reviews, that is not very accurate...JJ

Thanks for the info on the stuffer! I looked into the reviews of the scale and it seems that most people have no problems with it, and those that do are contacted by the company for a hassle free replacement. The OXO scale looks nice but for the price difference and what I will be using it for, I think the Ozeri will work great. Mainly I will be weighing out 1lb, 2lb, 5lb amounts when I am packaging meat. Thank you though for the advice. If the scale doesn't do what I need it to the OXO will be the next one I look at! I am trying to cut costs where I can so that the bigger items show up for Christmas too!

I did well over 100 pounds of SS, bologna (3.5"), and pepperoni, combined last season with my 5# unit just using the large tube as Chef JJ said. Lord only knows how many pounds of regular sausage went through it as well...

Also, I do snack sticks that are 16mm, but I bought a different tube just for that size. Slow and easy will get the job done, and also remember where the bottom is. When my son started assisting me a couple of years ago, I put a spacer on the top of the rod to prevent bottoming out and damaging gears.

He knows better now, short learning curve.

CB thanks for the info!

 
Being as I only do 5 lb. batches I still use my Jerky Cannon for sausage,snack sticks,salami LOL

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233631/salami-in-the-mes40

I just bought a knife sharpener haven't used it yet.

Richie

Richie, thanks for the info. I have done that before for snack sticks and jerky, but occasionally we make a big batch of brats with a guy from work so the stuffer would be handy. (I don't want to have to go to his house whenever I want to make brats!)

 

[tropics]

Another Knife Sharpener Work Sharp

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236095/work-sharp-elec-knife-sharpener

Richie