Meat Grinder

[caddisguy]

Just got word from caddisgirl that she plans on buying a meat ginder while I am out hunting this weekend. I guess she is optomistic I will be coming home with something this time lol ... hope she likes grouse burgers We've always just used a hand grinder, but the convenience of an electric grinder does seem appealing.

Anyway, it sounds like she is planning to check out Cabelas. I was wondering if anyone has tried the "Cabela's Heavy-Duty Grinder" and whether not it is any good, though anny insight into other models is appreciated too.

We aren't looking to grind up dozens of pounds in a day, but maybe a couple pounds when we feel like making burgers or 10-15lbs whenever we bring home an animal.

[.308SLAYER]

Not sure if it's the heavy duty one mut I was using my buddies little cabalas grinder yesterday worked very well I believe this is one of the smaller units took everything I could throw at it

[srupp]

Hmmm I have their biggest? Model 1 3/ 4 hp..the 1 hp are relatively inexpensive...and great quality

Steven

[Phil]

I was at Stuffers in Langley the other day. They have a great selection of sizes of the Pem brand. I'm going to pick up their #12 sized machine. I haven't got big plans for grinding 100s of pounds this season but don't want to sell myself short for the future. They offered me a great price too. You might wan to have a look at their web site and go in. Good people there.

[adriaticum]

Caddis, don't buy a hand cranker, anything else will do.

[caddisguy]

Caddis, don't buy a hand cranker, anything else will do.

Hand cranker is what we use now (an old one too, probably 60 years old)

Here are the specs we were looking at:

Here are the specs on the Heavy Duty Grinder:

• Powerful 400-watt motor
• Three-way switch for grinding, stuffing, and reverse options
• Medium and coarse grinding plates
Do-it-yourself hunters take pride in processing their own wild game. This powerful 400-watt grinder makes home processing quicker and easier. Three #8 grinding plates (medium and coarse). Aluminum hopper, feeder and gearbox for easy, sanitary cleanup. Metal blades and grinding plates deliver years of use. Three-way toggle switch for grinding, stuffing and reverse with cantilever-head release. Stable, nonslip feet and convenient power-cord storage. Includes 10 and 20mm stuffing funnels, stuffing star and an embroidered polyester cover. Dimensions: 14.8"L x 9"W x 12.4"H.

Weight: 9-1/4 lbs.

[longwalk]

Used to hand grind, did half a moose a few years ago. That was a work out. Then went to a small Weston electric grinder, after two deer it was getting pretty hot and was noisier than sin. Bought the 1hp Cabelas Carnivore this year. Have only put two deer through it so far but what a difference. 40lbs of grind through in a few minutes, do not need to be so meticulous with the trimming. stuffing attachments work very well also. made 30lbs of sausage with it. Only other thing I would like to get for it is the foot controller.
As someone else already said, buy once cry once. This unit is a life time grinder

[adriaticum]

Those LEM devices at Stuffers look damn good.

[wrenchhead]

I have that one your looking at. Works great....have ground 75 pounds in one go. I find the key to is to cube the meat so there's no long strings of silver skin or anything to wrap around and bind up the cutter. The sausage tube does work but is not easiest to operate, best to use a stuffer unit.

[SaintSix]

We got ours from basspro, they are the LEM brand. we started with a small one and it was great coming from a hand crank and its almost 10 years old but only use it if we have 1 deer or something small to do. few years after we bought the first one we upgraded to a larger one and it really saved time when we came back from 2 weeks of hunting with up to 7 peoples worth of game to process. they still are going strong but I would buy another if it were to fail, very easy to use, clean and never had any issues. although id stick to the larger one just because it saves time.