With all this Covid crap going on it looks like I may be skipping deer camp this year which means that I’ll need to process venison on my own. Can anyone recommend a solid meat grinder/sausage stuffer combo under $300? Thanks!
Ryan
i have my own grinder no stuffer as i usually bring my trimmings in.
but to answer your question, i’ve looked at LEM products, they seem to look like good equipment. not too sure if your buying both you’ll get it for under $300.00 though???
i see your from new richmond WI, happen to know a Gerald Backus??????
but to answer your question, i’ve looked at LEM products, they seem to look like good equipment. not too sure if your buying both you’ll get it for under $300.00 though???
It looks like some units both grind and stuff.
I’ve been keeping my eye on the LEM big bite 8#. I believe it is going to be on sale at Scheels over the weekend. I have used a grinder that was cheap for 10+ years and over 50 deer and last year my buddy brought his. So much quieter and faster I have just decided its time to upgrade. Most do have attachments to the grinder but a stuffer does a better job at getting air out etc. and I think you get a higher quality product. I’m probably going to get both this year but will not make that for under 300. I wouldn’t be afraid of waiting to black friday either since you can de-bone a deer and freeze the meat that way prior to processing and grinding.
LEM are good products, Ive got quite a few of their items.
They say you can use a grinder as a stuffer but it would take for ever to push the meat through with the plunger. You can get a 5lb stuffer for under 200 bucks you would be much better off. If its something your gonna use a lot in the future i would get as good of stuff as you can it makes life alot easier. Cheap grinders are a pain in the butt.
Never use a grinder to stuff!!!!
Unless the grinder is the motor(only) for the stuffer!
My stuffer is lem, so is grinder.
My mixer I am not sure on brand.
Never use a grinder to stuff!!!!
Unless the grinder is the motor(only) for the stuffer!
My stuffer is lem, so is grinder.
My mixer I am not sure on brand.
Why do they promote their units as both a grinder and stuffer?
You can do it with just the auger and no blade. It sucks and you get a bunch of air plus if you use hi temp cheese it gets all mushed from running through again.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
Never use a grinder to stuff!!!!Unless the grinder is the motor(only) for the stuffer!
My stuffer is lem, so is grinder.
My mixer I am not sure on brand.
Why do they promote their units as both a grinder and stuffer?
I figure same reason they sell DI units…. more money 😁
Go ahead and get one, you’ll be buying a dedicated stuffer next year I guarantee it
If you’re doing a deer or two, the LEM BIG bite #8 will work fine for both uses. He grinder will come with a kidney plate, 3 large kidney shaped holes. Grind your meat as you need it. Mix in the seasonings/cure and use bottled water if you need to reduce the thickness of the ground meat. Pick up some stainless steel flat washers, 5/16″, and stack four on the end of the auger before placing the kidney plate on the auger, then tighten the ring in place with the appropriate stuffing tube. DO NOT PUT THE KNIFE ON THE AUGER. Now you can stuff without further reducing the texture of the meat.
When you clean up just be certain to wash and save those washers for the next time. You’ll be fine.
Optimally a stuffer is preferred but not an absolute necessity. For doing a couple deer’s worth of stuffing the 5 pound can model is fine. If you do five or six deer the 11 pound model will move things along better but other than speed offers no advantage over the five pound model.
It really depends on what size of casings you are trying to stuff. A grinder will stuff a summer sausage or ring bologna size but anything smaller forget it. As others have said buy a small solo stuffer it makes it much easier. No matter what you buy as you become more experienced you will want different equipment. Good luck!
I have to agree with Tom,the LEM #8 big bite is a great grinder and will stuff ok.Those small table top #5 grinders will do a deer in a reasonable amount of time and a 5# hand crank stuffer might be a good route to go,and keep you right around 300$.
If you see yourself doing your processing from now on,buy once,cry once,The Big bite #8 and the 11# Ultimate stuffer are what I use and highly recomend.For sausage making I would put more $$ into the stuffer vs grinder.
I just finished grinding, mixing, and stuffing 50 pounds of pork into breakfast sausage. I used all LEM 32 big bite for the first time and I will say this, Should have been invested in along time ago. We started at 7 and the finished product was in the freezer by 8:30. We used the stuffer to fill the 1# chubbs. The mixer hooks to the grinder motor. I would suggest adding a foot switch to the set up as well.
i have my own grinder no stuffer as i usually bring my trimmings in.
but to answer your question, i’ve looked at LEM products, they seem to look like good equipment. not too sure if your buying both you’ll get it for under $300.00 though???
i see your from new richmond WI, happen to know a Gerald Backus??????
Sorry, Glenn I just re read the last part of your post. I’ve lived here for around 15 now, but have not crossed paths with Gerald.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
i have my own grinder no stuffer as i usually bring my trimmings in.but to answer your question, i’ve looked at LEM products, they seem to look like good equipment. not too sure if your buying both you’ll get it for under $300.00 though???
i see your from new richmond WI, happen to know a Gerald Backus??????
Sorry, Glenn I just re read the last part of your post. I’ve lived here for around 15 now, but have not crossed paths with Gerald.
no bigggy, as i added that after my original post. only been to his place once, e is now my step dad. he has property that borders the apple river.
I had a LEM #5 and #8 grinder. They both worked ok but needed small pieces of meat and seemed to struggle with pork fat or deer grissle.(dont know how to spell that) My women bought me the #22 1hp model I think it says mighty bite on it. If your gonna do this yearly i would save up a little while and go big right away. It took me about 10 minutes to grind about 45lbs of venison and could have been alot quicker but I didnt even use the plunger and had mandatory beer breaks.
Been grinding with a cheap Northern Tool electric meat grinder for years . Like 70 dollars or so back then . Bought a LEM 5 lb stuffer for 140 dollars works great .
If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer you can get grinder and stuffer attachments that work fine for a small amount of processing. Anything above a deer or two and you might be better off getting dedicated units.
My big bite #8 chows pork fat right up, no sweat. I can grind 25 pound batches of venison or venison/pork blend in about 10 minutes, less if grinding coarse.
I’ve stuffed literally hundreds of pounds of bratwurst, hotdogs, polish sausage, summer sausage, breakfast sausage and sticks right off the grinder using the stuffing tubes that came with it without any problems, but finally went to a stuffer a few years ago. Small batches of meat and slow down and you can do it all using the grinder unless you get into the 22 and 32 size suckers, which for two deer is simply overkill.
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