Care And Feeding of a 5lb Grizzly Stuffer -15 Pics QView -Good for Rookies

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princess

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jul 28, 2010
420
25
Lafayette, Indiana
Maybe you think you want a sausage stuffer and aren't sure if it is worth the cost to have a separate stuffer? (It's SO worth it! They are so easy to use and clean!)

Maybe you got a second-hand stuffer and have no idea how to use it or take care of it? (eBay is a popular place, after all)

Maybe you just like looking at posts that have lots of pictures of cool kitchen equipment in them?
icon_mrgreen.gif
 (Yeah... me too!)

Anyway you look at it, I'm glad you're here. We're going to talk about Sausage Stuffers.  Many people own a grinder (and yes, you CAN use a grinder for stuffing, but I don't recommend it). True sausage enthusiasts also own a separate stuffer.

As far as I know, stuffers come in three styles: push stuffers, crank stuffers and water stuffers. My great-grandma had an old push stuffer and I can tell you two things about them: They are inexpensive and they are a pain in the you-know-where.

Hand crank stuffers like my Grizzly seem to be pretty common around here. The weight (5lb) just tells you about how much meat the canister will hold before you have to reload. There are bigger ones out there, 10 15 even 25 and up. I chose the size I thought I'd use most often and that I could afford to permanently bolt to my basement kitchen counter. With the frame bolted in, I have no excuse not to use it!

I love my hand crank stuffer and have found it to be such a breeze to use that I am making sausage more frequently than ever.

Water stuffers hook up to a hose and use water pressure to stuff. I have no experience with them at all, have only seen the in pictures.

So... here goes:

I bolted the frame of my Grizzly down. You don't have to do this. Two super-tight C-Clamps will do you just fine. I have also seen folks who bolt the frame to a board, the clamp the board where they need it. The frame is basically a big screw with a handle. You can see my gears are nylon. There are manufacturers who make METAL replacement gears. I have ordered a set just this week from LEM (thanks, Beer-B-Q!!) as I don't want to worry about the nylon cracking mid-project.  Next to the frame, you can see the 5-lb canister.

(Note: I keep my canister in the freezer normally, as I do all my metal grinder parts. Cold metal is good for meat AND your freezer is also a dehumidifier.)

1e9ff5d6_1grizzlystuffer.jpg


There are three pieces that comprise the squishing force of your stuffer. A nylon plate (with a red gasket), a pressure valve, and a nut to hold the valve in place. These three things should always get cleaned separately and stored separately.

fdf066d8_2platenutandpressure.jpg


You want the pressure valve on there snugly enough to not fall off, but loose enough to release air as you crank down the handle. This keeps your sausage from filling with air as well as making it easier to turn the crank.

14edbe33_3placement.jpg


It is never a bad idea to keep your gasket lubricated. You want to use NON petroleum based FOOD safe lubricant. Petrol based lubricants can actually cause cracking and drying. Store it clean and lubricated and in a plastic bag.

39b89c19_4lubricant.jpg


The plate itself attaches pretty easily to the screw. Get it on there good and tighten by hand.

3cdab78c_5attachplate.jpg


Most stuffers come with an assortment of stuffer horns. The largest is used for Summer Sausage and bigger. Medium for hotdog and brats. Small for brekkie sausage.

2f4cff7d_6threetubes.jpg


The tubes attach to the canister with the tightening of a nut:

acfc4b0c_7tubewithnut.jpg


When packing meat in to the canister, you want as few air pockets as possible. Pack it in carefully. I find a slightly "wetter" sausage mix ALWAYS stuffs better than a slightly "drier" sausage mix. In fact, that is one of the best things about using casings (::grins at certain people who like skinless sausage::) is that you can have a moister, juicier sausage.

0ba9afb1_8packinnoair.jpg


Slide the canister into place. You can't goof this up.

bc3cfc9e_9slideintoplace.jpg


All ready to go. You can see the gears close up here...

9b7565d3_10crankdownplate.jpg


You will hear the air hiss out of the pressure valve as you get closer to the surface of your meat.

fae8153d_11heartheairhiss.jpg


I like to stuff onto a wet foil lined tray. Natural sausage casings like everything to be WET. Water slopped on your horn, on the tray, on your hands... The wetter the better.

af980d72_12wettray.jpg


When loading a horn with a natural casing, please keep in mind that you want it all on there. The idea is "stuff as you go."  It's like rolling down a sock before you put your toes in... You stretch it out less this way.

eda5d837_20reallyloadedhorn.jpg


Once you are done stuffing your sausage, it is easy to see just how little waste you have left in the canister:

3b881dcb_21allgone.jpg


For cleanup, everything that touched meat should have all visible meat remains washed off, or out, then just toss them all in the dishwasher on HOT. You remembered to separate the valve nut from the plate, right? Good.

