Mixer for the meat

[johndeer]

Entertaining the idea of a meat mixer like the LEM 25# tilt mixer?
This thought was inspired after mixing 25 pounds by hand this weekend
What's everyone's thoughts and suggestions?

 

[ab canuck]

I bought the 50 that attaches to the mixer, After mixing by hand for yrs. we finally got a mixer and cranked it. It was a cheap model don't remember the name. It worked ok but the welds sucked and we broke a fin off it. So I bit the bullet and went to LEMs 50 because we do a lot of sausage and 20+ # batches. I would recommend them 100%, The hand crank from them are built well but I have not used that one. 

 

[tallbm]

I had a hand crank paddle mixer that could do about 15-17 pounds.  It was more of a pain to use and clean then it was worth.

I switched to a 7 gallon food grade bucket, a drill with a chord, and a stainless steel sheet rock mud mixer and I'm never going back hahaha.

Some bucket like this:

51v6wl7u6yL._SL1000_.jpg

• tallbm
• Feb 6, 2017

10 Amp, 1/2 inch chorded Drill like this:

418hRkMXEZL.jpg

• tallbm
• Feb 6, 2017

Sheet rock mud mixer like this 46 inch, stainless steel and/or aluminum:

DC713.jpg

• tallbm
• Feb 6, 2017

My drill is actually only a 7amp drill so I only mix 20 pounds max at a time.  Even going slow to not over stress the drill it is way faster, better, and easier to clean then using the hand crank paddle mixer I then sold.

I hope this gives you some food for thought :)

 

[tardissmoker]

What he said +2, best $20 I ever spent, if you have the drill. Even cordless works, with extra battery. Effortless. Just check the drill dimensions to be sure you are not trying to put a 1/2" shaft in a 3/8 " drill. Then check the texture and add water if needed and remix.

Bruce

 

[johndeer]

I have thought of the drywall mixer and drill and it ballooned into a complicated project that involved a drillpress and holding fixtures .
I am a tool & die machinist by trade and usually find it cheaper and easier to just purchase a good product.
I will revisit this idea and not try to over design it.
But still open to all ideas to take the chore out of the mixing of the meat.
That will leave more time to smoke meat and drink cold ones

 

[SmokinAl]

I like the drywall mixer idea.

It sounds pretty cool, but since I rarely make more than 5 lbs. at a time.

I'll probably just continue to mix by hand, or sometimes I use my KA mixer.

Al

 

[worktogthr]

 
I like the drywall mixer idea.

It sounds pretty cool, but since I rarely make more than 5 lbs. at a time.

I'll probably just continue to mix by hand, or sometimes I use my KA mixer.

Al

Just curious.  I have a kitchen aide mixer and never have used it for mixing sausage.  How big of a batch can you mix with it?  5 lb?  2.5?

 

[tropics]

 

 
I like the drywall mixer idea.

It sounds pretty cool, but since I rarely make more than 5 lbs. at a time.

I'll probably just continue to mix by hand, or sometimes I use my KA mixer.

Al

Just curious.  I have a kitchen aide mixer and never have used it for mixing sausage.  How big of a batch can you mix with it?  5 lb?  2.5?

Chris I use my KA and I do 5 lbs. no problem

Richie

 

[worktogthr]

 
Chris I use my KA and I do 5 lbs. no problem

Richie

Thanks Richie!  Do you use the dough hook or the paddle?  Which speed do you use?

 

[tropics]

 

 
Chris I use my KA and I do 5 lbs. no problem

Richie

Thanks Richie!  Do you use the dough hook or the paddle?  Which speed do you use?

Paddle its faster

Richie

 

[johndeer]

Innovation
That's what's this forum brings out.
My wife owns a bakery and has a large mixer that she doesn't use that I will try.
This thing is large floor model with a bowl bigger than a 5 gallon bucket.
Now I just got to get it moved to the cave at the house

 

[tropics]

Innovation
That's what's this forum brings out.
My wife owns a bakery and has a large mixer that she doesn't use that I will try.
This thing is large floor model with a bowl bigger than a 5 gallon bucket.
Now I just got to get it moved to the cave at the house

It is better to beg permission,then plead for mercy

Richie 

 

[johndeer]

It's a spare mixer she has and I can convince her I will get it out of the way so she can have more baking room
If it will mix sausage it will be a win on both fronts
If not it will just be in storage

 

[tallbm]

If doing under 10 pounds I mix by hand in my meat totes.

When doing 20 pounds or more of ground meat jerky or sausage I use the bucket.  The bucket holds 20 pounds no problem, the meat tote can hold 20 pounds but there is no room to really mix, you gotta go slow and easy in the tote at 20 pounds.

As for my mud mixer setup I hold the bucket with my feat.  It twists every now and again but I'm a big strong guy so I keep it managed well.  I never built a contraption to keep the bucket from spinning or a lid to put the mixer through.  The 7 Gal bucket and managing the speed of the mixer keep from making a mess with no issue.

As for your wife's 5gal mixer, you are in heaven.  That thing will do the job no problem but again 10 pounds and under might be overkill but if cleaning is easy then it's no issue. 

When choosing a mixing tool or method I find that capacity and ease of cleaning, out weight ease of mixing.  I got tired of mixing 25 pounds of sausage in 2 batches with my 17 pound mixing hand crank mixer.  Then when switching sausage mixes it took 20 minutes to take apart, clean, and reassemble the paddle mixer.  Not worth it.  Now I just hose off with some dish detergent and a hose in the grass and I'm back at it :)

 

[hondabbq]

I work as a chef and we had an old old mixer that had no safety gear on it at all. Our sister kitchen had the Health and safety guy come an say they needed to replace it with one that does. I waited and waited for him to come and tell us the same thing but never did. I waited about a year.

I decided to replace it. I asked the boss what he wanted to do with the old one, He said toss it, its not good for anyone. I tossed it into my truck. I cleaned it up and its my work horse now. Its a Hobart A200. I can do about 20 lbs at a time in it.

 

[johndeer]

I think this mixer is a floor model
It's bigger than that one but not by much and I think it's a Hobart also
This thing just might be the cure to the cold cramped hands
The wife has two other mixers she uses at the bakery
What started as just wanting a good smoked sausage has led me to an obsession with trying to make some.
Ya just Caint but sausage this good in the store!

 

[hondabbq]

I think this mixer is a floor model
It's bigger than that one but not by much and I think it's a Hobart also
This thing just might be the cure to the cold cramped hands
The wife has two other mixers she uses at the bakery
What started as just wanting a good smoked sausage has led me to an obsession with trying to make some.
Ya just Caint but sausage this good in the store!

A200 is a 20 qt. Its good for smaller batches and it was free.

I have  60 qt at work and I use that when I make 30+ lbs at a time.