This probably doesn't even really count...

[nomorenicksleft]

But as of Monday I'm unemployed. Keeping in line with our much reduced budget, I can't afford any sausage stuffer tubes, new plates, or any of the rest to make sausage.

However, having my meat grinder and plenty of spare time, I wanted to try it out. So I found some chuck roasts in the freezer, let them thaw enough to cut up, and then chilled the pieces for a few hours.

Well, it's alot of work. If I ever thought I wanted a #32 or even a #22, I'm reconsidering that. I definitely got a work out. I ground up a little less than 6 pounds, and I had to stop in the middle and take a break.

The Enterprise #10 that I have works perfectly. The knife is definitely sharp enough, and none of the pieces had any defects that made themselves known.

I've learned a few things... first off, don't have anything in front of the meat grinder closer than about 36" unless you want to clean blood off of it. While mostly things extrude, every once in awhile it's like a squirt gun and juice spits out.

Secondly, you need it mounted to something really, really heavy or that is bolted down. I ended up having to use one hand to hold down the table, and cranking with my other.

And finally... you don't have a bowl that's short enough to fit under the lip of the plate. I ended up using a pyrex pie dish, and wouldn't have thought to do so if my wife hadn't suggested it.

So, what did I end up with? Fairly mundane hamburger meat, but I don't have to worry about the people in the meat department at Kroger regrinding old crap back in with the new to make it passable for sale. I think I'm going to grind all my own from now on. And just as soon as I can afford some doodads for this thing, I'm definitely going to end up making my own italian sausage and brats and so forth.

 

[chefrob]

welcome to the club...........you will have lots of time to figure out sausage.

 

[buffalosmoke]

Sorry to hear of your job loss.....I am in the same boat too.

And thanks for the tips on the enterprise grinder. I was going to pick one up on ebay....but I am now considering the Northern Tool grinder. Got to get another freezer too! Our side by side fridge/freezer is jam packed already!.

The ground beef looks great!

 

[davef63]

i belong to the layoff club as well,at least here we can learn to proccess meat at home, usually cheaper and better than storebought.
dave

 

[hog warden]

I think you will find pork butts are easier to grind than beef chuck (same basic cut btw). It's easier if you run the first grind through a larger sized plate (say 3/8" or 1/2"), but what you have will get the job done. Prior to electrics, it's been done at home with the tool you have for over 100 years.

Watch sale fliers for the pork butts. We have two stores that often run them or "whole butts cut into pork steaks" for 89 cents and 99 cents a pound. The pork steaks work well too as they have already been cut up. Boning them out is simple and leaves you will small pieces that feed through pretty easy. Chilled, but not frozen is the key.

 

[alblancher]

I drape a cloth towel over the nozzle of the grinder to catch the spittle. You do not need casings to make real good sausage. Next time you are at the store pick up some pork butt, grind it, add sage, garlic powder, onion powder and make breakfast sausage out of it. On the money side of the equation I take the bones left over, throw them in a pot of beans for flavor, no waste.

Good luck, my business is so slow right now I spend a lot of time trying to get all those repairs and things done around the house. Good time to start a garden, the physical work will make you feel better and the fresh vegetables cannot be beat.

 

[promisekeeper]

Just an idea to share about getting meat ground. It sounds like you're buying individual roasts to grind. Why not try asking your butcher to grind them for you? Most places are more than happy to "customize" whatever you need while you wait. For example, our local store always is glad to cut up pork loins or slice hams when they are on sale while you wait. They'd even run boneless chops through the cuber at no cost. (great breaded sandwiches!) I wouldn't think grinding would be an issue either. Another thought is to buy your beef by the quarter or half when you get that new freezer from a quality shop. Your burger will be much higher quality. They'll do it to your specs. I had a place once that would even grind my venison at the end of the day before they cleaned the equipment and mixed in whatever I wanted. I always bought the pork I used from their case and the charge was so low that I couldn't justify a grinder until that guy retired.

 

[mballi3011]

I'm not in the lay-off group I'm in the cann't find to many jobs out there right now. I own the company. But I also do my own sausage too. But i do own a grinder and a stuffer too. But if you don't have a stuffer or stuffing tubes I saw someone in here use a food saver bags to refrigerate sausage meat. So you can grind and mix your meat and then just stuff it into some maybe baggies and that with hold the shape you want too.

 

[rdknb]

sorry to hear about your job loss

 

[jsanders]

I'm doing the same thing. Grinding may own meat and looking for jobs. Think about the uses for bulk sausage...breakfast sausage homemade is great, italian in spaghetti sauce, fatties, pizza, and smoked brat patties or summer sausage is great.

I don't have a stuffer either but I think I may trade for one with a fishing pole soon.

 

[meat hunter]

Sorry to hear about the job loss. Many many people in the same boat thats for sure. I have several extra stuffer tubes for a #10-12 grinder, may fit yours. If you want to, send me a PM with the inside diameter of the collar,(the big threaded nut on the end) that holds the grind plate in place, along with your address and I'll send one to you no charge.

I mean, we can't have you sitting there wanting to make sausage with no means to do so can we

 

[chainsaw]

Good luck with the grinding-not unemployed but 10% reduction in salary so no extras right now. I got a nice GE food processor for Christmas & wondering if it will chop meat well enough for sausage making. johnsonville brats are almost $5.00 a lb!

 

[nomorenicksleft]

PromiseKeeper, I sort of like grinding it myself. I don't even have a butcher's shop nearby, I thought that sort of thing was before my time. Mostly just the big name grocery stores around here.

HogWarden, I've seen pork butt on sale for $1, but with my job loss we canceled the chest freezer we ordered. (With the weather here, they delayed delivery almost a week.) So, I can't really stock up when thing's are on sale.

It'd still be fun to make some italian sausage for pizza and lasagna, but I've got to find some recipes for it that I like.

 

[the dude abides]

That'll make some tasty burgers on the grill. Bummer about the job loss. At least you're not alone. Lots of friggin' people without work right now. Hang in there.

 

[buffalosmoke]

I have a MS Word document with a bunch of Sausage recipes in it. It was given to me about 10 years ago from somebody on the alt.foods.barbecue newsgroup. I got started in sausage making with some of those recipes. If you'd like it...send me a PM with your email and I'll shoot it to ya.

 

[csmith2884]

I would add just patties grilled for sandwiches are great too we make then longer add grilled peppers and onions and a sub roll ...mmm

 

[john3198]

I used to "grind" pork for italian sausage in my food processor before I got my grinder. Not as good control over size of the grind, but it worked.

 

[hog warden]

That's OK. I've got a freezer and I rarely buy more than one or two 5# butts at a time. Small batch sizes that I grind and freeze in the top of the fridge. For us, that's a few months worth. I'll make a fresh batch after that. They keep running those sales all the time. If you are low, get one.....if not...skip it until you run out.