Recommend a sausage stuffer

[Smart]

So what do you recommend in this case. Last thing I want is more PITA. Got plenty on the price of admission to elk country.

The thing about counting on your processor to grind every year is that you are subject to what size they grind at. If they burger grind you are look at making hotdog type sausage with a softer texture. You may like that and that is fine. Many folks do. We like sausage with some texture to it...with a little more chew. Plus...we add spice before we grind to mix everything more evenly. Are you going to add spices after they grind it for you? or are they doing it before the grind? Mixing by hand or machine is another step that pulverizes the meat a little more once its in burger grind size...plus its hard to get it mixed evenly once its already in that same ground burger form without pulverizing it more.



I say all this because I grind and stuff off my grinder and depending on what I am making change the size of my grinds to our preferences. The mixing before your final grind is a big plus for us too. If any of that is something you might want to do in the future, you might consider getting a grinder you can stuff. They equipment will pay for itself with a few deer. Stand alone stuffers aren't cheap so the monetary difference between the two isn't very significant.

[mooch]

LEM's dual gear stuffers work pretty good and make it pretty easy. I'd go minimum of 10 lbs, higher if you do a lot of sausage.

I would NOT recommend using your grinder as a stuffer. That's a huge pain IMO


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[Smart]

LEM's dual gear stuffers work pretty good and make it pretty easy. I'd go minimum of 10 lbs, higher if you do a lot of sausage.

I would NOT recommend using your grinder as a stuffer. That's a huge pain IMO


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I'm guessing maybe you don't have the right grinder for it if stuffing off your grinder is a PITA. It's faster and better for us with no stoppages to refill the can...especially with a pedal......it also keeps a good texture. We did the 15 lbs stuffer for a bit but it stays put up now....plus one less thing to clean up.. We even stuff our 22mm buckstix off of the grinder (see second set of pics).











buckstix

[sendit]

I think the size of the equipment should match the amount of meat you want to process.. You can do 400 lbs of sausage with a #8 hand grinder and a 5lb stuffer but its going to take you awhile.


With only 20lbs of ground meat a simple hand crank 5lb/10lb stuffer will do the trick. Any thing bigger is overkill.

To us it gets down to time management. My wife,myself and daughters can make several hundred pounds of link sausage or snack sticks in a short time using a big #32 electric grinder and a 30lb electric stuffer.

No doubt you can stuff with a grinder but its a slow go compared to a dedicated stuffer.

[Smart]

No doubt you can stuff with a grinder but its a slow go compared to a dedicated stuffer.

using my 1 HP Cabelas grinder we found it to be just the opposite.....but hey to each their own..

[Rubi513]

I am not going to argue with anyone or say my way is the best, but for me the stuffer wins. I don’t have the 1 h.p. Mine is only 3/4 h.p., but I will never try to stuff with my grinder again.
As far as cleaning it takes 5 minutes to clean my stuffer. I will take that all day long over stuffing with “my” grinder.

[Muskles]

I've never processed with Smart, but from comparing our post and process, I think we could meet up and roll this stuff out like Eckrich! I grind mine through the course, chili, plate. Add seasoning and mix. Change my plate to sausage and grind again then remix. If I'm making patty sausage, I stop there and package. If I'm making link, I pull the blades and switch to the stuffing plate and add the horn. We used to try to add the horn to the sausage plate, but it doesn't flow as fast and actually takes much longer than adding the extra grind. I think we could get by without the middle grind, but most of my people like the less course sausage. I use a LEM 1 horse. If you're thinking about doing all your own grinding from now on, I'd buy a LEM or Cabela's 1 horse grinder. You can just use the stuffing plate this year and take over where your processor left off. Next year, you can do it all yourself. Even if you take your animal to the processor, you can just have it cut into tips/stew meat and go from there. It will be cheaper than having it ground. Best of luck!

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[Muskles]

I am not going to argue with anyone or say my way is the best, but for me the stuffer wins. I don’t have the 1 h.p. Mine is only 3/4 h.p., but I will never try to stuff with my grinder again.
As far as cleaning it takes 5 minutes to clean my stuffer. I will take that all day long over stuffing with “my” grinder.

