Grinding venison burger

[John Y Cannuck]

What do you guys use for a grinder? Problems?

We have a princess auto grinder (cheap) at the hunt camp, works well, if we take a few basic steps.
Cut the meat into small pieces to avoid sinew wrapping. Eliminate as much fat as possible, so it doesn't build up and plug the grooves in the grinder, and cool the meat.
That last one, cooling, seems to help the remaining fat pass through the grinder and not hang up.

One of the guys hooked it up to a reversible DC motor. I think it's a 3 hp.
slick operation when it doesn't plug up.

 

[glang1]

Yeah I use a #32 hand crank grinder for making up my burgers & sausage. After doing my deer & 2 others from friends, I want to hookup an electric motor to it also . Mine seems to work really well, but as you mentioned I remove most of the silver skin & fat, & the meat is cold before grinding. I used mine for sausage making this year too, & the sausage seemed to benefit from the double grinding. My wife really liked the texture after I smoked them.

 

[martinbns]

I didi it manually one year and have had it done ever since. The butcher added 15% beef fat.

 

[Big Guy]

I have an old Toledo grinder. If I didn't have it I would buy a #32 hand grinder and set it up with a motor.

here is a pic of grinding pork, you need to keep the meat cold, semi frozen is best, I like to add beef fat to my venny burger.

 

[looch]

Check for auctions / sales of butcher shops or supply houses. We use 1.5hp Hobart that my dad picked up for ~400$. As fast as you can feed it.

 

[dutchhunter]

i find the easyest eay to grind neat is to cut it in thin strips 10 to 14 inches long by 1 inch thick the long strips pull them self thru the grinder .we have a 600 wat kittchen mixer with grinder attachment and it works very well DUTCH

 

[saskgunowner101]

Used a kitchen mixer with grinding attachments to make up a couple batches myself. Trimmed the meat well, bagged and chilled in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before grinding. It ran through easily.

 

[proonur]

I have a smart friend that was good enough to drop $800 on a professional one and let me tell you, 5 years after he bought it it's still going strong and all his friends bring their deer, moose, elk etc over and it never fails. I can't even guess at how much has gone through it. I try and throw him some money to help recoup the cost when i do mine at his place.
Like most things, you get what you pay for in the end.

 

['Boo]

We use a Waring Pro Grinder with a 450W motor. It has worked flawlessly for the last 2 years and has ground up close to 750 pounds of deer, bear and pork. I think I paid about $140.00 at Cosco for it. (It has a 5 year warranty on the motor)

 

[the keepa]

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=104
There is quite a bit of info on grinding and home made grinders in the above thread( Sausage Making)in the "sticky...Game Recipes"...including one made up by , ahem, yours truly .

 

[toxic]

Cutting as much sinew as possible helps to prevent plugging. Fairly easy to just pop off the plate and clean off the knife. Here's my basic setup - I have no metal working skills so it's all wood. I also have a guard that goes over the big pulley (not shown). It's a #32 grinder with an old furnace motor.

 

[lookout]

I have a smart friend that was good enough to drop $800 on a professional one and let me tell you, 5 years after he bought it it's still going strong and all his friends bring their deer, moose, elk etc over and it never fails. I can't even guess at how much has gone through it. I try and throw him some money to help recoup the cost when i do mine at his place.
Like most things, you get what you pay for in the end.

I just spend $700+ on an LEM 1 HP grinder. I agree with the above attitude - I never want to buy another grinder and some of the costs are recouped as friends bring their critters over. This year so far 9 deer have gone through it.

 

[the keepa]

Nice setup , Toxic !
I'm still looking for a meat tray for mine ....prolly hafta weld one up out of stainless steel ....

 

[savagefan]

I have a Tre Spade #22 manual, great quality but I'm lazy so I bought a Chinese electric #10. It goes about as fast as the #22 manual but I wear ear defenders. I'm saving the money to buy the Italian built electric grinder I should have bought in the first place.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Thanks for all the ideas.
I was thinking of setting up one at home, for the bow hunt. Looks like the unit we have at camp, is comparable to at least some of your setups.
The tolerances inside are pretty sloppy, so I'll have to get a closer look at one of the professional units.

 

[toxic]

Nice setup , Toxic !
I'm still looking for a meat tray for mine ....prolly hafta weld one up out of stainless steel ....

Thanks.
Your metal working skills leave me jealous...

 

[fogducker]

Thanks for all the ideas.
I was thinking of setting up one at home, for the bow hunt. Looks like the unit we have at camp, is comparable to at least some of your setups.
The tolerances inside are pretty sloppy, so I'll have to get a closer look at one of the professional units.

if you have plans for a frame..let me know..stainless makes a great frame

 

[John Y Cannuck]

if you have plans for a frame..let me know..stainless makes a great frame

Thanks, I haven't really started looking yet, just gathering info.
Checked out a few on ebay, but, you might as well buy new, with what they are going for.

 

[walley_eye]

Here is my set up.

Needs a guard though.

Also needs a gear box to slow down the grinder as the motor has a small wheel on it already but still to fast.

 

[savagefan]

I have a Tre Spade #22 manual, great quality but I'm lazy so I bought a Chinese electric #10. It goes about as fast as the #22 manual but I wear ear defenders. I'm saving the money to buy the Italian built electric grinder I should have bought in the first place.

That piece o' sheet electric broke today so beware, the CTR special for $170.00, good for 6.5 deer. Lesson learned. Again.