Meat grinder suggestions

[highmuley]

Hello,

Just as the title states, I am needing to purchase a meat grinder. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Maybe sub $200. Any suggestions on brand, capacity, etc.? I'm not looking for a hand crank either. How about the kitchen aid attachment? Does anyone have experience with it? Thanks

[luvmystang67]

I have this and love it.  Its powerful, fast, and cheap.  I've put probably a dozen or so animals though it without issue (maybe more).  Never had a hiccup with it.  Only thing is that you have to cut meat down into about 2" cubes or smaller so it feeds fast, but if you do that you can process a whole animal lickety-split.

http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/tasin-ts-108-tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder/

[kselkhunter]

I have the kitchen aid attachment, not enough horsepower was a pain in the rear.  So I bought the Cabelas grinder and it works great.  I use it a lot.  I also have the Cabelas wide vacuum sealer, and it also has been wonderful. 

I process all the game for myself and my friends.  And I can put quite a few animals through it all quite efficiently.  I still use the handcrank sausage stuffer though; I just prefer it. 

[Angry Perch]

How many pounds of meat a year do you think you'll grind? As an occasional use, small batch grinder, you'll find the KitchenAid is very handy. If you're doing medium-large scale production, you'll grow tired of it real fast.

[C-Money]

I have this one, and have made a lot of good burger with it with out any trouble. Great investment.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabela-s-deluxe-grinder/1843506.uts?WT.ac=RI-1843506&WT.z_pg_ref=prd2277622

[quadrafire]

I've use this model for several years and still do occasionally when I don't feel like hauling the big one out.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/home-cabin/food-processing/food-grinders%7C/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104364180/cabelas-deluxe-meat-grinder/1843506.uts

[quadrafire]

C-money, I must have been posting and not seen yours. Same one

[Dhoey07]

I've had this one, http://www.cabelas.com/product/hunting/food-processing/food-grinders%7C/pc/104791680/c/104723280/sc/104364180/cabelas-heavy-duty-grinder/1387520.uts , for going on 9 years now.  Its ground up many deer, elk, chickens, bear, you name it.  You don't need a big grinder with horsepower ratings to get the job done 

Plus, if anything does happen to break, you got a lifetime warrenty 

[kselkhunter]

Tip:  One tip I learned if using a lower power grinder is to put the meat in the freezer first and get it's temperature down, not frozen, but it grinds much more easily in a low horsepower grinder it's temperature is close to freezing.  Even with my higher horsepower grinder it helps speed things up.

[highmuley]

Thanks folks! All good info. As far as number of animals, we're looking at 2-6 deer, possibly elk and a bear or two, aren't out of the question. I asked about the kitchen aid attachment because the woman keeps asking if we should just get that instead of a stand up grinder.

[quadrafire]

You should get the kitchen aid mixer for her and a stand alone grinder for you

[highmuley]

You should get the kitchen aid mixer for her and a stand alone grinder for you

Ha! I'd still end up doing all the grinding...she does want the pasta attachment though....hmmmm....I love bribery

[kselkhunter]

Grinder attachment for KitchenAid at $50 and slow processing, compared to a Cabelas grinder for $90-$180 that can process many times faster. 

Having done both, I'd skip the KitchenAid and just get a dedicated grinder.   

[KFhunter]

I still use my kitchenaid grinder, on a tough roast I'll grind the cooked left over and make sammys,  or I'll mix in a bit of bacon to something and grind it.  I like to do a coarse grind and freeze meat then thaw it add seasoning or bacon then grind through the kitchenaid.


I have the 2hp Cabela's carnivore and love that.

[huntingfool7]

Thanks folks! All good info. As far as number of animals, we're looking at 2-6 deer, possibly elk and a bear or two, aren't out of the question. I asked about the kitchen aid attachment because the woman keeps asking if we should just get that instead of a stand up grinder.

Go bigger and you'll be happier.  A half dozen deer or an elk latter and you'll be glad you did.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/home/cabelas-carnivore-grinders%7C/pc/105625080/c/923155380/cabelas-carnivore-hp-grinder/2111979.uts

[highmuley]

Thanks folks! All good info. As far as number of animals, we're looking at 2-6 deer, possibly elk and a bear or two, aren't out of the question. I asked about the kitchen aid attachment because the woman keeps asking if we should just get that instead of a stand up grinder.

Go bigger and you'll be happier.  A half dozen deer or an elk latter and you'll be glad you did.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/home/cabelas-carnivore-grinders%7C/pc/105625080/c/923155380/cabelas-carnivore-hp-grinder/2111979.uts

That's awesome! May be a little more difficult to convince momma though...the animals I listed won't be ground complete either. I like steaks, roasts, jerky, stew meat, etc. Too. Her son, on the other hand, grinds all of his deer into sausage. I'm sure he'd want to use it too.

[NRA4LIFE]

I ground probably 1000 lbs of meat through the Kitchen Aid grinding attachment.  However, I think it started to wear out the motor.  It is somewhat slow also.  Maybe a pound per minute or so.  If you are going to grind a lot, I would go big, at least a #22 size.  Mine can do close to 10 lbs a minute.

[lokidog]

I've used the KitchenAid grinder attachment for almost forty years.  The meat has to be pretty clean as the silverskin will clog it up.  It is not a problem for me as I clean it all off anyways.  The older style works better than the newer plastic bodied ones as they have a machined cutting blade compared to a pressed blade in the newer ones.

Having said that, I have a pretty much new in the box newer style that I can send you to try if you would like.  Just cover shipping and kick me a $20 or something if you like it and decide to keep it.  I do use mine for a variety of grinding needs like making wine or grinding a tough old goose after baking it and finding it too tough to eat easily....

