Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Meat grinder for making jerky and summer sausage?

Does anyone have a recommendation for a meat grinder for making venison jerky and summer sausage that doesn't cost a fortune?

For the price,I'd give one like this a shot.
Go to Ebay and put in this number 224017438149 It's a stainless steel #12 grinder $213.95,free shipping from Lisle, Illinois, United States.You can also get a three yr protection plan if you choose for an additional $20.99.

It all depends on how much work you want to do before grinding unless you are going to use nothing but clean cuts of meat. You could get something under $100 but if you are not using clean cuts of meat you will need to remove as much silver skin and sinew as possible because they get clogged up real easily and they have plastic gears that will eventually break. If you are always going to use clean cuts and you or your significant other has a kitchenaid stand mixer, then you could just get the grinding attachment. I bought a no name 1hp grinder off of ebay like the one mentioned above 20 years ago and its still going strong. I have butchered over 100 deer and a dozen or so hogs with it. If it ever breaks down, I will probably get another just like it.

If I was to buy a new grinder, and I'm thinking hard on it, I'd opt for one of the dual grinds from either Meat! or LEM. So very nice to run the meat through once and be done with it. I borrowed a #22 LEM with the dual grind last year. I can't imagine that thing even slowing down with anything that doesn't have a bone in it.

Did you notice any difference in grind quality using separate coarser/finer grinding steps versus the stuffing plate and grinding plate of the dual grind?

I'm looking at a LEM #8 0.5HP Big Bite. It has the versatility to run a meat mixer, jerky slicer/tenderizer, juicer etc.

Overkill for what I do, but buy once, cry once.

I didn't notice it enough to matter to me! Not sure that's really an answer, but...

I just like it going into the grinder once and then straight into the tube. Saved lots of time/steps.

Meat and check out the Black Friday deals! $489 for a 22

I've got an LEM #8 I believe 1/2 horsepower. I've had it 20 plus years , done who knows how many deer , bear and a bunch of pork sausage. No complaints

having done sausage with a grinder, I found that the result came out emulsified and resembled a uniform, gray paste. I have since picked up a sausage stuffer, and use it when doing summer sausage. Much better experience.

Courser grind for sausage, then remove grinding plate and stuff through a 3 hole stuffing plate. Works just fine.

FWIW, if you have a Rural King, their Lincoln Outfitter stuff is made by LEM and far better pricing.

Bass Pro/Cabela's has put their #5 grinder on sale this week for $69.99. If you're a low volume jerky/sausage maker you might want to check it out, I've had mine for several years and it has served me well.