Finished making my first ever sausage

[AtlLaw]

Did up around 15 lbs of venison/pork.  After finally getting the meat ground I made most of it into pattys, cooked and vacuum packed them.  They turned out pretty good. 

The remainder I stuffed into casings and smoked.  While the flavor was okay, the consistency was much like dry liverworst.    I think it was ground to fine as it was almost like a paste going into the casing.   
 
Anyway the biggest problem I had was with the grinder.  It wouldn't grind and hardly stuffed.     It's a little, mostly plastic "Rival" that I bought many years ago.  I have another thread asking for recommendations for a grinder.

I want to do some more, but not 'till I get a decent machine.  Right now I'm leaning toward the Weston Commercial half HP 08 model.  Sure do hate to spend that much money on a guess about the quality though. 

[Bugflipper]

Richard, the brands of grinders I am aware of have went to China. Unless things have changed in the last few years they must not know how to temper steel right, or just use low quality metal to begin with.
 I would recommend a hand crank model. They are built better. A normal fellow at home would be fine with the time it takes to grind, they are pretty efficient. If a fellow had a whole deer to grind up every year, he could just put a belt and electric motor on one. The one I have is made by Enterprise and is over 100 years old. Chop rite bought them out a long time ago but didn't change the design. They still make them in the USA.

[hunt-m-up]

We've had good luck with the LEM products.
http://www.lemproducts.com/category/electric-meat-grinders
 
 

[Empty Quiver]

i use an attachment on my KitchenAide stand mixer. It does a pretty nice job of grinding. I have yet to slug it, I do approach the job with a bit of sense though, it's no Hobart. All told I've probably run 250#s of elk and bear meat through it.
 
I will admit that I have not used the stuffer. I also have decided that 40# batches are about all I have the patience for. I have one of the old hand grinders easily 60yrs old and the KA kicks it's butt in both speed and quality of grind. I decided several years ago it could probably use sharpening and have no idea how or where to have it done.
 
If you have ever looked at the KA stand mixer and wanted an excuse, I would sieze upon the grinder attachment as that excuse.

[Empty Quiver]

Something else to watch for is getting your meat heated while grinding and mixing. I would get the fat chunked approprietly then freeze it. In addition if possible the meat can be a bit crystalized as well. A weak slow grinder might even make matters worse for you here. By hot I'm not talking 80 deg meat. It can mean just the temp at the blade being hot enough to smear the fat rather than cut it nicely. You'll get a consistency like Crisco holding the meat together.
 
If you have not tried this already, do give it a chance.

[mechanic]

I use a hand crank that belonged to grandma.  Very old, and very heavy.  I've seen some like it a flea mkts. for about $20.00 or so.
 
Ben

[GeneRector]

   Howdy! Sure brings back some memories of my childhood! Grandpa had a hand grinder and I remember it was an all day affair to butcher a hog. Usually, my mom and dad would help with a friend or two of Grandpa's. Dang, that was good sausage, bacon, etc.! Grandpa also had his own smokehouse. It's great that you all are making your own deer/hog sausage. Where I live in Texas there are plenty of meat processing facilities close by. Thus, many just take their deer and hogs to these places. The right combination of spices is also important as well. Enjoy!  Always, Gene
 
 

[blind ear]

My brother got a 1hp from Cabellas and we have ground several deer with it includeing mixing bacon and makeing sausage, no stuffed caseings though. We have had no trouble with it . ear

[Dee]

Well that's great Richard but your old buddy still wants a look at that Suzuki.

[AtlLaw]

Soon Dee soon... Trust me!
 
Funny, I was just thinking about you as I was sitting here at the computer.  I'll give you a call after the rush of Kathie's birthday settles down.

[Lloyd Smale]

I do alot of sausage. A good meat grinder is about a nessisity. Ive yet to find one that did a good  job of stuffing though. For that you about need a verticle stuffer. do as much as me and a meat mixer is God sent too.

[Buckskin]

Vertical stuffer is worth the money if you are going to make sausage every year. If you don't have one or don't want to put the money into one, you can pull the blade out and use the largest grinding plate that you have.
 
