sausage making questions/tips

20stone · December 2017

lkapigian said:

#12 Big Bite and 20# Motorized Stuffer ...takes up some space

I hate coming in 2nd place in a d&*k measuring contest (3rd after Mike gets his #12).

CTMike · December 2017

20stone said:

lkapigian said:

#12 Big Bite and 20# Motorized Stuffer ...takes up some space

I hate coming in 2nd place in a d&*k measuring contest (3rd after Mike gets his #12).

I won't be buying anything until after the holidays, so you're still the first loser (for now).

I am also looking at the 15# manual stuffer and 25# tilt mixer. The motorized stuffer is a budget killer.

westernbbq · December 2017

LEM #12. Its the smallest of the bigs and can handle pretty much everything i throw at it. I use it for making hamburger from brisky and short rib meat, and for grinding pork shoulder into sausage

Started with kitchen aid attachment but spent more time unwinding the sinew from the blade than actually grinding meat. LeM goes right through it. It also accepts all attachments... mixer, patty maker, jerky attach, juicer etc that lem makes and the big bite design makes a big difference when grinding , esp large batches.....

The ha rbor freight model costs a lot less and from what ive seen here it looks like a good value

If you are running major production get the biggest lem model , i grind meatb5x a year max and when i do, its significant amount as in 20 lbs at a time minimum....

20stone · December 2017

westernbbq said:

LEM #12.

Now I've got the bronze medal until Mike pulls the trigger at Christmas, and then off the podium. I may need one of those Swedish pump thingies.

westernbbq · December 2017

20stone said:

westernbbq said:

LEM #12.

Now I've got the bronze medal until Mike pulls the trigger at Christmas, and then off the podium. I may need one of those Swedish pump thingies.

The size of the pen doesnt matter...its how you sign your name!

CarolinaQ · December 2017

lkapigian said:

@CanadianAnvil @Carolina Q are your casings dry packed in salt or a salt brine? Dry packed can benefit from a very long soak , the ones I get are in a brine. I may flush and soak an hour or so...these things last forever so don't think its a shelf life issue ( unless you've had them forever) mine never see direct heat, o,my indirect , cook to an IT 155 to 160 and they pop just fine...

Yes mine are dry packed and my understanding was the same as yours, as long as they stay packed in salt and refrigerated they should last forever. My last batch I probably only soaked the casings for about 30-40 minutes. I'll try an overnight soak with a few good rinses and report back. Thanks for the info.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · December 2017

20stone said:

westernbbq said:

LEM #12.

Now I've got the bronze medal until Mike pulls the trigger at Christmas, and then off the podium. I may need one of those Swedish pump thingies.

Looks like you brought breakfast links to a Kielbasa contest

kl8ton · December 2017

CanadianAnvil · December 2017

I've found that a Hank will do about 100lbs.

CanadianAnvil · December 2017

I have a #8 and am very happy with it. I think that if I had a 12 or a 22 I would still cube up about the same size as I do now as when I'm boning out or trimming up cuts it just works out that way.
I may change my mind if I was butchering on alot more often bases then the three market hogs I did this year or if I was doing a moose or something like that.

Steve

caliking · December 2017

Holy Mother of God. I just noticed your sig now includes a dishwasher.

I'm so jelly that I'm pissed.

20stone · December 2017

My girl is a trigger puller. I heard they have two so you can still make it happen. There was a conspiracy afoot, and I hadn’t even dropped any hints.

Elijah · December 2017

I had a friend that bought the LEM #32. He made two hogs into nothing but sausage a year. It ground the meat way faster than I could even get it in. Way overkill for what he was doing.

CanadianAnvil · December 2017

It would be, (I do have grinder envy though). A 12 I think is the best. I've never ran out of power with my 8 but I have left some stuff big enough that I had to push it down the neck till it grabbed it. But I really feel that if I had a bigger grinder I would leave trimmings even bigger and be right back to pushing it down the neck.
I looked at a 22 the last time I was in Cabela's and it had a neck bigger than my fist, it looked like you could drop a whole pork loin in the top.

20stone · December 2017

Elijah said:

I had a friend that bought the LEM #32. He made two hogs into nothing but sausage a year. It ground the meat way faster than I could even get it in. Way overkill for what he was doing.

Did he even take the bones out?

With all these #xx grinders in use, I feel like an F1 driver, driving for Haas... just trying to scratch out a finish in the points (in the proverbial d$%$ measuring contest).

In my baby grinder's defense (a LEM #8), it did mow through >160 lbs of sausage over the last several days.

lkapigian · December 2017

20stone said:

Elijah said:

I had a friend that bought the LEM #32. He made two hogs into nothing but sausage a year. It ground the meat way faster than I could even get it in. Way overkill for what he was doing.

Did he even take the bones out?

With all these #xx grinders in use, I feel like an F1 driver, driving for Haas... just trying to scratch out a finish in the points (in the proverbial d$%$ measuring contest).

In my baby grinder's defense (a LEM #8), it did mow through >160 lbs of sausage over the last several days.

