Stuffing Summer Sausage is Slow Work

JZ · February 01, 2012, 10:51:32 AM

I am getting my first batch of SS ready for smoking and been at it all morning. So far so good except for the stuffing part. It took me about 20 minutes to stuff the first one and 15 to do the second one.

I think it might be the cheap grinder I bought but not sure. The sausage is really sticky after mixing in all the cure and spices and maybe what is going on is normal. But since its my first time I am not sure. I made sure to use the stuffing wheel and the largest stuffing tube (7/8") that came with the grinder but it still takes forever for the meat to come out of the grinder. If I put any back pressure on the tube then the grinder won't pump out the meat and if I don't the casing doesn't get filled properly.

Found it was faster to put the meat in the casing with a spoon and then squeeze it to get the air out. That way it only takes about 5 minutes to do a casing. Hopefully I am getting the air out or I won't have very nice looking sausages. Time will tell.

I still have another batch to do and want to find a better way or determine what I am doing wrong so that I can fix it.

Here's a pic of the first 3. I put the remaining meat and the grinder (other than the motor) into the freezer to cool off a bit to see if that will help and will stuff the last 1 or 2 after my coffee.

FLBentRider · February 01, 2012, 10:59:32 AM

I see you have learned why grinders do not make good stuffers.

Sam3 · February 01, 2012, 11:04:11 AM

Great looking chubs!

drunknimortal · February 01, 2012, 02:23:00 PM

I discovered the same thing, I went an got a stuffer.

watchdog56 · February 01, 2012, 03:14:52 PM

I used to use my grinder and after a couple of batches I spent about $150 for a 5# stuffer with metal gears. Well worth the money and saves a TON of time.

ghost9mm · February 01, 2012, 03:29:06 PM

Yep !!! what they all said... :D.. but you done good, there is no one here that did not have a learning curve...

Tater · February 01, 2012, 03:36:25 PM

I learned the hard way too. Pay attention to what Watchdog says about the metal gears. I learned that lesson the hard way too!

JZ · February 01, 2012, 03:59:32 PM

Yeah I was looking at one locally and noticed it has plastic or vinyl gears and i was thinking that probably is not a good thing.

pikeman_95 · February 01, 2012, 04:20:07 PM

JZ
What a bummer. Grinders are just not good stuffers. Very good grinders only work a little. Cheap grinders just don't work. If you are just getting started one of the small vertical stuffers will work fine. You just have to buy one with the metal gears. At some time when you are tired of doing just 5 pounds at a time give me a call. Here is what hydro stuffer can do.

http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/A%20%20SAUSAGE%20WITH%20FRIENDS%20280%20POUNDS/?action=view&current=STUFFINGSUMMERSAUSAGEWITHMARK.mp4

Kirby

Sailor · February 01, 2012, 04:24:35 PM

Nice looking chubs! Yep, just like the others have said. Grinders are great for "grinding" and stuffers are great for "stuffing". Stuffers don't work so pretty good for grinding :o and grinders don't work so pretty good for stuffing ;D Come to think about it, never did try to grind with my stuffer but I think you get the picture. ;D

lophole · February 01, 2012, 05:31:38 PM

Get a stuffer and enjoy yourself instead of being frustrated. Sausage making is fun! I've been doing it for over 65 years. Enjoy!
Lophole

Flyboyandre · February 01, 2012, 05:53:58 PM

Quote from: pikeman_95 on February 01, 2012, 04:20:07 PM
JZ
What a bummer. Grinders are just not good stuffers. Very good grinders only work a little. Cheap grinders just don't work. If you are just getting started one of the small vertical stuffers will work fine. You just have to buy one with the metal gears. At some time when you are tired of doing just 5 pounds at a time give me a call. Here is what hydro stuffer can do.

http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/A%20%20SAUSAGE%20WITH%20FRIENDS%20280%20POUNDS/?action=view&current=STUFFINGSUMMERSAUSAGEWITHMARK.mp4

Kirby

Getting the Kirby Cannon will be your best sausage gadget ever!

JZ · February 01, 2012, 06:08:48 PM

Kirby

That was amazing. Nice job on the design and build. I seen another video of your cannon that someone posted, I think it was Devo, and that was also impressive. The cannon beats the crap out of what I was using and stuffing by hand. If I decide to really get into this stuff I will PM you.

Lophole

If my first batch turns out I will be a happy camper but I forgot to add water when I was mixing things and am afraid my sausage will not turn out - I have posted this on another thread. Hoping for the best. I will find out tomorrow when I smoke the chubs.

bundy · February 01, 2012, 06:25:11 PM

I don't know, my first stuffer was a USED herters 5# with plastic gears and I stuffed 100's of pounds through it, then bought a 11# metal geared stuffer and that works great also. Still use the 5#'r cause it's easy to clean and works great to this day.
pd $20 for it on ebay.

pikeman_95 · February 01, 2012, 06:25:22 PM

JZ
Your sausage might be just a little dry but I don't think you totally screwed it up. I bet you are still pleased. The chubs look really good for all the trouble you had.
Kirby