Meat grinder

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metaluno67

Fire Starter
Original poster
Dec 31, 2012
51
10
Columbia Station Ohio
What are your suggestions. I will be doing a moderate amounts 5-10 lbs at a time. Needs fine to course plates and includes different size sausage tubes. I want a stand alone and I won't buy junk. Replacement parts should be readily available. Also I will not buy from cabelas as they are over priced.
 
I have no affiliation with cabelas and have Been buying from them for years...... They have a larger selection of food processing equipment and supplies than other companies like them...  Their prices are very reasonable and they have excellent customer service and parts replacements for their equipment. Along with many other members I have the cabelas 1 hp commercial grinder and it is a good choice when choosing a grinder. It also has an additional auger attachment in the stuffing tube which helps feed the meat into the casings ...... I also gathered from members here the LEM also makes a good grinder from bass pro shop....... I would go with either of the two if you are looking for a good quality grinder for a good price

Good luck

Joe
 
 
Morniong Dave, per chance did you mean that your kitchener is from northern tool.

I looked on the link you posted and did not see the kitchener listed, but then went on Northern tool and found it there in the price bracket you mentioned.

Rich-
 
I own a Cabelas 1hp grinder, love it! I have gone through 3 other grinders of the less expensive variety. The thing is bomber, I wouldn't trade if for anything! The smaller grinders are louder and slower.
 
Hi coffee junkie, My first and only grinder is a #5 Deni, and it is for sure a noisy critter. I plan to get me a new one once finances allow, and am looking at a # 12 size, Really haven't decided the brand yet, but will do some hard looking at the cabela's 1 HP.

Rich-
 
Mornong Dave, per chance did you mean that your kitchener is from northern tool.

I looked on the link you posted and did not see the kitchener listed, but then went on Northern tool and found it there in the price bracket you mentioned.

Rich-
Yeah, but we can't post links to other sites any longer...  Unless they are food safety type stuff.....    Soooooo,  you guessed correctly....   The Kitchener I have is noisy but I tell you it grinds meat like there's no tomorrow....  It does everything I  need and then some....  I'm going to post how to sharpen the blade one of these days.....   I think boykjo posted the original sharpening post....  I can't remember...  

A couple weeks ago, I ground 30#'s of bottom round and it was a snap.....  I have butts to do here soon....  for small quantities I use the KA grinder attachment...     

Dave
 
Yeah, but we can't post links to other sites any longer...  Unless they are food safety type stuff.....    Soooooo,  you guessed correctly....   The Kitchener I have is noisy but I tell you it grinds meat like there's no tomorrow....  It does everything I  need and then some....  I'm going to post how to sharpen the blade one of these days.....   I think boykjo posted the original sharpening post....  I can't remember...  

A couple weeks ago, I ground 30#'s of bottom round and it was a snap.....  I have butts to do here soon....  for small quantities I use the KA grinder attachment...     

Dave
I have one like Dave`s..It is  a real good grinder..and yes it is a little noisy but who cares...
 
I am seriously considering the purchase of the below grinder

Weston Products 1 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder can grind approximately 725 lbs of meat per hour. Great for restaurants, meat processing shops or anyone wanting a heavy duty grinder at home. Handles deer, elk, moose and any other type of fibrous game meat wonderfully. This quality Weston commercial grade meat grinder comes with all the accessories you need to get started processing your own meat at home. Making snack sticks will be a breeze with the addition of the "Cyclone" high speed auger. Simply use it with the snack stick tube and you will no longer have to fight to get the meat to flow through the tube and into the casing. Stuffing sausage casings is easier as well with long heavy-duty tube kit with stuffing star included. The stuffing star keeps you from re-grinding the meat as you stuff casings or bags. You get an industrial grade meat grinder without the high price being found at many other places.  You won't be disappointed with this great meat grinder!
 
I currently own the Kitchener 12 it is ok, but a great deal for the money. however you sound like me. It is def wetter to spend more money up front and get the best you can otherwise you will be buying the one you want later on! I am an LEM fan through as through!!! I don't know how their grinders work but if they are built the same quality as their stuffers they are probably the best in my book!!! I am bout to buy a 1hp especially as it gets colder and the hogs will be runnin'!
 
My uncle hunts and processes his own game meats. When I was in the market for a grinder I asked his opinion on them. He told me to go ahead and buy a nice grinder because I will save money and frustration in the long run. He said he had 3 low quality grinders that broke down on him before he bought his cabela's grinder. He also recommended the LEM grinder because he had to borrow a friend's a couple times. But at that time the cabela's were on sale, so I bought the #8 at $150 cheaper than normal price with free shipping. I've seen the LEMs on sale too.

My machine pumps out ground like a champ! Takes longer to prep the meat, set up the machine and clean it, than it does to grind. I usually grind about 20-25lbs.

Hijack:

Backwoods BBQ, my husband and I got a couple of green lights and have been cruising around at night looking for pigs. We get lots of deer and varmint eye shine, but we have not seen one pig. Even during the day, we see signs of them, but have not seen one since it got hot. We figured they were in the surrounding corn fields.
 
