Question for self meat processor

[Silent Assassin]

I just dropped off my deer meat for the first time with the meat processor.

I asked how much am I to expect to pay. They said around 150.00.

I thought that is very expensive for summer sausage, jalapeño/cheese sausage, breakfast pan sausage and chorizo.

This got me thinking,,,

What equipment to buy first and so on? Lets see your set up!

I plan to buy SS table soon. That's first thing I need. I want to see what y'all gurus have got.

Thanks!!

[bassmatt72]

That seems to be the going price, around Temple it is around 60-70 just for hamburger and tenderized steaks no sausage. Sausage is going 1.50- 2.00 a lbs more on top of basic processing.

[Txjourneyman]

Phillip thats actually fairly inexpensive for having all that sausage made. I've seen it go for lots more. I just have mine done into steaks, (backstrap), and the rest burger. I pay $85.

I know that doesn't answer your question at all.......

[Delirious]

Buy a kitchenmaid mixer with the meat grinder attachment. All you need and you can make your own. ....and have a kitchmaid mixer. For one or two deer, once a year, it works. You can buy a dedicated grinder but you can determine how much you will need something like that.

go to Lets-make-sausage.com

Love their recipes. Go to a butcher and buy the high temp cheese for Jalopeno cheese sausage. I use the directions on that sight on how to smoke them, finish them in the oven, dry and let them cure. I don't pay for ANY meat processing for any reason on my deer. I make chile, burger, sausage, stew meat, steaks, straps...... the sausage on that site is as good as my local smoke house. Oh, I have a smoker but all you need is the smoke flavor and can buy a cheapo model just to get the smoke into the meat for a few hours. I usually smoke mine for 3 hours and finish them in the oven with a meat thermometer until internal temp reaches 160 degrees.

[Delirious]

. duplicate

[Rando]

that seems about right. LAst year I sent in a quartered deer to a place with sausage and stuff made and about crapped in my undies when the bill was 135.00. anytime sausage gets involved, not to include all that cheese and jal and pan stuff, the bill gets rough

[bassmatt72]

I'd buy a good table and good knives and cutting board first. If nothing else maybe you could get the processing done a little cheaper by bringing in the meat already deboned. Then I'd go for a good grinder with the ability to put attachments on it later. I don't see the need to buy "meat tubs" I just use rubbermaid containers they are about half the cost of tubs.

[bassmatt72]

I'd buy a good table and good knives and cutting board first. If nothing else maybe you could get the processing done a little cheaper by bringing in the meat already deboned. Then I'd go for a good grinder with the ability to put attachments on it later. I don't see the need to buy "meat tubs" I just use rubbermaid containers they are about half the cost of tubs. Sorry no pics cause I break it all down and put it back in the boxes for storage.

[miket]

The sausage always runs up the price. I started out with just a cutting board, knife and butcher paper. Then got a Foodsaver vacuum sealer. It makes you meat last longer in the freezer and prevents freezer burn. Then got a LEM 1/3hp grinder, works great for ground venison and sausage. Its kinda expensive to get started but worth it after a few deer.

[BrianL]

Knife, grinder, and vaccum sealer is all I use. I haven't paid to have one done in years.

[DJM]

Making sausage is a lot more labor than just butchering.I make my own and always make a day of it.A good grinder/stuffer and quality knives will make it easier.

*Careful bringing deboned venision to a processor.There's the beyond quarters/final detination thing that could get you a ticket.


DJ

[Txpepper]

It's easy and a lot of fun especially if you get your family and friends involved. Your gonna need: grinder, cutting boards, knives&sharpeners, scale, vacuum sealer&bags, big bowls/meat trays, a table, gloves and plenty of grinding fluid. good luck.

[Delirious]

hmm, seems the forums are posting things twice. Yeah, a good food sealer is a must. Lasts for years.

[LemmeOut]

You may also try and find a group of hunters that does their own processing and go in with them. Back when my dad still had a lease him and another family that hunted (4 or 5 total hunters) would et together right after the season ended got together to make sausage at my grandparents place. They had a large grinder and cast iron stuffer and all of us working together was a good time. By lunch time we had several hundred pounds of stuffed sausage and pan sausage. We smoked or dried all of ours and they did a few different things with theirs at home but it all started with the basic sausage. Oh and everybody would "work their deer up" into grindable sized cubes, after keeping on ice and draining for a couple days, and put it in freezer bags until they were ready to make sausage.
Everybody took care of their meat the same and hu.td in the hill country so there wasn't a concern amongst friends about contaminated meat either.

[93racer]

Nice set up txhunter pepper