Advice on what Grinder to purchase

[indaswamp]

X2 what boykjo said....use a vertical stuffer.

 

[sawhorseray]

All you guys who use either the LEM or the Cabelas, do you use it to stuff too, or do you use a vertical stuffer? I've heard mixed reviews....air pockets, takes too long, and such

I stuffed a little sausage with it a couple of times when I first got, all I had at the time was a 5lb hand crank. It worked OK, I had no complaints. If you are going to get into making your own sausage get a dedicated stuffer, period. I'm a one-man show with bad shoulders, the Cabelas motorized stuffer with foot pedal I have is the sole reason I am even able to make sausage these days, and I make some dammed good stuff. RAY

 

[IMAVGAN]

Off topic, but I would love to get a motorized stuffer, but the SO is already complaining about all my grown up toys....at least the ones she knows about. I hide a meat curing cabinet and Berkel slicer in the office.

Back on topic, OP should consider a separate stuffer for making sausages.

 

[golfpro2301]

JJpiv33

what is your budget for grinder?

 

[rc4u]

hers the one i am getting

 

[golfpro2301]

I just got the STX megaforce delivered on Wed. Much better than the #5 I had before

 

[jjpiv33]

So i ended up going with the Cabelas Carnivore #8 0.5 HP. Found it BRAND NEW on facebook market place for $180 and could not pass up the deal. Let me tell you....even at 0.5 HP this thing is a beast. i ground up about 15# of meat this weekend in one shot, less that 3 mins. i was blown away. I have the stuffing kit with it and the only thing it was missing was the high speed auger for the suffer. (ill buy it) Stuffing will take some practice but with my sons help it was MUCH faster than the kitchen aid, or the little jerky gun i was using.

I put the water bottle up for comparison, even with it being the #8....its HUGE! it weighs a ton.

 

[JckDanls 07]

PERFECT.... That's what I have is the .5 hp ... only it's an earlier version...

Really though... save the money from the speed auger and the money you saved from buying 'used" ... and buy a dedicated stuffer ....

 

[golfpro2301]

^ what he said

 

[IMAVGAN]

^ what he said

I agree....feeding once ground meat into a #12 throat is not much fun nor as easy as a #22, I'm betting the #8 throat size would be even less fun.

 

[rc4u]

i put ground meat in parchment and make a roll that fits and feeds pretty good.

 

[Cattoon]

I have a #8 Weston pro and don’t have any trouble doing a second grind, I either feed small balls of ground or roll into a cylinder that fits opening.

 

[jjpiv33]

I agree....feeding once ground meat into a #12 throat is not much fun nor as easy as a #22, I'm betting the #8 throat size would be even less fun.

I have done a double grind a couple times already, and I stuffed with my son once. I didn’t find any issue at all.... other than I need to control the speed at which the casing comes off the horn...(I feel i was feeding too fast and the casings were not filled enough) I will still prob buy the high speed auger and give it a go, I would like to use one device for the $$ I paid... but I have already asked for a nice vert. stuffer for Xmas! Lol.

 

[IMAVGAN]

Well, I guess it has to be taken into perspective,.... when I process the pork butt, grind, mix and stuff anywhere from 60-80lbs of pork for dry cured sausage as a one person team I prefer not to spend time rolling into rolls, balls or constantly feeding small chunks into the feeder. I t just makes a long day longer. But, to each their own.

 

[rc4u]

welllll, been with my wife since '75, she likes to help me, aint love grand.. for us its to our own,..

 

[BC Buck]

My LEM #8 stalls if put to big of a piece of meat for first grind. Second grind is a a balancing act trying to get little balls of first grind to feed through feed throat. Thinking of buying a #12 with bigger feed throat. Dont know what brand I will buy.

 

[muddydogs]

Stay away from lem 8#. Too small and under horse powered.

O bull. I have the $100 lem #8 575 watt grinder that has run over 2000 pounds of meat through it with no issues. Mostly frozen to cold meat it doesn't care, chews 1/2" wide strips as long as I can cut them faster then I can feed the grinder. I don't even waste my time with the second grind nonsense, put the smallest plate in the grinder and go to town.

I have a foot peddle for the grinder but don't see the need for it, turn the grinder on and start feeding it. There is no reason to turn the grinder off until I'm done grinding or have to stop for a couple minutes.

Foot peddle is nice if your stuffing with the grinder but a stuffer is a whole lot easier and more consistent not to mention a lot faster when it holds 15 plus pounds of ground meat.

I purchased the little Lem back when cash was tight 7 years ago and always figured that I would upgrade when I killed the grinder off which I figured wouldn't take long from all the internet BS. I just can't seem to kill it and I have tried a few times by trying to stuff way to big of pieces of mostly frozen pork trim down its throat. A couple years into this grinder I did purchase a couple gear sets for a whopping $3 each and after the pork incident I did have to replace one gear. It's hard to justify a $600 grinder when my little $80 on sale grinder gets it done in great fashion. A buddy also owns this same grinder and has about 1000 pounds of meat through his.

 

[hadi123]

hi i am new here. found this forum more informational and helpful.

 

[old sarge]

hi i am new here. found this forum more informational and helpful.

Welcome to there forum from SE Arizona!