What grinder?

[MuleyFever]

My wife and I are in position to harvest a couple deer and an elk this year and I would like to start grinding my own burger. I want to buy a grinder but don't want to spend too much. Wondering what you are using and what HP I would need at min?

 

[weaver]

Cabelas commercial grade.

 

[realunlucky]

Bigger models have larger throat so less prep work, they also have attachments. I have a smaller unit made by Sony it's been great and has never over heated even when grinding multiple animals. You can clog the screen since the diameter is smaller. Keep saying I'll get a bigger one when the Sony dies but its 9 years old and still trouble free. Larger units are faster and better long term investment since parts are replaceable

 

[Shrek]

Might check with a used commercial restaurant equipment company or two. A friend got a used Hobart that is the bomb. He did have to wire a special plug though , I think it was a 220 .

 

[Hunt'nFish]

On the bottom end, I've been using a grinder attachment for an Oster kitchen center for over 30yrs.
Thousands & thousands of pounds of trim have gone through it.
I keep looking at the Cabela's 1/2hp & 3/4hp but can never seem to bring myself to lay out the $500 for one when what I got seems to keep doing the job, albeit slowly.
Hunt'nFish

 

[CentennialELK]

I have a 1/4hp #8 LEM that can grind an elk an hour for home use and sausage making. You need to figure out how often you plan on using it and how many pounds of meat you plan to grind. I paid about $450 or so for mine and then purchased a sausage stuffer separately. If you are only doing a couple animals a year it is plenty of machine. If you are going to do all of your game and half the block you live on, you may want to go to 1/3 or 1/2 hp. Anything bigger than that is for commercial processors.

 

[mtswampfox]

I have a 1/4hp #8 LEM that can grind an elk an hour for home use and sausage making. You need to figure out how often you plan on using it and how many pounds of meat you plan to grind. I paid about $450 or so for mine and then purchased a sausage stuffer separately. If you are only doing a couple animals a year it is plenty of machine. If you are going to do all of your game and half the block you live on, you may want to go to 1/3 or 1/2 hp. Anything bigger than that is for commercial processors.

check these people out for all of your game processing needs
http://www.lemproducts.com

 

[JG358]

I have a LEM #22(1HP), Great grinder but probably a bit overkill. I'd get the #8 or #12 if I ever have to replace it.

 

[MuleyFever]

Anyone have experience with the Kitchenaid grinder attachment. My wife would like the mixer so it sounds like a good option but I have no experience with them.

 

[idcuda]

I have an STX 3000 that I got on Amazon. It is very inexpensive and it works great. Read the reviews, then get one. You won't be disappointed.

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

I bought the Cabela's 3/4 hp and it's incredible. It grinds meat faster then you can fill it. Yeah they are expensive, but I had my last one for 15 years before it died. That's alot of deer and elk processing fees. Well worth the investment if you're going to do your own meat processing.

 

[muleman]

Anyone have experience with the Kitchenaid grinder attachment. My wife would like the mixer so it sounds like a good option but I have no experience with them.

Used one to grind green tomatoes for green tomato jam. Sold it shortly after. Not up to par with a real grinder.

I'm kinda spoiled though, as I rent processing equipment, cooler and freezer space from a game processor's widow. With a real commercial grinder I can do 70# with two passes through fine plates in about 10 minutes. I would suggest getting the biggest hopper and most horse power you can afford.

My buddy tells me with his Cabelas grinder, he has to partially freeze the meat to get a good grind. Not sure of the exact model # but it is in the high middle of the product line.

 

[NEhunter]

I bought the Cabela's 3/4 hp and it's incredible. It grinds meat faster then you can fill it. Yeah they are expensive, but I had my last one for 15 years before it died. That's alot of deer and elk processing fees. Well worth the investment if you're going to do your own meat processing.

Yep. I bought the cabelas 3/4 hp on sale 2 years ago and IMO this thing is awesome.

 

[airlocksniffer]

I used the one they sell at Costco last year (Oster?). Kind of a small throat but worked fine for my elk. And since it's Costco, you can take it back if it sucks. I think it was about $80 and comes with a few different sized grind plates and sausage attachments.

