[polarbear]

Last year, I started butchering a lot more of my own deer, so I was thinking of taking the plunge and buying a meat grinder this year. A couple questions...

Any particular brands you recommend?
Any I should stay away from?
How big/small of a meat grinder can I realistically use? (I know this depends on how many deer I shoot, but do the smaller ones really do the job?
How difficult is it to use one to make sausage?

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated as always!!

 

[Bandgetter]

Hobart ALL the way[up].75-1hp is a great size.Its very easy to make your own sausage.Where you located?

 

[polarbear]

Where you located?

Sussex Co.

 

[Bandgetter]

Check on ebay.I have 3 of these grinders.I was VERY lucky to buy two of them at garage sales for $300 each and both are in brand new condition.

 

[dawnpatrol]

i would highly suggest a cabelas grinder...high quality and will last a lifetime. i have a 1 horse commercial fleetwood grinder and i would put my 1- 1/2 horse cabelas up against it or any other grinder all day. if your starting out go for the 3/4 or 1 horse, that 1 horse will handle anything you throw at it and will not break the bank either. good luck man and as far as sausage making goes...find a sausage making book from "sausage maker", and stick to it! consistency is a big for me..i do the same thing everytime so each batch or link comes out the same. you'll figure it out..just gotta practice[up]

 

[catfish hunter]

i would highly suggest a cabelas grinder...high quality and will last a lifetime. i have a 1 horse commercial fleetwood grinder and i would put my 1- 1/2 horse cabelas up against it or any other grinder all day.

I have the same one and it is great ,I can do a whole deer in minutes .I wouldnt buy any other

 

[ub1243jp]

bass pro carries LEM grinders.
or just order from them.
i have used mine for 8 years now, still looks and works like it's brand new.
http://www.lemproducts.com/
i have the 1/3hp. it's plenty big enough. some years i'm running 12 deer through it.

 

[keahunter]

I can't suggest which grinder to use because I've only used the grinder attachment on my kitchen aide mixer but making sausage is easy and fun and the results are outstanding. I have a great recipe for "slim jims" if your interested.

 

[screaming eagle]

I've only used the grinder attachment on my kitchen aide mixer

Same here.[up]

 

[polarbear]

I can't suggest which grinder to use because I've only used the grinder attachment on my kitchen aide mixer

Same here

Does that work well? I have a kitchen aide, and I'd rather use that if it's worthwhile rather than buy a whole new grinder. How much meat do you both typically grind a year?

 

[Thunderbolt]

Check out LEM Products on line! Bigger HPs does more lbs of chop meat per hour with less cleaning the cutting blades.

 

[RednekF350]

I like simple and for a few times a year making breakfast and Italian sausge and venison sausage I have a commercial grade hand grinder.

It's the largest Chop-Rite,a number 32 screw down. Chop Rite is the company that took over Enterprise.
Made in Harleysville, PA.
Enterprise has been making grinders since forever and you will find them in antique and flea markets everywhere and the parts are interchangeable.
It is solid cast iron and weighs about 40 lbs.
Mine will grind everything I need in a very short amount of time with very little effort.
http://www.chop-rite.com/Products.htm

 

[GVS]

I've always used a hand grinder, no issues.