Anyone used the grinder-stuffer attachment on a Kitchen-Aid?

[bullsi1911]

Any tips or tricks?  I am thinking of whipping out a few test batches of smoked sausage, and since we have the Kitchenaid and attachment, that would just involve getting the casings.

[Smokin Soon]

Just my experiance, not very good at all. I ended up buying a grinder and a vertical stuffer. My Kitchen-Aid is 10 years old. Could be the newer ones are better.

[3rensho]

Haven't tried the KitchenAid (although I have one) and have tried four others.  Wasn't too impressed.  I go with a separate grinder and stuffer now and am very happy with that combination.  Separate tools for separate tasks.

Tom

[drano]

The best tip--buy a stuffer if you can afford it.  You'll be much happier in the long run. 

That being said, I used the Kitchen Aid stuffer a couple times before my stuffer donation to Cabelas. 
I made summer sausage in the 2.5" 3 lb casings.  I ground the meat, then ran it back thru to stuff.  That didn't work very well.  The small auger and the plunger being smaller than the feed tube made it difficult to push ground meat down the grinder neck. 
After that, I ground and stuffed at the same time.  Meat chunks feed thru that grinder pretty well.
If I'm making sausage w/ the Kitchen Aid grinder, I cut meat into 1/2 to 3/4 inch square by several inch long strips then mix in the meat/spice/cure with some water.  This lets the seasoning and cure (cure more important) get mixed pretty well as it gets ground because the meat pieces are pretty small.  The strips pull thru the auger better than cube shaped chunks. 
Your challenge will be controlling the feed rate of meat into the casing when using a grinder.  Obviously feed rate is easier to control w/ a stuffer.  The other advantage of a stuffer is you will most likely not get as much air into the casings with a stuffer as you do will with a grinder.   
So if you feel a stuffer isn't an option, I'd suggest grinding and stuffing at the same time, and cutting the pieces of meat into small strips.  If you had planned to start with ground meat, instead buy pork butt and beef blade roast, cut it up, mix it with your spice/cure, and grind/stuff. 
Sorry this is a little long, but I hope it helps.
Good luck
drano

[sherlock]

I used to use our Kitchen Aid. Worked ok for small batches. Like Drano said above "Your challenge will be controlling the feed rate of meat into the casing when using a grinder". If you are just doing 2 or 3 pounds sporatically then you won't need to up grade.

Now adays, I make more at a time. I made about 60 # last week which I could not have done with the KitchenAid. After I started making 5 or 6 pounds at a clip I upgraded to seperate units. I now have a grinder and a separate stuffer.

Your usage will tell you when its time to move on up.Nathan

[Father Tom]

I agree with SS.  Have tried it but gave up after trying to grind 5# meat.  No Thanks.  Now  all i use is seperate grinder and verticle stuffer.

Tom

[smokeitall]

Any tips or tricks?  I am thinking of whipping out a few test batches of smoked sausage, and since we have the Kitchenaid and attachment, that would just involve getting the casings.

I use the Kitchen Aid grinder attachement for all my grinding...I put 55 lbs of venison and 45 lbs of pork through it this last weekend with no problems....except my wife was mad cuz she wanted to mix up cookies.  I tried the Kitchen Aid stuffer attachment and threw it in the garbage 2 minutes later.  I plan to buy a bigger grinder from Cabelas when I get the money so I can grind faster, but thats the only reason.  My suggestion is get a vertical stuffer..I have the Grizzly 5 lb and it works great.

[Habanero Smoker]

I make small batches at a time; 6 - 12 pounds, and use the KitchenAid grinder, but like most I don't use the stuffer attachment. The only thing I can add to the above discussion is to use the speed #6 setting.

[stillsmoking]

Thanks for all the good info folks.  I have a Kitchen Aid that I inherited and use for grinding.  The grinding is great, I whip through a lot of meat in a big hurry once I am set up but have never used the stuffer.  I do a fair amount of sausage but have mostly preferred to season the meat and freeze in the past.  I need to stretch my wings a bit though and give a season or two's worth of effort into the stuffed and cured stuff.  Good question bullsi1911 and good answers too!

[FLBentRider]

I have the Kitchen-aid. It works ok. I see a dedicated grinder and stuffer in my future.

[pensrock]

My dad uses the KitchenAide grinder but we use my old cast iron stuffer to stuff it with.

[Piker]

I used a stuffing tube with my Northern tool grinder and did not like the texture so got a 5lb. stuffer works great. A bigger one would be nice but I dont do large batchesso this as good

[Caribou]

I have both the grinder and stuffer attachment on my KitchenAid mixer and I've only made one 3# batch of sausage with it and I'm already wanting to upgrade to something capable of larger volumes.  Now I do not have the professional mixer I own the Artisen which is not has powerful.  But the power was not the problem, I felt limited by the small volume of the attachments and how difficult it was to keep a steady stream of meat flowing out of it while stuffing sausage.  And I had help when I stuffed the sausage..my only job was to keep shoving the meat into the grinder and I couldn't keep it flowing out continuously.  I've ground meat with it and do not have as much to complain about that function...but the small tray on the grinder was a bit of a pain.  They make an attachment for the grinder to add a bigger tray to it...they should just make it with a bigger tray ::)
I still love my KitchenAid mixer...the ice cream making attachment rocks! Now that attachment I can recommend, but that's off topic isn't it? ;)

Carolyn

[deb415611]

Carolyn,

Do you have the bigger tray for the grinder?  If you do, does it help at all?

I got a 5lb vertical stuffer for Christmas & it is so much better than trying to stuff with the kitchen aid. 


Deb

[Caribou]

Hi Deb,
No, I don't have the larger tray attachment.  But I'm planning on getting it. I saw it listed at Amazon.com for around $20.
I'm wanting to get separate meat processing equipment but with the economy hitting our business so harshly this year, I probably will try to make do with my KA mixer for the time being.  The bigger tray would be helpful for processing tomatos for canning, too.
Carolyn