Just ordered my grinder

[Livin the dream]

After further thought and all your guys advice in my "getting started" thread , I decided to order a grinder. I ordered a Kitchener #12 grinder from northern tool. Lots of good reviews and only $100. Now here's my question. What cuts of beef and pork do I ask my butcher for to grind? Hopefully I'll be up and running soon. Thanks again 

[reinhard1]

For pork I would go with pork butt.  Watch for sales.  For beef I would go with chuck roast.  I use beef all the time to compliment most of my sausage.  Adds flavor.  If 80/20 ground beef is on sale I buy that to add with pork.  With venison I do not use any beef or pork fat.  I use pork butt to add to venison.  You can see my meat usage on my Homemade Sausage page.  good luck.

[Boar]

i agrre with rieny1

[smurfy]

59 minutes ago, Boar said:

i agrre with rieny1

so why did you just text me saying reiny don't know sh!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cooperman]

LTD,

In addition to all the knowledgeable folks on this page, I would suggest you pick up a copy of "Great sausage recipes and meat curing" by Rytek Kutas. It's a great book for all the fundamentals of sausage making.

[bobberineyes]

It's a good grinder for the  $ LTD,  I started going off the directions and cutting the pork small, but ended up running bigger chunks through and it did just fine. .the motor will tell you if it's too fast or too big of chunks. 

Edited March 10, 2016 by bobberineyes

[Livin the dream]

I will check that book out cooperman. Thank you. I've been looking at curleys and ps seasonings trying to get my first orders figured out. I jokingly told the local meat market I was gonna run his outfit outta town when I get my show up and running. Man I can't wait!

[leechlake]

hey Livin heres a little tip and maybe someone can add to it a better way.

Last Fall when I grabbed my grinder almost all the metal parts had oxidized.  I put them in a plastic bag so I don't lose anything and I bet they were a bit wet and it was a mess.  Now I put a little veggie oil on them before I put them away.  

[delcecchi]

probably making sure they are good and dry, or using a cloth bag or a shoebox instead might be good. 

[Cooperman]

I use food grade silicone spray on all my grinder parts for storage.

[delcecchi]

Probably still need to be sure they are dry.....

[reinhard1]

Food grade lubes prevent rust and keeps things lubricated.  We used it all the time on grinder plates and our saw's.  It's important that you spray some on the plate and knife before grinding.  This way your plate and knife last longer.  You can use Pam also for example but it wont prevent rust as well but works.  Not good to run meat through the grinder "dry".  The big commercial grinders I ran at work would have smoke come out of the front of them if not lubed.  We used to do more than just spray the plates.  We put some meat between the knife and the plate and some behind the knife [right in the "worm" as we call it].  This would make sure we didn't have a warm plate to start with.  

 

With the grinders for the home,  you don't have the power like the commercial grinders but it's still important to lube the plate and the knife.  Lot of times I just spray some pam on them and start grinding.  good luck.

[Boar]

14 hours ago, smurfy said:

so why did you just text me saying reiny don't know sh!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your stirring the pot Smurf, and should stay on topic. reb, take care of my light non union duty will you please.pam works good on the horn also for sliding the casing on.

man what did i just say.

[lovebigbluegills]

1 hour ago, Boar said:

Your stirring the pot Smurf, and should stay on topic. reb, take care of my light non union duty will you please.pam works good on the horn also for sliding the casing on.

man what did i just say.

Quit trying to take this thread in the gutter Boar!!!!!

[leechlake]

RH texts me all the time about Boar and Smurfy, it's all good.  We text in German and Swedish in case anyone ever steals our phones so they don't know what we're saying.  The funny stuff is when RH texts me in German and purposely misspells words it makes me think of a German Boar.  That always gets me and then I text RH back in Swedish about leaning on a shovel or driving around doing nothing like I'm in a Swedish Union.  He gets a kick out of that.

 

[pikestabber]

16 hours ago, Livin the dream said:

I've been looking at curleys and ps seasonings trying to get my first orders figured out...

I have heard good things about PS but haven't tried them. I use Curley's almost exclusively if I am buying a mix and not making my own. Their mixes are top notch, and Keith Curley is a fantastic resource if you have any questions. I recommend them heartily.

If you order from them, you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't get this!