[smalldog]

I would spend the money and get a Cabelas 3/4 horse or a Lem 3/4 horse or bigger.  Time is important to me and the Cabelas you get the setup for making summer sausage or links or what ever you want to do.  If you decide to do this, I would get a meat mixer so you don't have to mix by hand when doing sausage.  I grind about 1 to 200 pounds of meat a year and make a lot of sausage. Been doing my own meat for about 30 years and have helped a lot of friends do theirs.

[blackpowderhunter]

you can get the LEM big bite #5 grinder on amazon for 266

[Wicheesy]

I heard the Tasin TS-108 was a good grinder as well and after doing some research found they even use it to grind soft bones for pet food. This alone sold me on the grinder and I had used it for about 3 years with no issues at all processing my deer. It handled the sinew with no issues at all and never jammed up like my previous grinder which seemed to always have tons of sinew wrapped around the blade area.

Although the Tasin could handle a few deer at a time my hunting group had grown so we purchased a Weston Meat Grinder #32 and boy can it go through some meat. It is almost hard to keep up with it to tell you the truth. It also came with an amazing stuffing tube kit which has this snack stick tube with an extra auger that you use which literally shoots the meat into the casings. Never have we made snack sticks so fast using this stuffing tube. 

To be honest both grinders are good machines and I think it really depends on how much your grinding, a few deer the Tasin would be perfect but if doing more than I would recommend the Weston grinders. IMO

I added the links to where I bought my grinders, I hope this is allowed and that I added the link correctly.

Tasin Meat Grinder: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/tasin-ts-108-tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder/

Weston Meat Grinders: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/

[luvmystang67]

I heard the Tasin TS-108 was a good grinder as well and after doing some research found they even use it to grind soft bones for pet food. This alone sold me on the grinder and I had used it for about 3 years with no issues at all processing my deer. It handled the sinew with no issues at all and never jammed up like my previous grinder which seemed to always have tons of sinew wrapped around the blade area.

Although the Tasin could handle a few deer at a time my hunting group had grown so we purchased a Weston Meat Grinder #32 and boy can it go through some meat. It is almost hard to keep up with it to tell you the truth. It also came with an amazing stuffing tube kit which has this snack stick tube with an extra auger that you use which literally shoots the meat into the casings. Never have we made snack sticks so fast using this stuffing tube. 

To be honest both grinders are good machines and I think it really depends on how much your grinding, a few deer the Tasin would be perfect but if doing more than I would recommend the Weston grinders. IMO

I added the links to where I bought my grinders, I hope this is allowed and that I added the link correctly.

Tasin Meat Grinder: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/tasin-ts-108-tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder/

Weston Meat Grinders: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/

Seriously, I'm also a value conscious consumer.  I've had great luck with the Tasin model.  If you're trying to save money, look no further.  It has been amazing.  I've never had anything that it can't process.  Usually it takes meat faster than I can feed it.  I spend more time mixing meat than I do grinding.  I've probably got 500 lbs through it without a hiccup.  Added benefit, it is small and fits anywhere.  I bought my brother one and he FAR prefers it to the kitchen aid attachment. 

[ctwiggs1]

I've only one season of doing my own butchering at this point, but I found that the prep (cutting into smaller chunks, cutting silver skin and slightly freezing the meat) had a greater impact than the HP of the unit.

I say that because I couldn't get a 3/4hp unit to go any faster than snails pace until I did those things and boy oh boy could that thing crank meat out faster than I could feed it. 

Personally, I'll be buying a smaller unit this year.

[Curly]

I heard the Tasin TS-108 was a good grinder as well and after doing some research found they even use it to grind soft bones for pet food. This alone sold me on the grinder and I had used it for about 3 years with no issues at all processing my deer. It handled the sinew with no issues at all and never jammed up like my previous grinder which seemed to always have tons of sinew wrapped around the blade area.

Although the Tasin could handle a few deer at a time my hunting group had grown so we purchased a Weston Meat Grinder #32 and boy can it go through some meat. It is almost hard to keep up with it to tell you the truth. It also came with an amazing stuffing tube kit which has this snack stick tube with an extra auger that you use which literally shoots the meat into the casings. Never have we made snack sticks so fast using this stuffing tube. 

To be honest both grinders are good machines and I think it really depends on how much your grinding, a few deer the Tasin would be perfect but if doing more than I would recommend the Weston grinders. IMO

I added the links to where I bought my grinders, I hope this is allowed and that I added the link correctly.

Tasin Meat Grinder: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/tasin-ts-108-tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder/

Weston Meat Grinders: http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/products/meat-grinders/electric-meat-grinder/

Great first post! 

Welcome to the site.

[Wicheesy]

I've only one season of doing my own butchering at this point, but I found that the prep (cutting into smaller chunks, cutting silver skin and slightly freezing the meat) had a greater impact than the HP of the unit.

I say that because I couldn't get a 3/4hp unit to go any faster than snails pace until I did those things and boy oh boy could that thing crank meat out faster than I could feed it. 

Personally, I'll be buying a smaller unit this year.

All grinders of the same size aren't created equally and I have seen some sellers out there actually rate a grinder in HP when the grinder should clearly only be rated in watts. They do this to make a sale and then don't support the product afterwards either. This Tasin grinder at OSJS, I know they carry parts right on their site like motors, switches, feed parts, plates, blades etc. so at least you can service it down the road should the need arise. Check out One Stop Jerky Shop or at least ask them what to look for, they helped me out when I called them a few years back. Good luck hunting, grinding and hope you have better luck!

[FWilliams]

Interesting that when I googled them they are available from the same town you are located in Wisconsin. as well as the links you provided to the jerky shop

nice first post

[Stein]

Get one on sale at Cabelas and stack a coupon on top of it.  Any of the grinders in the $300+ range should do you well.