Hunting & Fishing Meat Grinding and Processing

[iShoot17]

Hello everyone!

Seeing all the pictures of big game kills has started to get me pretty excited for the upcoming deer season, but I still have about six weeks before that happens here in PA. The past few years, I have started to butcher my own deer. I find it enjoyable, a time saver, and a way to know exactly what happens to my meat as well as a way for me to get exactly what I want/how I want.

A good friend of mine had originally showed me how to butcher and allowed me to use all of his equipment. I have done that for the past few years, but this year there are a few complications that will probably prevent that from happening. I have decided to just buy my own equipment and figure it is a wise decision in general for future use. But I have a few questions.

The equipment I used with him were:
Cabela's Commercial Grade 3/4 Grinder
6lb Vertical Sausage stuffer
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer (I just bought one of these)

I was going to buy the exact same equipment but figured I would ask you guys if you would suggest other brands/items before I spend my money.

My requirements:
Capable of doing 6-12 whitetail a year.
Possibly a couple porkers
Maybe some other game.


I appreciate y'alls time.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[DirtyDave]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

couldn't help ya, I use a hand-crank grinder, but I'm lucky to get 1 deer a year haha.
My uncle in SD has the cabelas 3/4hp grinder and it works well. Just make sure the grinder has Iron gears not plastic.

 

[bigry26]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

I use the cabelas 1/2hp grinder and use it as a stuffer also. It comes with 4 different sized stuffing tubes. It is a great investment Ryan

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

A good list except the Foodsaver. You do about the volume I do a year (6-7 deer and a 100+ pounds of fish) and I burned up a Foodsaver every 1.5 seasons until I ponied up for a commercial grade sealer. You will destroy the Foodsaver and hate the wait time because it gets hot and must rest. When it dies look at the Cabelas commercial sealer....20 seconds between seals. Also consider the cuber (that thing is great) and meat mixing attachment for the grinder if you do sausage and jerky. I use the grinder as my stuffer also vs a separate stuffer.

 

[5spd]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

I have been using a 40yr old Kitchen Aid large counter mixer w/grinder attachement & sausage tubes to grind up 3 antelope a year for a long while now.
I dont use any vaccum sealers though.

 

[Dusty]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

I have used the cabelas 3/4 hp grinder for about 8 years. I used it too stuff with too, but when I got a Lem vertical stuffer I realized how much time I had been wasting. The cabelas commercial vaccum sealer is a good buy too. I make several hundred pounds of smoked sausage for myself, friends, and family and it has all held up.

There is a eBay store called thesweetattack, they have real good deals on vaccum bags and vaccum sealers, too. The cabelas commercial vaccum sealer is made by another company, and you can sometimes find them cheaper than cabelas.

 

[Dusty]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

You will probably need one of these before it over with.

Be careful or you will be too busy to shoot.

 

[kurt]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dusty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have used the cabelas 3/4 hp grinder for about 8 years. I used it too stuff with too, but when I got a Lem vertical stuffer I realized how much time I had been wasting. The cabelas commercial vaccum sealer is a good buy too. I make several hundred pounds of smoked sausage for myself, friends, and family and it has all held up.

There is a eBay store called thesweetattack, they have real good deals on vaccum bags and vaccum sealers, too. The cabelas commercial vaccum sealer is made by another company, and you can sometimes find them cheaper than cabelas. </div></div>


Yep check out lem for stuff they have quality gear and great seasonings. I recomend their bratwurst seasoning it is tasty. with me my wife and freinds we usally do about 20 plus deer/goats plus lots of duck and goose sausage and products. Making sure having metal gears in the grinder is a must and i would not go below 3/4hp on one

 

[jcfd2201]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dusty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You will probably need one of these before it over with.

Be careful or you will be too busy to shoot. </div></div>

I would like to see more pics and info about your smoke house Dusty!!

 

[deanschmidkunz]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

From my experience with Cabelas and Gander, get a Gander stuffer and a Cabelas grinder.

 

[easternncnative]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

PLEASE....mixture recipes and guidance on how you smoke sausages !!!

Looks like there is summer sausage in the middle.

 

[flounderv2]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

I would love to hear some sausage/summer sausage recipies here. I havent made any but Ive been dying to try it.

I use a Kitchen Aid Pro Mixer with grinder attachment to do mine.

My burger mix consists of the following
60% Venison (make sure to remove all the silver film on the meat)
30% Lean Beef/Burger
10% Thick cut Hickory smoked Bacon (Bulk Pack from Walmart)

Grind all together and add in liquid smoke, garlic, and some pepper.

This makes the best burgers and the meatloaf I make with it is amazing
Meatloaf with above burger.

