Sausage equipment?

Today, I ordered a Hakka sausage stuffer. Next item up is a meat mixer. Looking at the Chard 20# model. Anyone use one of these? I am also looking at a smaller grinder. We have a Kitchenaid with the grinder attachment, but have never used it. Looked at a Weston #5, and a Nesco FG-180 500 watt. I'm not planning on becoming a professional butcher anytime soon so I don't need something that grinds 10#/minute or anything. Also looking for cheapest place to get spices/casings and good recipes, of course!

If you have a kitchenaid mixer with the grinder attachment just use it. I do. I grind the meat into the mixer bowl and use the mixer to stir in whatever needs mixed.

Well, that just sounds too easy! Might try that first, lol.

Be sure you tighten the grinder where it holds the plate against the knives pretty dang snug, I run it one notch below full speed while grinding. You can do about 6-7lb batches. It's not the fastest but works very well.

We buy all our casings, seasonings and other products for sausage from PS Seasonings

https://www.psseasoning.com/

Chris

Buy the 5 lb stuffer it will make life so much easier. I need a 10 or 15 lb stuffer but i do 30 lbs and up at a time

Hi mountain has some good kits so does lem

I bought the 7# stuffer. I'm guessing, it will realistically handle about 5#/load.

I use my jerky cannon to stuff cases. I had a stuffer but it wasn't much if any faster for me.

Yeah, but you are built like a gorilla and I'm built more like Barney Fife. I'm gonna need the mechanical advantage!

Jayme makes muskrat sausage bones and all!

Chris

Lay down your purse and use two hands. LOL



Trappers at the conventions love that stuff, extra calcium. lol

It's not a purse! It's a man-bag!

I always order from these guys. Always great prices and the best seasoning that I've found.
https://www.alliedkenco.com

Walton’s has good seasonings at great prices

I bought the book "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" By Rytek Kutas at least 30 years ago. It has 100's of sausage recipes in it, ham, bacon, wild game. It is a great book. I suggest the book to anyone wanting to make sausage, bacon or ham.

I agree
the Kitchen aid is better than most of those 70 dollar little grinders with plastic gears , you can do about 5 pound batches like this 4 if you have the smaller mixer

Walton is as high price as you can find anywhere.

X2....

I must be the only guy on the planet who continues to use an old school #5 Enterprise hand grinder I got off ebay for $40. Will grind 10# in under 5 min. 90% of all sausage is meat, salt, pepper and a few other spices, depending on what you are making. All you need are a set of scales to weigh it all out.

Beyond that, a 5# stuffer......like a LEM.......and you are set.

Wouldn't want to hand crank a whole hog or a whole deer, but for small batches, it works as well as anything.

MJM, you are correct, great book. I purchased mine about 30 years ago too.

This is the stuffer I ordered.

I bought that same book about the same time you did.

Grinders are way cheaper than they used to be. Mine will grind faster than you can feed it. I do 40 lb batches or that is what I call them. I grind four pork butts at a time. The book has recipes for 10 and 25lb batches. The 10 is listed in TBSP and 25 lb in ounces. So I just multiply the 10 pound batch by four to do my 40 lbs. It works good. It takes as long to clean the grinder and mineral oil it as it does to use it.

LEM has great sausage seasonings.

Just compared prices on each webpage , and Walton’s was actually cheaper on most things I looked at. No big deal, just saying.

There are plenty of seasoning blends out there, just gotta find one you like, and don’t be afraid to tweak it a little to your liking.

John

I bought a hobart grinder model 4812 off craigslist for $180 bucks just saying

I have a 1hp commercial Cabelas grinder. I have used it for over a decade and its a beast! I also have an 11# Weston stuffer. After having stuffed sausage with a grinder attachment (which is a PITA) having the right tool for the job makes the whole process so much easier. I suggest getting a larger grinder and stuffer than you THINK you will need. I like to make batches in the 30-50# range. I mix the majority of my own seasonings for Kielbasa, breakfast sausage, bratwurst, & salameats. However, I have bought seasoning from PS Seasoning, Hi-mountain, and Waltons. I'm getting ready to make our Kielbasa for Easter next week. The whole house is going to smell amazing!