Grinders

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
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3,263
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OC, CA
Do you guys find yourselves using your grinders for anything other than game meat?

We are limited on space, and for me it'd only realistically be 1 deer a year at most. Would it be foolish to consider getting a manual grinder? Or do you guys find that after you've gotten the electric one, you end up using it more and more for other regulars types of meat? Is using a manual one like a big PITA if you think it'll be low usage, such as once a year?
 

Clarkdale17

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
228
Location
WY
Do you guys find yourselves using your grinders for anything other than game meat?

We are limited on space, and for me it'd only realistically be 1 deer a year at most. Would it be foolish to consider getting a manual grinder? Or do you guys find that after you've gotten the electric one, you end up using it more and more for other regulars types of meat? Is using a manual one like a big PITA if you think it'll be low usage, such as once a year?
Can't speak to the electric grinder part but all myself or my family has every owned are manual grinders. Every year during the holiday season we'd grind 50-150# of deer in one day with a manual grinder and make sausage. Definitely doable but makes for a long day.

Two years ago I did a whole elk by myself, but had issues with a Weston #32 hand grinder so I went out and bought a Lem #32, which just chewed up a bearing the other day doing an elk and had aluminum shavings going into the meat because of it. Honestly I wasn't impressed with either of the grinders and for the money paid for them along with the brand name would expect much more. With that being said hand grinders are a viable cheap option for grinding up animals a few times a year. If you can find a good #32 I wouldn't hesitate to go the manual route as long as you don't mind hard work and spending the whole day doing it.
 

Rufus

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
183
I have an older 1hp cabelas ( pre carnivore) and it does really well. Usually 2 or 3 deer per season and has been going for about 10 years. I think the 1hp recommendation that had been already given is sound advice.
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
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690
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Reno, NV
Maybe I am missing something but why not get the steel attachment to the wife's KitchenAid mixer? We ground antelope and it made amazing burgers.
 

Whisky

WKR
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
1,419
Do you guys find yourselves using your grinders for anything other than game meat?

We are limited on space, and for me it'd only realistically be 1 deer a year at most. Would it be foolish to consider getting a manual grinder? Or do you guys find that after you've gotten the electric one, you end up using it more and more for other regulars types of meat? Is using a manual one like a big PITA if you think it'll be low usage, such as once a year?
Here is a refurbished LEM #8 countertop for $100. It would work great for what you describe. I have the same one and use it. Doesn't take up much space for storage, light to move around. They are cheap, but work OK for up to 1 deer/yr.

No experience with a manual grinder, and I currently don't use my grinder except for wild game processing. That said, I get "free" beef from the in-laws that is professionally butchered. IF I didn't have that, I would like to think that I would buy my own chunks of brisket/chuck/sirloin and grind my own beef burger. People claim it's night and day difference, but I've never done it.

 

Tradchef

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Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Messages
975
Location
Willow Creek, Montana
Do you guys find yourselves using your grinders for anything other than game meat?

We are limited on space, and for me it'd only realistically be 1 deer a year at most. Would it be foolish to consider getting a manual grinder? Or do you guys find that after you've gotten the electric one, you end up using it more and more for other regulars types of meat? Is using a manual one like a big PITA if you think it'll be low usage, such as once a year?
Aside from elk, deer and lopes.....I use it for hogs, fish and making the dogs food with the game trim.
I use a 3/4 hp LEM.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
Hrmm... that's a good point... our remaining dog is super little and old and has like 2 teeth. if I get a grinder I could then make food for her at will with our leftovers if we're in a pinch and need to goto store to get another chub of her regular stuff.

EDIT: pulled the trigger on the #8 LEM Refurb. Thx
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 28, 2020
Messages
53
I use a Cabelas Carnivore 3/4 hp. Bought a number of years ago. Just got done grinding up a bunch of musk ox, it did stall on one big frozen piece of shank. One suggestion, if you’re going to stuff your own sausage, invest in a hand crank press, way easier than using the grinder and no casing blow outs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

pirogue

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
1,074
I bought a Cabelas 1 hp #22 Carnivore (with that cold pack sleeve). about 1 1/2 years ago. Ground up an elk as fast as I could feed it, and didn’t need a second grind. Pleased with it.
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
467
Location
NE Pennsylvania
Just remember to change your blades. I have an older Cabelas 1hp #22 that would always gobble up meat as fast as I could feed it. This past December I went to use it and after about 10 minutes it was running warm. I pressed on. Just finished with like 25 pounds and died on me. I had the original manual and the company that supplied them to Cabelas was out of Ohio, same company that originally became Weston. Anyway couldn't get a replacement motor from Weston. I had a local shop rebuild it for $100.

Moral of the story regardless of the size make sure to change or sharpen your blade.
 
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