~3-4lbs venison burger mix from above
3/4 cup finely diced red peppers
3/4 cup finely diced green peppers
1/2-3/4 sleeve of ritz crackers
1/2-3/4 sleeve of wheat crackers
2-3 eggs

Mix all together, amount of crackers, peppers, and eggs can be adjusted based on amount of meat used and your personal taste

Bake meatloaf as usual. When about 25 min from finished. Mix ketchup and brown sugar in a bowl and spread over the top and put back in oven. continue to cook until ketchup darkens and caramelizes some due to brown sugar..

 

[Dusty]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jcfd2201</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dusty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You will probably need one of these before it over with.

Be careful or you will be too busy to shoot. </div></div>

I would like to see more pics and info about your smoke house Dusty!! </div></div>
This is my old one. It is 4'x4' and 8' tall. Fire box is a vertical barrel with a 6 " duct connecting it. I only use it for dry cured bacon and hams. Takes too much wood to get it hot enough to cook sausage.

This is my latest, it was made from an old commercial fridge. Well insulated so I can maintain heat easier. Put an electric element in it and use a PID controller to keep temps where I need them. Not sure how much I can put in there, but I have done 80 lbs at one time.

I am trying to rig me up a mini boiler system so I can steam the sausage after I smoke them, to get them fully cooked.

 

[iShoot17]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

If anyone cares to know.. I went with the Cabela's 3/4 Grinder. I went to Wheeling this past weekend and they had them $50 off..so I picked one up. I also picked up a pedal control for it, but after some quick research at home, I found that I can get the exact same thing without Cabela's on the box for $39.99 instead of the $59.99 that Cabela's charged me.

I have also opted to go with the LEM 5lb sausage stuffer. I believe it will be a good starting point for me and it only comes in at $119.99. As for the FoodSaver, it was a gift so I'll use it until it kicks the bucket!

Any other suggestions on things I should get? Knives? Etc

 

[Fisky]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

You got a good grinder. Now you need a mixer attachment for it. I would put the mixer well above the stuffer on the "needs" list. It really does suck to mix by hand. We stuff out of our 3/4hp Cabelas grinder and it works well. We've done a lot of sausage and sticks with it. And you should have got the stuffer attachments with your grinder.

Are you planning to make "muscle" jerky, ie not ground and formed? If so, get a slicer as well. I got an LEM last year and I can't believe I've lived so long without one.

 

[Dusty]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fisky</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You got a good grinder. Now you need a mixer attachment for it. I would put the mixer well above the stuffer on the "needs" list. It really does suck to mix by hand. We stuff out of our 3/4hp Cabelas grinder and it works well. We've done a lot of sausage and sticks with it. And you should have got the stuffer attachments with your grinder.

Are you planning to make "muscle" jerky, ie not ground and formed? If so, get a slicer as well. I got an LEM last year and I can't believe I've lived so long without one. </div></div>
You are right about mixing by hand, I got a hand mixer from LEM. It works pretty good. You should definately try out a stuffer, I stuffed with my grinder for years and thought it was good. Then I hit a Lem 10lb vertical stuffer. It takes about 1 minute to stuff 10 lbs. 3 minutes, if I twist it into links.

 

[WyoJoe]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: flounderv2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would love to hear some sausage/summer sausage recipies here.</div></div>

Wish granted.

*****************************************
Summer Sausage

Ingredients:

2 lbs. cheap hamburger
1 cup water
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1tsp mustard powder
1 tsp mustard seed
3 tbs Morton’s Tender Quick

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together well.
Roll into 2 or 3 rolls as firmly as possible.
Roll in aluminum foil with the shiny side to the meat.
Let stand in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This is critical.
Punch holes in foil bottom & sides when ready to bake.
Bake @ 325 degrees for 1-1/4 hours.
Cool & re-wrap in aluminum foil.
Store in freezer if it lasts any length of time.



Note:
When preparing summer sausage I like to make it with wild game and in big batches. This recipe multiplies out real well. For instance if you want to make 10 lbs of the sausage just multiply everything by 5 etc. When I make it with wild game I use 2 parts of game meat (minus ALL fat) and 1 part of the cheapest, fattest hamburger that I can find. This combination works real well and gives it a good fat content. Also I go to the butcher shop and get 3 lb sausage casings. This seems to work better than the aluminum foil. Just remember to poke holes in it. If you don’t it can get a little exciting when it builds up steam from cooking. Also when letting it stand in the refrigerator for 24 hours sometimes it is good to thoroughly mix the meat again and let it stand for another 12 - 24 hours.

 

[Sig716]

Re: Meat Grinding and Processing

I went to Gander the other day and bought a grinder and slicer! I already had a foodsaver!

 

[DIBBS]

Resurecting an old post, but I'm looking for advice on a heavy duty meat grinder to be used for ~2 deer a year, and an elk if we ever get lucky. I want one that will not get plugged up, and will do a fine job of grinding meat off the front legs. Maybe incorporates a sausage stuffer as well. Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[DirtyDave]

Build your own grinder that will be powerful and do high volume for cheap
Motorize Your Meat Grinder to Make Delicious Sausage

Hog Sausage