Newbie to ginding/stuffing and need advice

[mabr]

Well you’ve got a newbie looking to start making my own sausage and stuffing some deer sticks etc. I’ve watched and read quite a bit and it doesn’t seem too hard to do once you have all the equipment. But I still have a few questions.

If I buy a cheaper grinder stuffer combo unit (under 100.00) am I going to regret it? My wife and I usually cut up our own deer 4-6 a year. But we want to start experimenting. So we are thinking grinding 2 deer a year at least for the above mentioned items. Will $100.00 unit hold up. Will it cut through the misc tendons and silver skin without clogging? It will be partially frozen. I just put almost 60 lbs of trimmings in the freezer and Its not cleaned up like we do our other cuts. In fact I don’t want to spend the time cleaning it like the other cuts for the simple reason its way to much work when you’re talking about the front shoulders etc etc. Do butchers actually spend the time doing that as well? Or does everything go in and it cuts it up? We currently use this type (front shoulders)of meat for crock pot type meals where we don’t worry about as it still falls apart in the crock pot.

Mixing different types of meat- I know from reading and having some made for me in the past that pork or beef fat is added to most sausages and burger made. I know venison is lean and its needed for taste and holding everything together. But aren’t there some items that can be made without adding these other meats? One of the biggest benefits to me in eating venison is the cost savings. But after having to buy the beef and pork is there any cost savings vs. buying Jimmy Deans at the grocery store?

I think ive found one recipe for deer sticks that doesn’t have any added meat other than deer. Does anyone have good recipes for others?

I know I’ve asked a lot in one thread but please I’m looking for advice.

[reinhard1]

i'm willing to help with giving you some ideas. whats the best way to get a hold of you so i can talk to you personaly? this is my first year on hso so i dont know the right proceedure. good luck.

[mabr]

Hey RH1, shoot me an email at [email protected] and Ill get my phone number to you. Look forward to speaking with you.

[leech~~]

Hey RH1, shoot me an email at [email protected] and Ill get my phone number to you. Look forward to speaking with you.

Thanks mabr, I'll use that too as my PC burnt up after a power surge at home and I lost everyones email that I had. I also lost my cell phone this summer riding my Dual Sport down the road up north and lost everyones phone numbers I had. So, I have not been trying to hide from everyone just couldn't get a hold of anyone sorry! But, back to the subject, does your wife have one of those big Kitchen-ad mixers? If so you can buy a grinder and stuffer attachment for them and grind and stuff sausage with that. I have another buddy that does his deer with them every year. If not, great way for you to get a grinder-stuffer. Buy her a new mixer! Leech~~

[reinhard1]

i sent an email yesterday. if for some reason i screwed up and you did not get it my email is [email protected] good luck.

[KEN W]

Since you try to get as much fat as you can out of the venison....you pretty much have to add beef or pork.I always go 50-50.Pork is cheaper that beef,so I mainly use pork.Front butts boned and ground.then mixed with the venison,seasoned and stuffed.Using a stuffing attachment to a grinder is work.Much tougher to get down into the grinder because you are pushing against the casing on the attachment.Kind of like stuffing ground meat into a balloon.

If you are serious about this.....I would buy a grinder like the ones from Northern Tool and a 5-10 lb stuffer.You will also need a smoker.Do you have one?

I'm sure people here can give you lots of advice.I just finished making 8 sticks of Salami and 10 lbs of copuntry style frying sausage....My kids love it.I have some hind quarter chunks in the smoker right now to slice into paper thin dried venison.Another big hit with my family.

[leech~~]

KEN, how long do you let it sit in the smoker under what temp for your dried Ven?

[mabr]

Thanks for the help RH1. I'll be taking you up on more advice for sure and I look forward to meeting soon.

Steve, Ill send you an email with my phone number again. Looking forward to sledding and fishing again.

[KEN W]

KEN, how long do you let it sit in the smoker under what temp for your dried Ven?

I use the "Sweeter than Sweet" cure from LEM.Cure for 5-6 days.1 hour in the smoker at 120 degrees with no smoke and then smoke at 180 degrees until it reaches internal temp of 160.Let cool and slice paper thin with a meat slicer.I usually put wood in 3 times or so.

Oh I should have added that it is tough to grind with an attachment the second time after mixing the 2 ground meats together.

[leech~~]

Thanks will have to give that a try!

[Coach1310]

Our group has been at it for a few years now and it really is amazing how much stuff you can make and how good it tastes when it all happens in someones garage!! Unless you want to be frustrated, my advice is to have SEPARATE machines for grinding and stuffing. We have a really oldschool(heavy duty....kind of thing they don't make anymore) grinder that works great for grinding all the meat. We also have a couple of hand crank stuffers. One brand new, stainless one and another old school, heavy duty one. The both work, but the new one keeps a tighter vacuum so you don't get as many air pockets in the casing. We mix all of our stuff 50-50. We do polish sausage, snack stix and summer sausage. If you don't mix or have too lean a mix, your sausage will be DRY! Better for you, but dry. From my experience, you are much better off buying some quality equipment that can handle decent amounts of meat at a time than trying to get by cheap...

[mabr]

Well made my very first mix. Went and bought a grinder at Northern T for a good price. Bough a seasoning mix for breakfast sausage, 10 lbs of pork trimmings. Made a half batch 12.5 lbs. Used 10 lbs of venison, and 2lbs of pork to half the seasoning bag. Not bad at all. Think i need to tweak it a litte with more pork but not much.

This is going to be fun.. already looking forward to stuffing something. Thanks for the help folks.

[reinhard1]

glad you got started. always a little tweekin here and there. good luck.

[leech~~]

Well made my very first mix. Went and bought a grinder at Northern T for a good price. Bough a seasoning mix for breakfast sausage, 10 lbs of pork trimmings. Made a half batch 12.5 lbs. Used 10 lbs of venison, and 2lbs of pork to half the seasoning bag. Not bad at all. Think i need to tweak it a litte with more pork but not much.

This is going to be fun.. already looking forward to stuffing something. Thanks for the help folks.

Uuum! Fresh Sausage and Cheese in the ice house this winter sounds Great!