 

[rodney482]

LEM for me

 

[Roy68]

Stay away from the kitchen aid or anything like it. Nothing against kitchen aid (wife owns one & the grinder attachment), but it's not the right tool for meat processing. I have the Cabelas #22 1HP. It paid for itself after the 2nd season of use. I've owned it for 5 years now, and it has a minimum of 45 - 50 deer through it now, not counting other game processing work. Beyond burger we make our own sausage and brauts, and use the grinder for all the stuffing work. In the summer we usually grind a pork as well. I and my wife don't regret the purchase at all. We had a 5HP Hobart prior to this and it was just to massive for a home/family use.

We learned early on that if the meat is to warm (above 40F) and the cuts are small then it will not feed very well at all and mushes the meat through the plate versus grinding it. We don't freeze but do "soft freeze" our meat before grinding. This alleviates feeding issues.

I would seriously look at the LEM products as well. Their "BIG BITE" screw interests me, and I believe they make quality products for the home user. Their customer service is good as well when I've spoken to them.

If you buy one, regardless of brand, make sure you buy a foot switch as well if you will be processing lots. The switch increases efficiency and alleviates one from having to constantly turn the grinder switch on and off. Not to mention when you are stuffing casing the foot switch is a must have. Also I suggest that you have a dedicated plate/knife set for each plate size. The knives and plates wear into each other, and imo a dedicated set will minimize wear on the knife when swapping plates.

 

[MuleyFever]

So in the past when I took my meat in I had it mixed with beef fat. Are you guys doing this or just straight venison? If you are mixing beef fat what is your process for getting an even mix? Also, do you grind more than once?

I will look at the LEM for sure. I have seen them either at Sportsmans or CAL if I remember right. I will also look at the STX on Amazon and the Cabelas grinders. Thanks.

 

[muleman]

So in the past when I took my meat in I had it mixed with beef fat. Are you guys doing this or just straight venison? If you are mixing beef fat what is your process for getting an even mix? Also, do you grind more than once?

I do straight venison. Then I can add whatever I want at the time of cooking. Usually I don't add anything other that olive oil, minced onions, garlic and seasoning when browning. After reading about it on here, I'm going to add bacon to some of the burger this year.

I like to run it through twice through a small plate. Makes for a nice uniform burger.

 

[Roy68]

It varies for us. Straight burger, if the meat is clean w/o lots of sinew and the like I will grind once through the plate of choice. However if I don't like the consistency then I will size up and grind twice. If I'm adding fat when making sausage then there will be a second grind.

That process would be like this:
* coarse grind venison
* coarse grind pork
* mix pork and venison by weight ratio with seasoning (we use a hand crank tub mixer from LEM)
* finish grind (2nd grind) and stuff sausage casing at the same time

As far as grinding venison or adding fat is personal preference and taste. As far as my family goes we do not add fat to our burger. If grilling venison burgers I will add 1 beaten egg per pound of burger and then make my party's. This will hold the burger together, not effect flavor or fat content.

If you are going to add fat; It's a trial and error thing and like I said a personal preference. In the past I've trimmed and kept the "WHITE FAT" from the animal to add back. I've used pork fat, and beef fat as well. I suppose if you want to source fat you can from a local meat counter or locker you, but I would just buy an untrimmed briscket, shoulder, or butt and trim it and use the fat and save the meat for something else.

You have to be mindful with pork fat as it will go rancid even when frozen. It still tastes fine but you will notice a change in flavor. So if you are going to make several pounds of ground meat and add pork fat you may want to consider your consumption rate. I have 3 boys so we don't have issues in our house.

I mentioned using a scale as well. Don't waste money on a cheap small scale. You will go mad working in 10# lots, I did. We now have a big digital scale from LEM.

 

[JG358]

So in the past when I took my meat in I had it mixed with beef fat. Are you guys doing this or just straight venison? If you are mixing beef fat what is your process for getting an even mix? Also, do you grind more than once?

I will look at the LEM for sure. I have seen them either at Sportsmans or CAL if I remember right. I will also look at the STX on Amazon and the Cabelas grinders. Thanks.

I do straight venison, double ground. When I want something with beef fat in it, I butcher a cow.