Northern Tool Huntrite Stuffer?

[ericksaint]

So I tried my first batch of sticks this weekend with a DIY stuffer gun. They turned out great, in my opinion, but there was a lot of fiddling around. I made 3 "magazines" tubes for meat but still had to change and restuff, 5 pound batch took about 4.5ish tubes.

This got me looking into 5 pound stuffers. It looks like Northern Tool clearanced then discontinued all their Kitchener stuffers, though I still found them on Amazon. They have replaced the 5 LB one with a brand called Huntrite. Anybody use this one yet? It's got no reviews because it's new, But I can get it for 69 bucks with a coupon code, and I think they offer free shipping to the store.

Even if they charge for shipping it still might be cheaper than anything out there.

Looks like it checks all the boxes that others do with steel gears, stuffing tube sizes etc.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_food-processing+stuffers

 

[ericksaint]

I had these pics on my phone so I decided to make another post with some pics.

My DIY stuffer.


Stuffed collagen casings.

Finished product.

So while this all turned out well, there was one hiccup I'm going to make another thread about. I really think before I do another batch bigger than a couple pound recipe test, I want some type of crank stuffer.

 

[pops6927]

I purchased the NT stuffer, 15 lb., under another name, but still the same stuffer. At that time the 5 lb. unit had plastic gears with several problems, so I avoided it. I LOVE the 15 lb. stuffer! It is difficult to put actually 15 lbs. in it, more like 12 or 13 as the piston takes up room. But, even 1 lb. it is easy to stuff right to the bottom, and I even have a set of dowels I use to push out the product into the casing once removing the tube from the stuffer to maximize the yield (just took the tubes to Home Depot and matched up slightly smaller wooden dowels to the tubes, cut them off to about twice the length of the tubes). I'd recommend the 15 lb. over the 5 lb. simply because you have the potential for larger batches of sausages (don't worry, as your skill grows, so does the number of people wanting your sausages!). I've done 50 lb. or more batches of brats, polish, fresh Italian, Hot, Sweet, and on and on dozens of times, all the while thanking my lucky stars I'd bought the bigger one! And NT has THE BEST prices, too! I've had mine for several years.

I bought some cheap C-Clamps to hold it down to my portable cart (what everything is sitting on). You can see the dowels in front, too.

 

[daveomak]

I've "heard", anything larger than a 5# stuffer is not compatible for making sticks... The larger diameter piston takes WAY too much applied force, to push the meat through the stuffing tube, when stuffing sticks...

 

[gearloose]

I've "heard", anything larger than a 5# stuffer is not compatible for making sticks... The larger diameter piston takes WAY too much applied force, to push the meat through the stuffing tube, when stuffing sticks...

Pretty much true. I bought one of the last 15# Kitcheners from Northern a few months ago when they had it at a super low price. ($129.00) It's identical to the LEM model 607. I bought a set of LEM stainless steel stuffing tubes for it. The smallest tube in the set is 5/8" dia. I've used it, and the effort required to push the meat through it is right at the upper limit of what I can do. I also had to jam the cart it's bolted to up against a kitchen counter. The wheel brakes on the cart were not up to the task. LEM states that attempting to use a 1/2" or smaller stuffing tube with their model 607 can result in things breaking. I've had a TSM 5# stuffer for years. I'll be keeping it for the smaller diameter sausages like snack sticks & breakfast links, and just the small jobs so I don't need to haul out the beast. (15#'r)

 

[dward51]

I would not doubt stuffing smaller sticks in the 15lb and larger would be a pain. I don't recall if it was here or in another forum, but I've seen photos of the white plunger that actually split from the back pressure.

As to the Huntrite, it looks to be identical to pretty much all the 5lb stuffers out there. With the exception of the newest model LEM 5 lb stuffer that has enclosed gears, it appears the older style LEM, Kitchener, Huntrite, Grizley, Gander Mountain, Cabela's, Sportsman's Guide,etc... basically came off the same assembly line and get different stickers. Also it is my understanding that the ones with white nylon gears can be upgraded to the black steel gears, but you have to change out both the gear set and the threaded rod. I cannot confirm this though. I'm still using my Kitchener with the nylon gears and I stuff sticks in both a 3/8" LEM and 9mm eBay tube all the time (although the 9mm tube does produce more back pressure).

I'm tempted to buy the Huntrite just to get the black steel gears as all my Kitchener stuffer accessories will fit the 1 9/16" tube base on that one as well. It used to be a steel gear stuffer could not be found for under $100 even on sale with extra discount coupons.

 

[ericksaint]

Man, I haven't been getting email notifications from this post. Thanks for the tips. I wouldn't have had any clue that using the bigger stuffer for sticks would cause a problem. I'll probably pick up the new NT one before my next batch.