Hunting & Fishing Need to learn about meat grinders...

[steelcomp]

I have about 100# of pork to process and I'm looking at buying n electric meat grinder. I;ve been on EBay, and if I know EBay, almost everything I'm seeing is probably Chinese crap. I see adds for all metal parts, 1100w this, stainless steel that, blah blah. It's impossible to weed through the BS, so I thought I'd hit up my local best source of info on these things. My SH fam...

So here's my criteria:
No plastic junk...something durable.
Electric, pref. 110v, and powerful enough to not choke on a little piece of grissle.
I don't want to spend more than 250.00 if I don't have to, and used is fine, as long as it's in good shape.
I don't mind an import, it just needs to be decent quality.
Will be making sausage primarily, so a stuffing attachment would be nice, but not a deal breaker.
There are a lot of choices on EBay for under 200.00 that LOOK decent, but when I see a name like "Northern Industrial", it makes me think I'm buying from Harbor Freight...

This one is classic; "The Turboforce" but who knows? For 120.00?

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-SPEED-TURBOFORCE-1...564469184115558

Well, anyway, just thought I'd throw this out there and see what anyone has to say. The meat's been in the freezer long enough...it's time to do something with it.
Thanks in nadvance for any help.

 

[Cinch]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

I've been running a Cabelas grinder for several years now. It is a great grinder and I have had no problems with it. Here's another place with excellent quality products.

http://www.lemproducts.com/category/meat-grinder

 

[Rhys]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

Cabelas sometimes has refurbished grinders. A buddy and I went together and bought a 3/4 hp refurb from them about 2 years ago. If I remember right it was about in your price range. They were selling the refurbs for about $100 less than the new ones.

 

[WRM]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

IMO, too big is better than too small. I got a 1.5HP #32 when our OLD 1/3 HP went out (the 1/3 HP motor housing was bigger than the new 1.5), and do not regret that decision. Just have your meat ready....

We also have the meat cuber attachment head and that is way nicer and cleaner than pounding it with a meat hammer. Talk about easy!

(Edited to add) I'm not sure what plate number that one is in your post, but if it's 2.4 HP, it should get the job done?...

Cheers,

Bill

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

aluminum head and auger? with steel blades?

the grinder we use was a recovery from a butcher shop gone south. I forget the name brand (oatey?) but it's just brutal. it's all cast iron or hardened steel, heavy as hell, and it has NO problem with sinew. Most cheaper griders will clog up with the sinew or silver skin. this thing does NOT. I don't clean our meat up at all, just cube it small enough to jab down the pipe and let'r rip.

no such thing as "too big" when looking at a grinder.

We also have a #8 hand crank with a fridge compressor motor attached and it will chew up some meat pretty well too...if you are the least bit industrious and like to tinker, some of the hand crank grinders are better built than the electric models, and they can all be retrofit to a motor if you can build the linkage. ours uses a pair of V-pulleys and the torque needed tweaked at first, but it runs well now. I'll try to get a pic of it as soon as we unpack it. I redtagged a doe 3 weeks ago, and it's all chopped up and in the freezer, i'll grind the meat before feeding it to the jerky extruder.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

My wife has a kitchen aid machine, and my thoughtful mother bought me the meat grinder attachment, it works fantastic!!! it doesn't even slow down with the grissle. Maybe you could buy one for "your wife"

and make sure it comes with the attachment.

 

[Rhys]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

Tried the kitchen aid thing a few years back and burned it up. 3/4 horse is about as small as I'd go. Still goes through 100# in about 10 minutes if you keep it fed.

 

[steelcomp]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

Thanks for all the great responses. After doing a little more reserch, it seems that a #8 would be about minimum...just above kitchen grade...a no. 12 would be better, and still in my price range.
Reconditioned might be a way to go.
I'm still looking...
Thanks again.

 

[ubet]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: coldboremiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My wife has a kitchen aid machine, and my thoughtful mother bought me the meat grinder attachment, it works fantastic!!! it doesn't even slow down with the grissle. Maybe you could buy one for "your wife"

and make sure it comes with the attachment. </div></div>

Searched and came across this thread. I am picking up a lamb today and am gonna process it myself.

I have one of the kitchen aid attachments, I couldnt get it to work. A friend of mine shot a pig, and we thought we would run it through the kitchen aid grinder thing, all it did was clog up. Does the meat have to be frozen or really cold for the Kitchen aid attachment to work?

 

[Tripwire]

Re: Need to learn about meat grinders...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: steelcomp</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> but when I see a name like "Northern Industrial", it makes me think I'm buying from Harbor Freight...

</div></div>

Unwarranted trepidation......

Been using this, for over 10 years now...anywhere between 12 and 25 deer per year depending on who borrows it, a hog a year, and occasionally a beefer.

Worthwhile investment on Good Gear.

On aside, 100 pounds of pig ain't nuthin'.

Can be done in about 2 beers, with a $30 hand crank grinder........