Edited March 11, 2016 by pikestabber

[ThunderLund78]

You're on your way now, LTD!  Good thing your wife travels a lot - much like fishing - you will find yourself spending lots of time on it - willingly.  And when you're doing other stuff, you'll find yourself thinking about it and dreaming about when you get to do it next. Strategies, methods, different varieties, and you learn as you go. - Just like fishing.

[reinhard1]

That Curley's Venison bacon makes a good seasoning for summer sausage as well.  I do add mustard seeds and garlic to the batch along with options like high temp cheese and jalapeno's.  good luck.

[leechlake]

49 minutes ago, ThunderLund78 said:

You're on your way now, LTD!  Good thing your wife travels a lot - much like fishing - you will find yourself spending lots of time on it - willingly.  And when you're doing other stuff, you'll find yourself thinking about it and dreaming about when you get to do it next. Strategies, methods, different varieties, and you learn as you go. - Just like fishing.

and just like fishing you figure it out by making mistakes and eliminating "bad water".  If you nail your first thing you make it's either because you followed what RH says or are lucky.

[reinhard1]

I've made plenty of mistakes.  That's how you learn over the years.  Still learning, still trying new ways and recipe's.  I  don't want to be the guy who brings Johnsonville's to the party.  They are good for commercial made brats but nothing like homemade and you will find that out.  I'm also working on a fish sausage recipe.  First I have to catch some fish.  I'm going to use pike, because they taste good and are friendlier to me as far as catching.  Now back to figuring out the next ABT formula with ham.   good luck.

[delcecchi]

Given the time of year it is, I bet suckers would work well and are available or soon will be in basically unlimited quantities. 

[reinhard1]

Good idea Del.  I think a good fish sausage would be good in bulk form as well for patties.  good luck.

[Livin the dream]

Thanks to all that have replied. I never thought about the maintenance side of things.  How about the dishwater? Or just hot soapy water for cleanup?

[ThunderLund78]

AND... Just like fishing, you'll find it's easy to blow a bunch of money on cool stuff!!!  But the basics get you a LONG way with smoking/sausage making.

Don't know if it's wrong or right - but here's what I do when cleaning.  I dissemble the hopper, auger, auger pipe, grinder plate and blade (it should all be easily removable).  I give them each a quick wash with the hottest water I can stand under the faucet or sprayer to get the bigger chunks of residual meat/fat off.  Then either put all pieces in your sink basin or washtub and fill with hot water and dishsoap and just let them soak for a while.  Agitate them gently every now and them without burning yourself.  When the water's cool enough to touch, I give them a detailed scrubbing and rinse under warm running water.  For the stainless parts, you can let air dry in a dish rack, but for the grinder plates, I dry with a towel thoroughly, spray them with a food-safe lube or cooking spray and wrap them tightly in wax paper to store them.  This will keep the rust off.

Finally I'll wipe down the whole unit, especially the switch, with a Clorox wipe or a warm damp kitchen towel and let air dry. Then everything goes back in the box it came in and back into storage.

[smurfy]

9 minutes ago, ThunderLund78 said:

AND... Just like fishing, you'll find it's easy to blow a bunch of money on cool stuff!!!  But the basics get you a LONG way with smoking/sausage making.

Don't know if it's wrong or right - but here's what I do when cleaning.  I dissemble the hopper, auger, auger pipe, grinder plate and blade (it should all be easily removable).  I give them each a quick wash with the hottest water I can stand under the faucet or sprayer to get the bigger chunks of residual meat/fat off.  Then either put all pieces in your sink basin or washtub and fill with hot water and dishsoap and just let them soak for a while.  Agitate them gently every now and them without burning yourself.  When the water's cool enough to touch, I give them a detailed scrubbing and rinse under warm running water.  For the stainless parts, you can let air dry in a dish rack, but for the grinder plates, I dry with a towel thoroughly, spray them with a food-safe lube or cooking spray and wrap them tightly in wax paper to store them.  This will keep the rust off.

Finally I'll wipe down the whole unit, especially the switch, with a Clorox wipe or a warm damp kitchen towel and let air dry. Then everything goes back in the box it came in and back into storage.

really????????? I have a wife to do dishes!!!!!!!!!!! seriously though thunder good stradegy!!!!!!!!!!!