Another thing to make sure is that you have enough pork fat, not just pork.  You need at least 20% fat and I use 30%  which makes great sausage. Venison has nothing, so even if you add 50%, you are likely short of fat.  I butcher a hog every year and save the fat, especially the fat around the kidneys, that makes the best sausage.  Then add the fat to the meat, weighing it out to the correct %. 
 
Keep everything on the edge of frozen, including your grinding attachments prior to grinding.  This will prevent smearing the fat.
 
I generally grind once with a 1/4" plate add seasoning and then grind again through the 1/4". Going smaller makes the meat to fine.  Depending on the type of sausage sometimes I just grind once.
 
Lots of great information here.
 
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/
 
 

[Lloyd Smale]

buckskin makes a real good point. Pork fat is a NESSESITY!  I dont have pigs so what i do is by pork but from the local butcher. Hes a friend and knows what im doing so makes sure i get fatty pieces and even course grinds it for me and packages it in those red burger tubes they use to hide cheap hamburg and charges me the cheap hamburg price. Making fresh sausage like breakfast or italian sausage or bratts its even more important and in my opinion to make it right you need to use at least 50 percent pork but. Dry sausage is crappy sausage!!

[AtlLaw]

Well, this batch was sure a learning experience!  I was talking to my hunting buddy this morning and told him how the summer sausage turned out.  He agreed with me that the 2 primary things I have to do is get a better grinder and use more pork fat.  He checked Cabella's I think it was and was amazed how expensive grinders were!  I already know... 

Okay.  I've got a whole leg of Bambi in the freezer but before anymore sausage I must get a meat grinder!  Priority #1!    
 

I would recommend a hand crank model. ... he could just put a belt and electric motor on one.

Roger said the one of his coworkers said the same thing!  He said you can just chuck a drill up to the crank and use that.     I got one problem with a hand crank though... how do I crank the grinder, feed it the meat, and hold my beer at the same time!?   
 

I use a hand crank that belonged to grandma.

My daddy had a hand crank model and I remember ginding with it but don't remember what.  Sure wish I had it now...    unfortunately it, and a lot of other great stuff, went with the home place when it sold.   
 
So, I guess I'll just go first class and get a good electric model.
 

We've had good luck with the LEM products.

They were suggested along with Weston in another thread and were the first ones I looked at.  For some reason I liked the Weston but will look at LEM again just to make sure.   
 

My brother got a 1hp from Cabellas ... We have had no trouble with it

I think those are the ones Roger looked at.  Does anyone know who makes them for Cabela's?  The HP question is another factor.  I'm thinking a half HP should be big enough for a couple a deer a year.  Am I off base here?   
 

If you have ever looked at the KA stand mixer and wanted an excuse, I would seize upon the grinder attachment as that excuse.

Well, I do a lot of cooking...  and I always wanted a KA mixer...    In white or stainless, probably stainless.  But I think white looks much more "old kitcheny...     Don't really care for all those other col...    But I digress... 
 
I ought to just go get me one.  A KA mixer that is.     Like you say this is the perfect excuse.     But isn't the grinder attachment kinda small?
 

Where I live in Texas there are plenty of meat processing facilities close by. Thus, many just take their deer and hogs to these places.
 
The right combination of spices is also important as well.

We have plenty of them around here as well.  And they do a good job with cubed, burger, sausage meat and summer sausage as well.  I started using a processor many years ago when I figured my time was more valuable then the cost to process a deer.  That's not really so nowadays and besides, I want to make sausage!   
 
We played around with the spices some when we ground this first batch and you right!  I told Rog I did think we got the black, red & cayenne Pepper about right though.
 

Pork fat is a NESSESITY!  ... buy pork but from the local butcher. ... 50 percent pork but. Dry sausage is crappy sausage!!

This mix was about 50/50 deer/pork butt.  I really think the pork was to lean!     I did go to the local grocery store and ask about beef fat for burger and was told they didn't have any!  I'm going to start looking for real now!     And the worst part about the summer sausage is that it is dry!   
 

make sure is that you have enough pork fat, not just pork. ... then grind again through the 1/4". Going smaller makes the meat to fine.

