Sausage mixing question

[Saber 4]

I'm looking for some input and opinions of mixing sausage seasonings with the meat. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the hand cranked mixers and the electric mixers like the ones Kirby builds versus mixing by hand? Can you get the seasonings evenly distributed without breaking down or emulsifying the meat to much or is it better to do it by hand if you want to keep a course grind feel to your sausage?

I have been cubing my meat, mixing my spices together and then mixing them with the cubed meat and refrigerating before grinding. Then I mix again by hand, re-fridge it and then stuff. It's been working but I want to make sure I'm getting the best mix of seasoning and texture I can get in my sausages.

[wkahler]

I'm going to be following this just for the simple fact that i have been eyeing a crank mixer for a while now and just haven't pulled the trigger on it!

[NePaSmoKer]

Robert

Those 20 lb SS hand mixers work fine when your mixing a full 20 lbs. If you just do 5-10 lbs the mixer is a POJ because the meat just balls and clumps in the middle.

IMHO yoy just cant beat a kitchen aid mixer for mixing meat. Despite what you might have read about using the paddle on the KA, Skip it and use the dough hook. We have the larger KA and i can mix a full 5 lbs. Its a professional 6qt KA.

[renoman]

Saber 4. IMHO the way you are mixing right now is the best way to go. Cube, mix, grind, stuff.

[Sailor]

Robert, I don't think there is a right way or wrong way to mix meat.  I think it is a personal preference.  As a full disclosure, I have never used the Kirby mixer and only read reviews of the SS steel tub mixers.  My only experience is using my 10 speed finger mixer.  I hand mix 10 pound batches and can mix a load pretty quick and clean up is a breeze.  As for the way a guy/gal mixes the spices there are differences of opinions.  Personally I prefer to get my water ready and then add the cure and dissolve the cure.  Then add the salt to the mix and dissolve it.  If the recipe is calling for NFDM I add that next and dissolve it.  Then add the rest of the spices and mix well.  Then the mix goes into the fridge to chill.  When it comes to grinding I only grind one time.  If I want a medium grind or a fine grind that plate goes in and that's the way it gets ground.  Never used the course plate since buying the grinder. 

After the meat has been ground it goes back in the fridge while I get the casings soaking and clean up the grinder and the mess.  When ready to mix, the meat comes out, mix comes out, gloves on and the meat gets "hand" mixed.  I can "feel" when the meat has been mixed the way I want it.  Not saying this is the right way, just saying this is the way that I like to do it.  I think I get a better distribution of the spices by mixing in the water vs sprinkling the dry mix on the meat and grinding but that is just a personal judgement.

I would suggest that you try a batch both ways to see what you like.  Making sausage is kinda like baking a cake.  You can take 10 people and give them the same recipe and let them go at it and you will have 10 different tasting cakes with 10 different textures.  My mother made the best sausage gravy and watched her make sausage gravy as I was growing up.  I use the same stuff that she used and mix it up the same way but mine never tasted like hers.  I taught my daughter to make sausage gravy and they say theirs don't taste like mine.  Go figure!

If I were to make 20 pound loads I would be getting a mixer for sure!  ;D

[Saber 4]

Thanks everyone, I got great reviews on my last batch of sausage today but I am always looking to learn and try new and or better ways of doing things. So if anyone has anymore suggestions or methods feel free to jump in and add them.

[JZ]

I bought one of those hand crank SS meat mixers and I think it was rated for 20lbs but like Nepa said it didn't work worth sh#t for a smaller load and I took it back. The KA or hand mixing work fine (except for the cold hands). :)

[drano]

I like to keep it simple, so I also mix spices/cure into the cut up meat like Saber said in his first post. 
Then run thru grinder and let it do the mixing. 
Noone has complained yet, so I guess it works.  :)

[Jkwellborn]

I have a hand crank mixer. It mixes good. It's a pain to clean sometime.