I used to feel the same way about my grinder until I pulled the blades. We used to leave the blades in while trying to stuff, now we pull them and we can't keep up.

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[Rubi513]

I used to feel the same way about my grinder until I pulled the blades. We used to leave the blades in while trying to stuff, now we pull them and we can't keep up.

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I have tried that too...still no comparison.

[Smart]

I used to feel the same way about my grinder until I pulled the blades. We used to leave the blades in while trying to stuff, now we pull them and we can't keep up.

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This man knows!...We pull the blade and the +, then add the mini auger extension for the tube ....It moves **** quick and is why the 15lb stuffer sits on the shelf at my buddies house....


I guess I need to do a video of it moving next year to show the non-believers..

[slicktricker]

The thing about counting on your processor to grind every year is that you are subject to what size they grind at. If they burger grind you are look at making hotdog type sausage with a softer texture. You may like that and that is fine. Many folks do. We like sausage with some texture to it...with a little more chew. Plus...we add spice before we grind to mix everything more evenly. Are you going to add spices after they grind it for you? or are they doing it before the grind? Mixing by hand or machine is another step that pulverizes the meat a little more once its in burger grind size...plus its hard to get it mixed evenly once its already in that same ground burger form without pulverizing it more.



I say all this because I grind and stuff off my grinder and depending on what I am making change the size of my grinds to our preferences. The mixing before your final grind is a big plus for us too. If any of that is something you might want to do in the future, you might consider getting a grinder you can stuff. They equipment will pay for itself with a few deer. Stand alone stuffers aren't cheap so the monetary difference between the two isn't very significant.

Yes will be adding spices myself.
Sounds like I'm way out of my elements already but dang those pics give me motivation to press on.

[Smart]

Yes will be adding spices myself.
Sounds like I'm way out of my elements already but dang those pics give me motivation to press on.

LOL...It's a learning process every time and we've been doing it a lot of years.... Something always throws you a slight curve ball.. Good luck with whatever you choose!

[RaginCagin]

The thing about counting on your processor to grind every year is that you are subject to what size they grind at. If they burger grind you are look at making hotdog type sausage with a softer texture. You may like that and that is fine. Many folks do. We like sausage with some texture to it...with a little more chew. Plus...we add spice before we grind to mix everything more evenly. Are you going to add spices after they grind it for you? or are they doing it before the grind? Mixing by hand or machine is another step that pulverizes the meat a little more once its in burger grind size...plus its hard to get it mixed evenly once its already in that same ground burger form without pulverizing it more.



I say all this because I grind and stuff off my grinder and depending on what I am making change the size of my grinds to our preferences. The mixing before your final grind is a big plus for us too. If any of that is something you might want to do in the future, you might consider getting a grinder you can stuff. They equipment will pay for itself with a few deer. Stand alone stuffers aren't cheap so the monetary difference between the two isn't very significant.

As a processor I ask every customer what size they want their sausage meat ground. I wouldn't think anyone would want fine grind for Sausage but every now and then someone does but mainly for jerky sticks. A fairly course grind is the best for texture. As far as seasoning I like to grind then dissolve seasoning in a little water then mix and let sit in the cooler over night. It's what works best for me and customers like it but its kinda like cooking crawfish or bbq. Everyone has their on technique, none of which are wrong. They all work it's just personal preference.

As far as brands go for stuffers LEM or Cabelas is great for home use and if you want to step it up a notch the Sausage Stuffer Company makes about the best on the market for electric stuffers.

[Slew]

Bumping this up for recommendations! The cabelas grinder as a stuffer makes the meat too fine IMO and looking for a stuffer 15lbs or so we can use. I was spoiled years ago with a knee kick water stuffer that was about $10k but don't have access to that stuff anymore!!


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[Acameron52]

I always thought I was a pretty good sausage stuffer in college....




Wait, never mind.