The little, plastic grinder I have only had one plate and the holes were very small .  When stuffed into the tubes, the meat had the consistency of paste!   
 

A good meat grinder is about a necessity. Ive yet to find one that did a good  job of stuffing though. For that you about need a vertical stuffer. do as much as me and a meat mixer is God sent too.

A dedicated Stuffer?  Mixer?     Darn Lloyd!  how much sausage do you make!?      

[Buckskin]

Since you mentioned burgers.... This is my favorite way for veni burgers.  Grind bacon with your venison, gives it the fat and a nice smokey flavor... Go 30% bacon and you will have some very tasty burgers...

[Empty Quiver]

Yes the KA grinder is a bit small. I cut the meat to strips no larger around than a silver dollar and a .50 piece is a bit smallish. By planning the cuts to be as long as possible it feeds rather quickly though.
 
 You got me thinking with this post. Saturday I thawed two gallon bags of elk meat to grind. From fridge to cleaned up and put away it was right at an hour. That included sizing the meat, assembling, grinding, disassembling, washing, bagging 10 quart freezer bags, and putting it all away.  Believe me when I say I was not hurrying. A guy could likely halve that if he was under pressure.
 
I don't grind at processing time. I have had my fill by the time the boning and all is done. I throw the trim and anything to be ground into those gallon zip lock bags and retrieve them throughout the year and grind them as needed.

[AtlLaw]

Yes the KA grinder is a bit small.

But I really want a KA mixer!   
 

I don't grind at processing time. I have had my fill by the time the boning and all is done. I throw the trim and anything to be ground into those gallon zip lock bags and retrieve them throughout the year and grind them as needed.

When I decided to start processing my own deer again I decided to do the same thing.  I have a freezer full of vacuum sealed bags marked for use!     Just need a good grinder... 

[AtlLaw]

I went to the forum Buckskin gave us the link to and had a look around.  There was an equipment forum and a search for meat grinders turned up a bunch of threads.  There were many recommendations for the Kitchener #12 half HP model.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451267_200451267
 
I'll bet it ain't no Weston or LEM, but lessee here... $100 versus $350...     What y'all think?   
 
They also seem pretty fixed on the idea that grinders ain't for stuffing sausage!  In that light they recomment the 5 lb. vertical stuffer also from No. Tool.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200449319_200449319
 
I'd hate to waste a hundred dollars... heck!  that's almost a week's worth of beer!      But if it will do the job... 

[Buckskin]

You won't be sorry for getting that stuffer. I bought mine from Northern Tool, but it was the 15lber.  I think it was $160 when I got it.

[Lloyd Smale]

I wish i would have opted for the 15 lb unit when i bought mine. I have a 5lb one and it sure would save time using a 15lb unit.

You won't be sorry for getting that stuffer. I bought mine from Northern Tool, but it was the 15lber.  I think it was $160 when I got it.

[AtlLaw]

Okay boys, the stuffer is a given.      I read some more good reviews on the grinder but it sure would make me feel better if I could get a first hand evaluation.      Guess no one here has one huh?   

[Buckskin]

I have a dinky little Oster grinder, for sure ain't no more than a half hp, doesn't say.  Been using it for about 12 years or so and I've been planning on upgrading, but the damn thing keeps working.  It's not the fastest thing in the world but it works fine. I usually don't do more than 10-20lbs at a batch anyway.
 
 
So I'm sure that Kitchener will work just fine and for the price, you won't beat it.  Looks a hell of a lot better than the one I have...

[AtlLaw]

Well, I think I'll give it a shot.      And I'll look at / compare the 5 and 15 pound stuffers.  When guys like those that posted here recommend something a person would be a fool to ignore their advice!   
Do y'all have any idea how many sausage recipes there are out there!?   

[blind ear]

2,613,003.87     Do I win?   ear

[AtlLaw]

2,613,003.8

   I'll bet you're close!!!
I've still got a boned out leg of Bambi left over.  Soon's I get set up again I'm gonna give it another shot!

[Bugflipper]

If you're going to spend $100, why not just get a LEM? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-LEM-Countertop-575-Watt-Electric-Meat-Grinder-1113-/380462235217?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item589550fe51#ht_2441wt_1337