questions about grinders & processing deer

[bboswell]

Get the 1HP if you can.... and I use the pedal on mine. It shines on stuffing sausage.

Pedal is a game changer!

[Brute Killer]

I found a 1/3 horse Italian made LEM grinder on ebay last year delivered for less than Academy was selling the Chinese made LEMs. I used it on the only deer we got last year and for one guy by himself it is plenty. If there are several people working together a stronger grinder is probably in order so that work can keep up with the manpower.

[dope hunter]

I was paying @ $80 a deer for just ground meat and steaks. My awesome MIL got me a Browning #8 .47 HP one year for Christmas and it has plenty of power. I've added bacon, pork butt and wild pork. Like others have said the wild pork is too lean to be considered a good source of fat. I tried to make my own pan sausage this year and it was too dry for my liken, if anyone has a good recipe I would appreciate it.


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Go to the recipe section and look at Travis' (MesquiteCountry) sausage thread. The pan sausage is the best I've had. His recipe calls for sage, so if you don't like it...leave it out.

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[Backwoods101]

Go to the recipe section and look at Travis' (MesquiteCountry) sausage thread. The pan sausage is the best I've had. His recipe calls for sage, so if you don't like it...leave it out.

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Thanks, will do.


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[Brute Killer]

I started processing my own 3 years ago when a well known local processor gave me "my meat back" and I was finding bone shards in it when we cooked it up...they said it was probably from the gun shot but funny enough it was a bow kill. First year I started slow just steaking everything then next year bought a small grinder for burger and patty sausage then next year bought an electric smoker and meat slicer. I have spent on equipment what I would have spent to process 2-3 good sized deer and now I can do most anything. Time is the biggest investment but I know that from field to table the only one responsible for how it turns out is me.

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What pushed me over was turning over portions of a deer that didn't make steak or jerky and getting back sausage that smelled and tasted like billy goat.

[Brute Killer]

I need to try Travis' recipe. I made pan sausage with Fiesta brand mix and link sausage with something I got from Readfield's in Bryan. I liked the Fiesta bettet, but neither were my favorite.

[lovetohunt]

I have the LEM 3/4 horse grinder and I love it. I would suggest getting the foot pedal for any of the grinders. I just made 15 lbs of Italian sausage today next I'm going to make some German sausage. And I'm making this out of wild pork and as for the extra fat I just buy uncured pork belly and add as much as in need to make it 80/20.

[zztex]

For those mixing in brisket and or beef fat trimmings, what percentages more or less are you folks mixing in??

I've had two processors mix 30% brisket and we liked it just fine. This year I had a couple briskets and some venison so I did what I had. Turned out to be about 45% brisket. We liked it better. Will probably go 50/50 in the future. Not too much fat by the way. Very good. Plus obviously you get more meat overall if you go 50/50

[Rat]

Whatever looks good. +/- 15%


When making sausage what do you guys add to the meat? I just made some with Salt, Pepper, and a tad bit of garlic. Hope it tastes good. And where can one get casings for cheap? $5 for that little pack at HEB seems high.

I do 20% by weight. On the spices I add all the spices I think I need, mix very well, and then fry a patty up and taste it. I add more spices from there if needed.

I also have used the prepackaged mixes from Bass Pro for sausage, my wife likes the Sage, and just add in extra spices to get it better.

[JonBoy]

Whatever looks good. +/- 15%


When making sausage what do you guys add to the meat? I just made some with Salt, Pepper, and a tad bit of garlic. Hope it tastes good. And where can one get casings for cheap? $5 for that little pack at HEB seems high.

I buy fresh natural casings from Bolners in San Antonio...something like $4- $6 for enough to do 100+ lbs of sausage.

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[Jspradley]

Biggest tip for grinding is don't grind each deer individually. We do close to 20 a year and save all our scrap for one time at the end. Do burger one weekend and sausage another. Prep and clean up are the most time consuming of the process

This guy right here ^^^^

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