In the dishwasher:

Canister  

Horn  

Horn Nut

Plate

Valve

Valve Nut

My base frame is bolted down, so I give it a good wipe down, then spray with Kitchen Safe Disinfectant. Please do not forget: disinfectants must be left on for 10 minutes to "work" properly.  I give the handle the same treatment, as it never touches meat.

9604d16c_22sprayitdown.jpg


Cheers! Let me know if this helps you!

-Princess
 
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I really like your stuffing skills now there Princess. But did you make any sauasge casue I didn't see any??? I know you did but it does make a very good tutorial by the way. All that left over sausage you have left over in the canister and the little buts that you get going from casing to casing, we used that for a tasting patty that way we see how good the sausage will be before smoking. 
 
Princess,

Absolutely GREAT POST !

I'm sending a "Thumbs up to you".

This would be a GREAT WIKI !

Your posts are very very helpful !

I also like the:

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)](::grins at certain people who like skinless sausage::)[/color]

LOL, I can't help it--I'm a freakin' "Smoke Hound Fanatic".

I have yet to find anything too smoky. I think maybe there is more wrong with me than the mental part you all know about.

Thanks again,

Bear
 
It doesn't look any different to me, so YES! I would say GO for it. :)  I love my stuffer SO much. I used to have a push stuffer and I hate-hate-HATED it. Crank ALL the way!! I also ordered a bunch of these (see below) from Grizzly (shipping was the same at that time) and I use them like MAD for scrubbing grinder plates, getting lubricant into tiny spots where my hands won't reach, etc... They are cheap (at 12 to a pack) and easy to use-and lose:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-pc-Brush-Sets-Nylon/H1430  
Princess - I just went to the Grizzly website and found this http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-lb-Vertical-Sausage-Stuffer-SS/H6252  Is that what you have? It looks a little different. I will order it for that price. Do you think that would be a good starter for a beginner?
 
Awww... aeroforce, thank you!! Xoxo ... I would love it. I'm all about getting the basics across. No matter how high the stairwell goes, it always starts with one step... right?

Do we make our own wiki? Or do the mods do that for us?
Great post, Princess!  Sure hope this is made into a Wiki SOON!

MODS-  Maybe Princess should have her own  Equipment thread.  Could call it The Princess Diaries!
cool.gif
 
Oh man... Oh man... YOU BETCHA!!!
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PLEASE check out the following posts:

This is the sausage I was "doing" while taking the pics for this post:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...-by-step-with-lots-of-q-view-good-for-rookies

 And you can also see the stuffer in action on Part Two of the following two posts:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/98414/summer-sausage-prep-day-1-30-pics-q-view  

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...-sausage-stuff-and-smoke-day-2-26-pics-q-view  

Cheers!

-Princess
cool.gif


I really like your stuffing skills now there Princess. But did you make any sauasge casue I didn't see any??? I know you did but it does make a very good tutorial by the way. All that left over sausage you have left over in the canister and the little buts that you get going from casing to casing, we used that for a tasting patty that way we see how good the sausage will be before smoking. 
 
Thanks for peeeking, NWDave! And I always appreciate the positive feedback!
Another fine tutorial.  One observation:  I have the big brother (or in your case: big sister) to your 5 lb'er, and the same guidelines apply.
Thanks you, pandemonium!!  :)
 
Thats the right one Squirrel, i also own that one, Great post Princess
points.gif
 
Thank you, Bear. :)  I am SO glad you find them helpful (and you know I could not resist the 'skinless' dig!! LOL)  FYI for you... Care adn Feeding of a Grinder is up next!!

Side note: Do we make our own iki? Or do the mods do it for us?
Princess,

Absolutely GREAT POST !

I'm sending a "Thumbs up to you".

This would be a GREAT WIKI !

Your posts are very very helpful !

I also like the:

[color= rgb(24,24,24)](::grins at certain people who like skinless sausage::)[/color]

LOL, I can't help it--I'm a freakin' "Smoke Hound Fanatic".

I have yet to find anything too smoky. I think maybe there is more wrong with me than the mental part you all know about.

Thanks again,

Bear
 
One more thing Ms. Princess - where do you get your casings, what kind do you prefer and where to get food grade lubricant?
 
thanks for a great tutorial, Princess! I especially appreciate the cleaning instructions and tips, that info is often overlooked. Super clear and thorough.
 
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