Meat Grinder Upgrade

[ctwiggs1]

After pushing several hundred pounds through my LEM Mighty Bite, I think I’m ready for an upgrade.  I watched a video the other day where some guys were tossing meat down the tube and didn’t even need a push stick. That’s what I want - I want to toss cold meat in the tube and watch that sucker go through it faster than I can load it.

Anybody been down this road and have some pros/cons? 

I looked at the cabelas 1.75hp but there are some seriously mixed reviews that threw me off.  Now I’m wondering if I should focus on Weston or Meat! Or something else

Thanks in advance for any tips!

[jrebel]

For what it's worth....a 1.75 horse is complete overkill for 1-4 animals a year (most home butchers).  If your doing 4+ animals at a time.....then maybe, but a 1-1.5 hp will do exactly what you want it to do.  I have the 1.5 hp cabelas carnivore and couldn't be happier.  We process 3-10 animals a year for family and friends and it makes quick work of anything I throw down it.  The only reason I use the push stick is for already ground meat that I am doing a second grind on.  Whole muscle.....drop it in the tube and watch it work. 

I went with the 1.5 hp based on reviews and size of tube 34.  The bigger the feed tube, the bigger the meat I can throw down it.  Prior to the 1.5 hp machine....I had a 1 hp machine and it was a grinding monster as well. 

I really like how the cabelas grind tube separates from the unit for cleaning.  The units that don't separate area PITA to clean. 

My only complaint is how heavy the unit is.      You don't want to be moving it far between grinding and storing. 

[lewy]

 

[fishngamereaper]

  X2

My 1.5 will take my hand off if I'm not careful.
Grinds faster than I can feed it. Pro tip spray all the parts and feed tube with cooking spray. Keeps meat from sticking. Especially twice grind and sausage mix.

[KFhunter]

After pushing several hundred pounds through my LEM Mighty Bite, I think I’m ready for an upgrade.  I watched a video the other day where some guys were tossing meat down the tube and didn’t even need a push stick. That’s what I want - I want to toss cold meat in the tube and watch that sucker go through it faster than I can load it.

Anybody been down this road and have some pros/cons? 

I looked at the cabelas 1.75hp but there are some seriously mixed reviews that threw me off.  Now I’m wondering if I should focus on Weston or Meat! Or something else

Thanks in advance for any tips!

I stuck one end of a 4 foot backstrap lion off a sausage sow and it sucked it all in, it was fatter than the tube so it compressed it going in

[Bullkllr]

  X2

My 1.5 will take my hand off if I'm not careful.
Grinds faster than I can feed it. Pro tip spray all the parts and feed tube with cooking spray. Keeps meat from sticking. Especially twice grind and sausage mix.

 
Same with my older model Cabelas 1.5. Can't imagine needing more for a couple animals a year.

[ctwiggs1]

I’ve got a .35hp and I’m doing 3 antelope, 1 deer and 1 elk per year.  I see those numbers climbing soon with other species and potentially a cow.

We just did 60lbs of burger and it took 3 hours from start to finish.  I think it should be done in an hour or so.  With 3 small kids time is money! 😂

Thanks for all the tips guys!  Really helps me in the journey I’m on. This is a pretty big purchase and I don’t want to do it twice. I want my next grinder to be (ideally) my last.

[Encore 280]

X3 on being heavy!! Put it where you're going to use it and leave it! I spray the inside of the tube with food grade silicone then the day before I use it I put the tube and parts in the freezer along with that tube collar from Cabela's that goes in the freezer too. The colder the meat you're going to grind the better off you are. Horse and a half, you can't feed it fast enough.

[KFhunter]

I use coconut oil, never goes rancid and its not silicone. 

Not saying its better, but it works

[jrebel]

I’ve got a .35hp and I’m doing 3 antelope, 1 deer and 1 elk per year.  I see those numbers climbing soon with other species and potentially a cow.

We just did 60lbs of burger and it took 3 hours from start to finish.  I think it should be done in an hour or so.  With 3 small kids time is money! 😂

Thanks for all the tips guys!  Really helps me in the journey I’m on. This is a pretty big purchase and I don’t want to do it twice. I want my next grinder to be (ideally) my last.

60 lbs of meat on the first grind would take less than 10 minutes with the #32 1.5 hp grinder.  Probably 5 minutes to be 100% honest.  The second grind if you choose to do a second grind takes longer but still would be done in 10-15 minutes. 

[ctwiggs1]

I’ve got a .35hp and I’m doing 3 antelope, 1 deer and 1 elk per year.  I see those numbers climbing soon with other species and potentially a cow.

We just did 60lbs of burger and it took 3 hours from start to finish.  I think it should be done in an hour or so.  With 3 small kids time is money! 😂

Thanks for all the tips guys!  Really helps me in the journey I’m on. This is a pretty big purchase and I don’t want to do it twice. I want my next grinder to be (ideally) my last.

60 lbs of meat on the first grind would take less than 10 minutes with the #32 1.5 hp grinder.  Probably 5 minutes to be 100% honest.  The second grind if you choose to do a second grind takes longer but still would be done in 10-15 minutes.

Yeah even factoring clean up time that still keeps it under an hour.  👍

Thanks for all the info!

[KFhunter]

I run my 2nd grind right into a 30lb stuffer, when it's full I push it into hamburger bags with the big stuffer.

[jrebel]

I run my 2nd grind right into a 30lb stuffer, when it's full I push it into hamburger bags with the big stuffer.

That's a great idea.  I still wrap with cellophane and butcher paper.  I have gotten plenty fast....but pushing it into a bag would be quick and easy.   

[NRA4LIFE]

8-10 lbs per minute is what I get with my 1 HP, #22.  I grind about 200 lbs per year I estimate and that grinder is plenty for me.  But as stated, it's a heavy beast.  I'll add that I vacuum seal my burger and mash them flat.  Stores nice in the freezer and thaws quickly.

[Stein]

I bag meat too, on my Cabelas grinder you can't have the cutting blade and plate on at the same time as the stuffer tube which is too bad.  Someone should invent one where you can and then the second grind would go straight into the bag, maybe other brands already do?

I use my stuffer now, so much easier than trying to feed it back through the grinder a third time to use the stuffing tube.