Joker
Adventurer
My brother is a professional Chef and in his kitchen he uses the LEM that be bought at the Bass Pro Shop in Orlando, dont know what model he has but he swears by it.
Meat Grinder: How to buy?
- Thread starter Project510
- Start date
My brother is a professional Chef and in his kitchen he uses the LEM that be bought at the Bass Pro Shop in Orlando, dont know what model he has but he swears by it.
Project510
Adventurer
Thanks guys, Scott/Joker I will deff check out the LEM page. I dont really have any particular favorite, since I have never personally done it yet.. I just assumed hand grinder was easy to clean and would be cheaper. But A decent electric looks like less work, and shouldnt be hard to clean.
DarinM
Explorer
My brother and I use an LEM that I got on clearance at Academy for our sausage making. It's very easy to use and clean. Definitely was a worthwhile purchase. We use the stuffing attachment on it as well.
The only thing we've noticed is that meat tends to build up along the auger and behind the cutting blade when processing, so it would be a good idea to take it down and clean occasionally if you're processing a good sized amount of meat. We usually do around 25 pounds at a time and will need to clean it out at least once during grinding and stuffing.
I think I got this for $199 or so. Grinder
The only thing we've noticed is that meat tends to build up along the auger and behind the cutting blade when processing, so it would be a good idea to take it down and clean occasionally if you're processing a good sized amount of meat. We usually do around 25 pounds at a time and will need to clean it out at least once during grinding and stuffing.
I think I got this for $199 or so. Grinder
Andy@AAV
Old Marine
I'm interested in this subject as well since I'm looking to try making my own brats this football season.
If you want to use a clamp on grinder, try using a bolt on unit and bolt it into a large sturdy piece of hardwood. You have to countersink the bolt holes for a flat bottom. Then clamp the board onto your counter with some sturdy wood working clamps. The larger surface area spreads the load out and keeps everything from working loose as easy. I did this with a single stage reloading press years ago and it worked for me.
If you want to use a clamp on grinder, try using a bolt on unit and bolt it into a large sturdy piece of hardwood. You have to countersink the bolt holes for a flat bottom. Then clamp the board onto your counter with some sturdy wood working clamps. The larger surface area spreads the load out and keeps everything from working loose as easy. I did this with a single stage reloading press years ago and it worked for me.
Scott B.
SE Expedition Society
Funny how there is a correlation here... :sombrero:
Andy@AAV
Old Marine
Yes, but I am confused since I am starting to learn sausage making:
Is that a single stage or progressive process?
Yes, but I am confused since I am starting to learn sausage making:
Is that a single stage or progressive process?
Progressive
I owned a restaurant for a while and we had a large meat grinder for high volume production of ground meats. Now I use the attachment for the kitchen aid mixer (mentioned here already.) Here is why I chose it:
1. If you are going to really cook a stand mixer should have a place in your kitchen. A mixer is used for all kinds of kitchen tasks and simplifies the process. You can lock the head, set the speed and work on other things, checking up on the mixer from time to time until the correct consistency is reached.
2. I do not like unitaskers - neither does Alton - it is his mantra. A separate grinder is a unitasker.
3. I had to think about how often I would be grinding my own meat, how much I would do at one time and I realized that the 2-5lbs that I can produce from the kitchen aid is all I really need. It is very rare that I need more than 5 lbs for a single meal and then when I mix in other ingredients I will run into a space situation there where I will need to do it in batches (adding breadcrumbs to 10lbs of meat is a chore whether by hand or in batches using the mixer). The Kitchen Aid module includes a course and a fine grind screen (and I believe others are available) and I find the process is fairly fast if I course grind all the meat first, mix the meats and regrind fine.
4. The kitchen aid has a couple other attachments that extend it's number of tasks.
Advice - if you do get the kitchen aid mixer get the largest one you can afford (both in cost and space) - I got the entry level professional and do not have space for anything else, but the second we move to a place with a nicer kitchen I will replace it for a much larger model. It is very rare that I would say "this bowl is just too big" but I often have to run things in batches because it is way too small.
Project510
Adventurer
Major thanks that was a great post. I have been interested more in cooking so maybe the KA is the best way to go. My mother would agree with you as well!
I've had a Kitchen Aid for almost 10 years and it still runs like a top. The meat grinder is pretty good - get the sausage stuffer attachment if it isn't standard with the grinder.
I've ground 25 pounds of meat in one sitting and it was messy and took a while but the KA didn't slow down.
I've also ground peanuts and almonds to make peanut/almond butters with the same meat blades. Ground it up with no problem, and fast! The longer i own it the more stuff I come up with to use it for.
Dunno if this is made in the US but stumbled upon it looking for something else and remembered your post.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=826630
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=826630
Jane Simmons
New member
I love my Sunmile SM-G31 ETL Electric Meat Grinder Mincer 1HP 800W Max Stainless Steel Cutting Blade, 3 Stainless Steel Grinding Plates,3 Sausage Stuffer Makers. I got my friend one recently at her bridal shower and she loves it.
All depends on the capabilities you want. I picked up a Gander Mountain Guide Series #12 meat grinder with 3 sausage stuffing nozzles, snack stick nozzle & at a super discount. It is a grinding BEAST. It will grind 11lbs of half frozen venison and pork fat in about 60 seconds. Seriously powerful. I have never even heard it bog down, no matter how fast you put things through it. It is heavy & lacks some of the features found on today's grinders but I have no issues at all. The biggest complaint that most people have is the gumming up of the fat/sinew/tendons in the auger. If you keep the meat cold, it is way less of an issue. It is no issue at all with mine. There have been a few times when I was done, upon take down for cleaning, there was some tendons/fat/sinew wrapped around part of the auger but it did not slow the machine down at all. The auger on ours had a new feature at that time, (the first half of it was farther apart to allow more consistent & faster feeding) but now i think it is standard on all commercial grade grinders, it sure works good. Motor never even changed pitch. When we were looking at them, an old timer told me to buy the biggest one I can afford because the extra power is worth it. Now at 54, I am becoming the old timer, LOL.
If I was gonna buy again (because mine is no longer available), I would go with a LEM or a Cabela's 3/4 hp #12.
If I was gonna buy again (because mine is no longer available), I would go with a LEM or a Cabela's 3/4 hp #12.