How to pick shoulders

[actech]

Ok maybe the sharpening post will cure this problem but I'm not sure.  I'm pretty new to making sausage.  First batch venison and pork trimmings. Some minor issues of the plate getting loaded up. Next made 100% pork shoulder sausage. I had taken a hone to knife edges. It chewed right thru 20# of shoulder no problem. Yesterday 35# of shoulder took forever.  Seemed like those shoulders were full of silver skin. First 2 batches were just gotten at grocery store no brand name. Last batch was Hormel on sale for ..99,and my God had to clear the plate every 5 minutes. Woudve taken forever to cut out all the silverskin by hand.  So finally my question.... Can you pick out better shoulders? Is this normal but I just got lucky the first 2 times? Hell they looked good to me. Looked like if they went on smoker they'd made some awesome pulled pork. But then again maybe may have had issues even smoking since I didnt smoke em. 

The plate is fairly small and am planning on getting a bigger one.

Thanks

 

[bladeguy]

Was there any difference in meat temperature? I've noticed if my pork butt isn't very cold, my grind sucks. Also, cutting into approximately 1" cubes has helped my grind as well. I've had enough bad texture sausage run through on a bad grind to not let it happen again. I think a sharp blade and flat plates could not hurt you either. Never noticed a difference on pork butts myself.

 

[actech]

Not much temp difference for sure. we deboned and chunked em up,put into bowl and back in fridge. Did that for each butt. Then broke out one bowl at a time to grind.

 

[DanMcG]

Any chance your knife was not real tight to the plate?

 

[actech]

Should been but Im gonna go thru and true the plate and blade and see what happens next time