I purchased a new 11 pound stuffer on the weekend, I bought it from Princess Auto but it looks identical to the Weston model sold in the US.
My first project was some snack sticks using the small spindle. At the end, there seemed to be quite a bit of meat left over at the bottom of the stuffer, in the horn and of course in the spool. It seemed like too much, is this normal? What do other members do with the excess, it was much more than just a bit for a sample taste.
I have the same stuffer. I take the remaining sausage out of the stuffer and use a small sausage shooter (like the ones PA sells for breakfast sausage) and use that to stuff the last of the meat.. There is very little meat left in that little shooter when done. I also made a set of wooden push rods to push the meat out of the horns. The push rods are just dowels I turned on a lathe. They are slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of each horn.
I push the last bit of meat through the horn with the handle of a wooden spoon.
I am not familiar with this stuffer, but when I was a kid, we used to push old bread through the sausage stuffer at the end of the batch to clear all the meat out.
I have the same stuffer I worry about the leftover meat getting too warm and spoiling so I empty the stuffer and tube quickly and fridge it.I usually have it for dinner that day or I'll vac bag it and freeze when I bag up the sausages.
I have the 11# stuffer from Cabelas and it does the same, at about 3/4 #. I've tried the bread slice trick, but still leaves a lot of meat in the bottom. It gets made into patties.
I have the Weston 11# pound stuffer and it leaves a bunch in the neck before the horn. We just clean it out and either have it for breakfast with eggs or make patties and enjoy it like hamburgers.
I threw my excess in the freezer this time and am going to thaw it and put in the next batch that I do.
I have the Weston 11# pounder and I like some of the others enjoy it in patty form for breakfast or the hamburger. If someone figures out a cure for this let me know. Thanks.
I have 11# Cabela's model and hated the 3/4# leftovers. Best cure that I know of is the Kriby Cannon! The only meat left when done stuffing is what's in the stuffing horn. I stuff about 1000 to 1500#s a year and I just love this stuffer.
Some good suggestions, thanks. I think I'll get a small shooter to finish off the remaining meat. Freezing and adding to the next batch is a good idea too.
Joe
Thanks for the kind words on my stuffer. I am glad it's working well for you. When the piston bottoms out against the front end, even the mustard seed is smashed flat. I would have a little suggestion for you. I take some electrical tape and tape over the end of the next smaller stuffing tube. Now you can use it to ram the last of the meat out of the larger tube that you are using and push it on into the casing. Wa-la nothing left. Though I don't mind a little left for a sample some times. I sure sounds like you are giving my stuffer a good work out.
Have fun.
Kirby
I realize this is a dated thread, but if you have a small cookie press, they work and some tubes will fit depending on your diameter. Another thought is that they sell empty plastic caulk gun tubes with the plunger piece that are very cheap. Just cut the tip to your desired size and you should be able to fill short lengths of casing. Wash it up when done and reuse it.
Quote from: JZ on November 03, 2014, 02:04:03 PM
I have the same stuffer. I take the remaining sausage out of the stuffer and use a small sausage shooter (like the ones PA sells for breakfast sausage) and use that to stuff the last of the meat.. There is very little meat left in that little shooter when done. I also made a set of wooden push rods to push the meat out of the horns. The push rods are just dowels I turned on a lathe. They are slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of each horn.
When I made my push rods I forget to take into account the inevitable swelling from cleaning the rods after use
The stuffer manufacturers build them that way to minimize damage to the gears and motors. I have a Cabelas 20 lb stuffer that leaves over 2 lb in the bottom; that's unacceptable. One of these days I'm going to add 3 more teeth to the shaft so the plate will go all the way to the bottom of the stuffer. For now I'm using a homemade spacer.
I fashioned a spacer out of styrofoam that worked for a long time. Finally got it stuck and broke it.
If you make one be sure to wrap it in a couple of layers food wrap:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/wyogoob/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Styrofoam%20Plunger_a_sm_zps3yg5e8y5.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/wyogoob/media/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Styrofoam%20Plunger_a_sm_zps3yg5e8y5.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/wyogoob/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_b_zpsxfcefaub.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/wyogoob/media/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_b_zpsxfcefaub.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/wyogoob/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_a_zpsrllxivh0.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/wyogoob/media/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_a_zpsrllxivh0.jpg.html)
Made another spacer out of modeling clay. Just run the press all the way down on a nice ball of clay wrapped in food wrap. Bake it in the oven to make it hard. Sand about 1/16" away around the perimeter. Wrap it in about 4 layers of food wrap pulling a "handle" of food wrap up on the top of the clay spacer, and stuff away!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v226/wyogoob/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_c_sm_zps50cna88a.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/wyogoob/media/Cooking%20from%209-6-10/Equipment/Stuffer%20Spacer_c_sm_zps50cna88a.jpg.html)
Still, a small amount of sausage is left in the exit trough, 1/2 lb or less.
Sometimes I like the bulk sausage that's left in the bottom so I don't use the distance piece.
I have a 5# stuffer, and it leaves just enough that we can pan fry it up for our sample! Works out great and the wife and I look forward to it.
Bigger stuffers = more left over.
AkBillyBow