#12 Ginder for stuffing sticks

[bloc004]

I have done quite a bit of sausage with my #12 Kitchener Grinder Stuffer and have two questions.

#1:  Does anyone else find that stuffing snack sticks with the Grinder/ Stuffer, almost emulsifies the meat and you don't get the fat/meat chunk consistancy that you see in commercial sticks?  I am wondering if a dedicated stuffer would help this, since the meat isn't being "ground" by an auger one last time before being stuffed.

#2:  When using 19mm collagen casings, I cannot fit them on any stuffing tube without getting them a little wet, and I know you are not supposed to do that.  It is very hard to keep the collagen casings tight to the end of the tube and hold it there while feeding the meat...very hard!!!!  Am I missing something?

 

[plj]

I have done quite a bit of sausage with my #12 Kitchener Grinder Stuffer and have two questions.

#1:  Does anyone else find that stuffing snack sticks with the Grinder/ Stuffer, almost emulsifies the meat and you don't get the fat/meat chunk consistancy that you see in commercial sticks?  I am wondering if a dedicated stuffer would help this, since the meat isn't being "ground" by an auger one last time before being stuffed.

I have a regular electric grinder. No, it doesnt emulsify the meat, it is pretty much the same consistency that it was when I put it in.   Do you leave in the grinding plate when you stuff?  (I dont.)
 

#2:  When using 19mm collagen casings, I cannot fit them on any stuffing tube without getting them a little wet, and I know you are not supposed to do that.  It is very hard to keep the collagen casings tight to the end of the tube and hold it there while feeding the meat...very hard!!!!  Am I missing something?

Uh-oh... I'm not supposed to wet them??

I see this on the askthemeatman website:
"Your 19 mm collagen casings do NOT need to be soaked in water before using.
[They can be soaked in water if you prefer - they can be stuffed dry or wet.]"

Anyhow, yes, I wet them to get them to fit on my stuffing tube.

 

[mballi3011]

Now if you would grind the meat twice you might get the texture that you are more used to. Now for the casings I use the 19mm also and I just tie them with some twine on each end. It's a pain in the butt but you get what I want to. I just wish I could find a better tube myself but I can't seem to find one either. You might want to check with butchern packer they might have the tubes and the casings that I want to. I just haven't looked yet.

 

[bloc004]

I dont leave the grinding plate in.  It seems to me that since the snack stick tube is smaller, the meat is staying in the neck with the auger longer, changing the texture a little bit.  I aim to get a stuffer at some point anyway, just wondering if anyone else notices anything.  

I did wet the casings a bit and they went right onto the tube, so that should help tremendously!!!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

When you use the KA for stuffing you need to take the blade, plate out and replace with the star. The star is just a metal 3 armed piece that is held in place by the tube bell end and the lock down nut.

IMHO

The KA is good for grinding but sux for stuffing.