I ground an awful lot of meat with my Harbor Freight Grinder with 0 issues...and I see guys cranking out massive amounts with a hand grinder- The #8 LEM is a very nice grinder

20stone · December 2017

lkapigian said:

20stone said:

Elijah said:

I had a friend that bought the LEM #32. He made two hogs into nothing but sausage a year. It ground the meat way faster than I could even get it in. Way overkill for what he was doing.

Did he even take the bones out?

With all these #xx grinders in use, I feel like an F1 driver, driving for Haas... just trying to scratch out a finish in the points (in the proverbial d$%$ measuring contest).

In my baby grinder's defense (a LEM #8), it did mow through >160 lbs of sausage over the last several days.

I ground an awful lot of meat with my Harbor Freight Grinder with 0 issues...and I see guys cranking out massive amounts with a hand grinder- The #8 LEM is a very nice grinder

We banged out a lot with a KA grinder attachment, but the KA started making funny sounds (so much so that @20stonespice recently replaced it.

I am going to replace (or have replaced) the gears and give it to one of our kids.

CTMike · December 2017

20stone said:

Elijah said:

I had a friend that bought the LEM #32. He made two hogs into nothing but sausage a year. It ground the meat way faster than I could even get it in. Way overkill for what he was doing.

Did he even take the bones out?

With all these #xx grinders in use, I feel like an F1 driver, driving for Haas... just trying to scratch out a finish in the points (in the proverbial d$%$ measuring contest).

In my baby grinder's defense (a LEM #8), it did mow through >160 lbs of sausage over the last several days.

I am sure the #8 would be just fine for me, but I usually go one step up to help prevent buyers' remorse.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · December 2017

kl8ton said:

This is what it felt like at times

Miked125 · December 2017

Thanks everyone for the help! The sausage turned out pretty good and some definite lessons learned. I was mostly doing it myself and found stuffing the sausage the most difficult part. I was using the attachment that came with the grinder I bought, it worked okay. I think a sausage gun might be easier to use myself in the future.

lkapigian · December 2017

Miked125 said:

Thanks everyone for the help! The sausage turned out pretty good and some definite lessons learned. I was mostly doing it myself and found stuffing the sausage the most difficult part. I was using the attachment that came with the grinder I bought, it worked okay. I think a sausage gun might be easier to use myself in the future.

Awesome @Miked125 like to see your results...IMO you will like a Manual Stuffer VS a Gun. You can get into one @ a reasonable cost

20stone · December 2017

lkapigian said:
...IMO you will like a Manual Stuffer VS a Gun. You can get into one @ a reasonable cost

+1 on getting the manual stuffer

Miked125 · December 2017

20stone said:

lkapigian said:
...IMO you will like a Manual Stuffer VS a Gun. You can get into one @ a reasonable cost

+1 on getting the manual stuffer

Thanks, will look into it! Any recommendations?

20stone · December 2017

LEM makes nice stuff, though I have this one:
http://www.alliedkenco.com/stuffer-crank-15lb.aspx (@20stonespice liked how beefy it its)

A 15 lb stuffer takes up a little more space than a 5 lb, but makes doing bigger batches much easier. Like with most butchery related stuff, ease of cleaning is a key design element to check in reviews.

I have not tried an electric one (cranks with a foot pedal), but haven't seen the need since sausage making is a group effort in the Graj Mahal.

gmac · December 2017

Miked125 said:

Thanks everyone for the help! The sausage turned out pretty good and some definite lessons learned. I was mostly doing it myself and found stuffing the sausage the most difficult part. I was using the attachment that came with the grinder I bought, it worked okay. I think a sausage gun might be easier to use myself in the future.

Go to Princess Auto and get a manual. I went through a couple different ones and it was the best/easiest for the price.
And you can trust me because this is what I'm drinking as I type this.

westernbbq · December 2017

gmac said:

Miked125 said:

Thanks everyone for the help! The sausage turned out pretty good and some definite lessons learned. I was mostly doing it myself and found stuffing the sausage the most difficult part. I was using the attachment that came with the grinder I bought, it worked okay. I think a sausage gun might be easier to use myself in the future.

Go to Princess Auto and get a manual. I went through a couple different ones and it was the best/easiest for the price.
And you can trust me because this is what I'm drinking as I type this.

Piston driven cannister stuffer works best for me....ive tried others and the old school hand crank has been easiest for me to use

mlc2013 · February 2018

sorry to jump/Hijack your thread @Miked125 , I to am starting to make my own sausage as well, and was borrowing a friends machine, but im in the market for my own; looks like I've narrowed down the grinder to the LEM #8 .5hp model 1779 and the Cabelas Carnivore Commercial Grade .75hp model IK-541553. Im thinking of the Lem mighty Bite 5lb model 1606SS,no others I saw does anyone have any recommendations. As for Vacuum Sealers I have it narrowed down to LEM Maxvac Pro+ Chamber model 1250 or the VacMaster VP215. Does anyone own these that can recommend or discourage, and does anyone have any other recommendations.

danguba78 · February 2018

mlc2013 said:

the LEM #8 .5hp model 1779

I have this one. I've been very pleased with it (although it's my first grinder and I have no basis of comparison). In fact, I ran 23 pounds of pork butt through it this morning (upcoming sausage party), and it went through it all like a dream.

sausage making questions/tips

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