Do it yourself processing

[MIHunter]

Hey All,

I've been reading & searching the posts, but had a couple of questions for you who process your own animals. What equipment is necessary?

What size grinder?
Which dehydrator?
Electric smoker?

Anything else?

Thanks!!

[Bilbo]

Bump for ya! Smart and Keegan can give some good advice.


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[Slick8]

I've been processing for a few years now.

I started with a #32 converted to elec with a washing maching motor.

Now I use a #12 elec from Lenco

I just purchased a 15 stuffer as the #12 does not stuff the small sticks or anything with cheese very well.

I smoke the old way. A smoke house that looks like an outhouse and about the same size. I use an outdoor fisher burner with a 15 qt cast dutch oven on it. You simply put chunks of wood in it and crack the lid. It will smolder all day. I also will turn up the heat to around 250 to fully cook summer sasuage.

Do a search, Smart has an older thread of a great looking Smokehouse he built. I do the same except I don't have my smoke source seperated like he does. This allows you to produce a cooler smoke.

And his smokehouse looks much better than mine.

I'll be processing soon, looking for a good cold snap in late Jan and will try to post up.

[meathunter]

I do all my own processing and really it comes down to how much are you going to process a year, how much money do you want to spend, and what are you trying to make. Bass pro shop and cabelas have grinders for the do it youselfer in a variety of sizes. The same goes for stuffers and dehydrators. Building a small smoke house is easy all you need are 3 sheets of plywood, about 6 2x4s and nails. I am typing on my phone. Stopping now.

[Cam-Mac]

I do all my own processing and really it comes down to how much are you going to process a year, how much money do you want to spend, and what are you trying to make. Bass pro shop and cabelas have grinders for the do it youselfer in a variety of sizes. The same goes for stuffers and dehydrators. Building a small smoke house is easy all you need are 3 sheets of plywood, about 6 2x4s and nails. I am typing on my phone. Stopping now.

x2 ^

We do all our own- cabelas has everything you need to diy. Check their stuff out. Also, you can never have enough cutting boards/plastic tubs.

[kmitchl]

I started with a #22 hand grinder. This year I upgraded to a #12 electric grinder from Northern Tool. Seems to do a good job. With the hand grinder I was grinding and stuffing at the same time. I bought a Weston 11# stuffer from Cabelas last year. I've stuffed about 40# of sausage so far this year. The grinder and stuffer have worked out well. I smoke in a horizontal offset smoker which works but not so well. However, I'm having trouble justifying building a dedicated smoker for once a year use.

I don't mind the grinding and stuffing. I would like to find someone to debone my meat, I seem to be incredibly slow at this step. Maybe I'm too meticilous.

[True Texan]

For advice on choosing the right meat grinder for your needs and some good buyers advice check out this links. They have really good information for consumers.

http://homemade-sausage.com/shop-online/meat-grinders-2/choosing-the-right-meat-grinder/

http://homemade-sausage.com/shop-online/meat-grinders-2/quality-advice-before-you-buy/

I have not used a dehydrator much so I cant help much there.

For making jerky and sausage, I think that electric smokers are the best. My unit is a homemade unit with a 220V, 2600 watt element and a Bradley smoke generator. It is made from an old Hobart warming cabinet and can hold about 125# of sausage at once. It is awesome. I normally put in sausage at about 7 or 8 at night and then go to bed. When I get up the next morning, the sausage is ready. Absolutely no baby-sitting required and the sausage is perfect every time. If I were to buy an electric smoker I would get a Bradley because I know their smoke generators work great and they have a good reputation. Buying one in a store is more expensive than buying online.
The Homemade Sausage also has really good prices on their smokers, here's another link.

http://homemade-sausage.com/shop-online/smoking-cabinet/electric-smokers/

Here's a couple of pics of my smoker

[tx07]

All I use is a small grinder my bil has and a knife.
Steaks and grind.

[grizzman]

Knife, cutting board, Foodsaver, and dehydrator. I don't grind much but if we do, we use a food processor.

[MIHunter]

Thanks!