I am seriously considering the purchase of the below grinder

Weston Products 1 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder can grind approximately 725 lbs of meat per hour. Great for restaurants, meat processing shops or anyone wanting a heavy duty grinder at home. Handles deer, elk, moose and any other type of fibrous game meat wonderfully. This quality Weston commercial grade meat grinder comes with all the accessories you need to get started processing your own meat at home. Making snack sticks will be a breeze with the addition of the "Cyclone" high speed auger. Simply use it with the snack stick tube and you will no longer have to fight to get the meat to flow through the tube and into the casing. Stuffing sausage casings is easier as well with long heavy-duty tube kit with stuffing star included. The stuffing star keeps you from re-grinding the meat as you stuff casings or bags. You get an industrial grade meat grinder without the high price being found at many other places.  You won't be disappointed with this great meat grinder!
I seriously doubt you can grind 725 lbs in 1 hr... you will really have to hump it and I also doubt making snack sticks will be a breeze using any grinder even with the auger attachment which I have with my cabelas 1hp commercial grinder.... Sounds like a paid positive reveiw
 
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I seriously doubt you can grind 725 lbs in 1 hr... you will really have to hump it and I also doubt making snack sticks will be a breeze using any grinder even with the auger attachment which I have with my cabelas 1hp commercial grinder.... Sounds like a paid positive reveiw
My post was not meant to promote the grinder, as I have no connection with the company. And, I can ensure that I'll never attempt to grind that much meat in an hour, maybe 50 lbs at the most. I am thinking of getting a grinder of this power, because I have owned cheap ones in the past that caused me to give up on sausage making, i.e., it took me 3 days once to grind 3 deer and make sausage. I said I'd never make sausage again, but here I am again because I love doing things on my own and like to make food that others enjoy. So, the power may be overkill, but I've heard many on here say that a 1HP grinder is the ticket. I will probably buy this one, but if not, I'll buy another of similar power/make as I don't want the problems associated with cheap plastic ones I had in the past. I have a cast iron vertical stuffer, so that won't be a problem. Thanks for your post, which made me reevaluate my reasons for purchasing a powerful grinder.
 
My post was not meant to promote the grinder, as I have no connection with the company. And, I can ensure that I'll never attempt to grind that much meat in an hour, maybe 50 lbs at the most. I am thinking of getting a grinder of this power, because I have owned cheap ones in the past that caused me to give up on sausage making, i.e., it took me 3 days once to grind 3 deer and make sausage. I said I'd never make sausage again, but here I am again because I love doing things on my own and like to make food that others enjoy. So, the power may be overkill, but I've heard many on here say that a 1HP grinder is the ticket. I will probably buy this one, but if not, I'll buy another of similar power/make as I don't want the problems associated with cheap plastic ones I had in the past. I have a cast iron vertical stuffer, so that won't be a problem. Thanks for your post, which made me reevaluate my reasons for purchasing a powerful grinder.
stripernut, morning.....  I think Joe was pointing to the "Positive Revue" you linked to, being a paid advertisement...  Folks do get others to "shill" their products....   That revue looks like whoever wrote it, got paid something ......

One more consideration when buying a grinder........   Most of the time, the meat to be ground, has to be refrigerated.....   only grind small portions at one time......   That keeps the meat under 40 deg F and reduces the chance of pathogens growing and causing problems....   I find pulling out 1 8# butt, trimming, cutting into hunks, grinding it, mixing the spices etc and putting it back in the refer takes long enough that grinding 2 butts would put the meat in a warm temp zone too long for me......  It's even a good idea to put the grinding head in the refer between grinds...  food safety is a good habit to get into.....     

Dave
 
stripernut, morning.....  I think Joe was pointing to the "Positive Revue" you linked to, being a paid advertisement...  Folks do get others to "shill" their products....   That revue looks like whoever wrote it, got paid something ......

One more consideration when buying a grinder........   Most of the time, the meat to be ground, has to be refrigerated.....   only grind small portions at one time......   That keeps the meat under 40 deg F and reduces the chance of pathogens growing and causing problems....   I find pulling out 1 8# butt, trimming, cutting into hunks, grinding it, mixing the spices etc and putting it back in the refer takes long enough that grinding 2 butts would put the meat in a warm temp zone too long for me......  It's even a good idea to put the grinding head in the refer between grinds...  food safety is a good habit to get into.....     

Dave
Dave,

Thanks for the advice. I have a fridge in my meat prep area, so I'll strive to keep the grind as cold as possible. I see what you mean now by the shilling, guess I'm behind the times and didn't realize people get paid for reviews. I'll make sure I don't post something of that ilk again.

Best,

Wes
 
stripernut, morning.....  I think Joe was pointing to the "Positive Revue" you linked to, being a paid advertisement...  Folks do get others to "shill" their products....   That revue looks like whoever wrote it, got paid something .....  

Dave
Correct Dave. I was only pointing out that reviews can be a paid advertisement. I didn't say anything about the Weston grinder..... I was referring to all grinders.....

Good luck on your purchase of a grinder.  You will also need a vertical stuffer if you are planning to make snack sticks in a breeze........ They can be a pain in the arse, even for us experienced sausage makers

Joe 
 
Joe is absolutely right! Despite my sausage and BBQ making experience I HAD to buy a vertical stuffer for slim Jim's and sticks. That being said you may as well buy a stuffer with ALL metal gears! As a beginner you may not add enough moisture to the mix and strain the nylon geared stuffers to the point where they strip! All stuffers are the same if they all have the metal gears in my opinion so the only thing left is the price. That's why I went with the LEM 5# stuffer I wished now I woulda bought a 10 or 15# just due to the volume of the bigger one. Grinders are a whole different story, you have housing, electrical, warranty, motor size, the list goes on and on my next one will be one with a 1 hp motor (for wild game processing) my Kitchener 12 is nice but I want a bigger one! Good luck
 
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