don't know what's wrong...need some help with snacksticks!!!!

[les3176]

Ok i need some help here!!! It is now 3:30 in the morning and i have been trying to make snacksticks for 6 hours now with no luck!!This is my second attempt at SS and the first time was so easy i can not belive i am having this much trouble this time...

     First time.. i ground all the meat and added the cure and seasonings afterwards and just mixed it with my hands before stuffing as i did this time as well. Now the meat will just not go thru the stuffing tube!!!I have a alfa 1/2 horse grinder with 3 tubes that came with it and i bought a tube for 21mm casings and one for 19mm casings. First time..Used the 21mm tube and the 21mm collagen casings with no problem stuffing at ALL. This time...Used the 19mm tube and the 19mm collagen casings and no way can i get it it work!! I didn't use the blade or the die plates either time.

Just the auger and the tube both times. The tubes are exactly the same other than the size of the tubes.I tried adding a little water thinking maybe it was too thick..didn't work. Put the meat in the freezer till it stiffened up ,not quite frozen but pretty stiff. No luck that made the auger keep pushing out so it would'nt move anything! I really have no idea what i'm doing wrong this time. Could it just be that i am trying to use just too small of casings for my electric grinder?? I am out of 21mm casings so all i have is the 19mm left. I would really like to use the 19mm size but do i have to run around and try to find some bigger sized casings? The other thing is the 15lbs. of meat sitting in my frigde,it is seasoned with cure mixed in it but how long can i get away with it sitting there? I took a pic so you all can see what i'm working with. I am using the stainless steel tube. Any thoughts or ideas would be great!!! Thanks.---LES

 

[DanMcG]

First off don't worry about the meat as long as it's in the frig it will last till ya figure this out.

I have never tried to stuff with a grinder so I won't be much help, but don't you need a plate installed to hold the auger end centered?

How fine did you grind the meat? and is it stuck in the tube or not getting that far?

 

[les3176]

I used the large plate first then went to the med plate.It feels pretty good as far as ground up,there are no chunks at all. As far as the plates go i did not use one the first time  but i did try it this time just to see. Still no luck!! its not stuck in the tube,it dos'nt get that far

 

[DanMcG]

Even when you force meat down the throat with the plunger it doesn't come out the horn?

The only other thing I can think of is you're  running it in reverse, Which I doubt.

 

[DanMcG]

is it a real wet mix? I made something once that was real wet and it didn't want to come out of the grinder. I ended up freezing it on a cookie sheet in about a 1/2" layer and froze it almost solid then broke it up and ground it in chunks.

 

[les3176]

yeah it goes as far as the small bell at the beginning of the tube and thats it.it will not got thru the tube. I did check for reverse but on my grinder you have to hold the reverse button down so i know it wasn't in reverse.i thought of that too  LOL

 

[les3176]

Its not real wet, but it is a little sticky

 

[DanMcG]

Les the more I think about it, it just might be the small tube. The smaller the tube the more force it takes to fill it and maybe with just the force of the auger action it just cant do it.

If it works with a larger tube then thats could be  it

It's early but I'm sure somebody will have some better advise for ya soon

 

[les3176]

Thanks dan, that is the way i was leaning too.just too small of a tube...too bad i just bought enough 19mm for about 150lbs of meat!!! I might have to look into a vertical stuffer.

 

[fpnmf]

Hope you find the problem soon Les.

You will be happier when you get a stuffer.

I use a kitchenaid for grinding and got a northern stuffer after reading here about the difficuties of stuffing with it.

I will probably be happier when I get a better grinder.

 Have a great day

  Craig

 

[mballi3011]

Now I have read this thread and Dan's replies and I think that your grinder just doesn't have the power to push the meat into that small tube. If you can find a different stuffing tube that isn't so round at the tube. You know more a cone shape instead of half round like the picture.

 

[beer-b-q]

Les when you use that small of casing they are hard to stuff, you may have to use a jerky gun to stuff them...

If you are using your grinder to stuff with you will also need a spacer plate in it to hold the end of the auger in place, they will look like on of these...

 

[captsly]

I am with Beer-b-q on this one, a jerky gun is an inexpensive way to go and they work really well!

 

[les3176]

Thanks guys, after running a around a bit i did find some bigger 21mm casings like i used before so i will go that route this time.But i did stop at gander mountain and pick up a 5lbs vertical stuffer,it dosen't come with a 3/8 tube but i guess i will have to order one the store didn't have any. Anybody know where i can get one? And the spacer plate that beerbq mentioned? Thanks again---LES

 

[aeroforce100]

Thanks guys, after running a around a bit i did find some bigger 21mm casings like i used before so i will go that route this time.But i did stop at gander mountain and pick up a 5lbs vertical stuffer,it dosen't come with a 3/8 tube but i guess i will have to order one the store didn't have any. Anybody know where i can get one? And the spacer plate that beerbq mentioned? Thanks again---LES

WWW.lemproducts.com    Item # 606a  Will cost 12.99 plus shipping.

 

[aeroforce100]

Thanks guys, after running a around a bit i did find some bigger 21mm casings like i used before so i will go that route this time.But i did stop at gander mountain and pick up a 5lbs vertical stuffer,it dosen't come with a 3/8 tube but i guess i will have to order one the store didn't have any. Anybody know where i can get one? And the spacer plate that beerbq mentioned? Thanks again---LES

http://www.lemproducts.com    Item # 606a  Will cost 12.99 plus shipping.