Whats your Favorite processing equipment?

[BfloHunter]

Just like the title says I am looking for some of your suggestions on your favorite food processing equipment. This will be my first year fully processing my own deer so I'd like to know what some of your suggestions on equipment are for making sausage, jerky and burgers...

[noahmstone]

my favorite tools for processing are my buck 110 and a quality sharpening steel makes things go a lot easier if you can keep your knife sharp. other than that I use a gander mountain #5 meat grinder it isn't the fastest but it gets the job done. as for jerky I slice some of the meat into 1/8"-1/4" strips as i am cutting everything else up, sausage I just mix the season into some of the burger i already ran through the grinder, most people run a little bit of pork fat through the grinder with their burger they are going to use for sausage but i am lazy and don't mind that it is lean and somewhat dry.

Edited November 29, 2012 by noahmstone

[verminater71]

the best money I ever spent....was on a good meat grinder....there are several good maufactures...

gander usually has some good deals.....

[greensider]

icutmost of my deer meat with a fish fellet knife and run it across a draw type sharpener often

[Gizmo285]

Definitely need a Good Meat Grinder. Also a good Stuffer if you are going to load the meat into casings..........

[BfloHunter]

the best money I ever spent....was on a good meat grinder....there are several good maufactures...

gander usually has some good deals.....

Do you like the manual or electric versions?

[noahmstone]

Do you like the manual or electric versions?

You definitely should go with an electric. My father bought a manual one when I was kid we used it one season and went back to making everything into stew beef. I never used another one until I borrowed my father in laws electric grinder a few years ago now I use it for every deer.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Id say my electric grinder has been my best investment, right behind that is my slicer. As for a kinife, a good filet knife is all you need. I bought a whole set of processing knives, and all I use is the boning knife for skinning. After that, its a razor sharp filet knife and a pull through sharpener.

[d-bone20917]

Good thread. I'm in the market for a new grinder right now and I want one that can also pack meat in the sausage casings. I'm currently looking at a Weston. As said above a good boning knife is key too. I prefer the Victorinox Forschner. It is the best I've used and under $20.

[BfloHunter]

What do you guys think of this dehydrator?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0090WOCM6/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_1

[BfloHunter]

As far as a grinder/sausage maker combo this one looks good too

http://www.westonsupply.com/Weston-8-Heavy-Duty-Meat-Grinder-for-Home-Use-p/33-0201-w.htm

[verminater71]

this is what i have....best money i ever spent

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Guide-Series-12-Stainless-Steel-Electric-Meat-Grinder&i=401083&aID=503AJ2H&merchID=4006

[Paula]

What do you guys think of this dehydrator?

http://www.amazon.co..._srch_res_rtr_1

I have this dehydrator, i am happy with it.

[Doewhacker]

As far as a grinder/sausage maker combo this one looks good too

http://www.westonsup...p/33-0201-w.htm

I would look for a bit more power and all metal internals. I recomend going commercial grade, try a kitchen outlet store for a deal.

[Early]

My favorite piece of equipment??...A well-seasoned cast iron frying pan....To cook the meat I have processed by a local butcher.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Well, looks like all the bases are covered. Now, hope u start off with a buck first. Their easy. It's those fatty doe that will be fun to do. I'd process 5 buck to 1 doe any day, LOL.

[BfloHunter]

I would look for a bit more power and all metal internals. I recomend going commercial grade, try a kitchen outlet store for a deal.

so the average price of something like that I'm seeing is around $300-$400. Is there anything out there a little cheaper for commercial grade?

Thanks for all the replies so far!

[Doewhacker]

Check a place called Buffalo Hotel Supply, I got a cheap one for @140 a few years back also a member named Culvercreek picked up a real nice one online (from amazon maybe?) for around $200-$300 last year. Actually he got it for free because they smashed it during shipping.

www.buffalohotelsupply.com I deal with these guys threw work so I got a discount but their prices are fair.

[BfloHunter]

Thanks ill check it out

[tughillhunter]

my favorites- a telephone

my f150

and b&r deer processing.

I dont have the patience. lol

[dbHunterNY]

i use a bucket loader but any decent a gambrel and rope hoist with pulleys will work.

also need a good sharp knife. i used a lanski pocket knife that's served me well. it's used from field to freezer. also a i use a smith's carbide and ceramic sharpener with "v"s you pull the blade through.

regular surgical gloves are good to keep your hands clean and stuff out from under your nails. also you will knick your fingers at some point.... so a Rapala fillet glove or something similar is a good idea for hand not holding the knife.

meat tubs or pans are handy but in a pinch cheap foil disposable pans also work to separate ground stuff and different cuts.

also you'll need a good electric grinder. i use a commercial Hobart grinder that'll grind a rifle down, but cabelas commerical series grinders are affordable and work great 3/4 horse is all you need. http://www.cabelas.c...80;cat104364180 it's good to have a larger port size 7mm plate to grind once and then a small one 4.5mm to ground through a second time.

sharpie black marker to date and label stuff.

i use 3lb weston ground meat bags for ground venison. they've got markings in 1lb increments on them.

also for everything else a good vaccuum sealer/food saver is a must!!! i used to package in commerical plastic wrap and freezer paper but not anymore. nothing gets freezer burn when i've vaccuum sealed.

.....cutting board and some other obvious stuff too

Edited December 19, 2012 by dbHunterNY

[josephmrtn]

try lem food processing... ive never use there stuff but i hear its really good....

[moog5050]

icutmost of my deer meat with a fish fellet knife and run it across a draw type sharpener often

+1

[BfloHunter]

i use a bucket loader but any decent a gambrel and rope hoist with pulleys will work.

also need a good sharp knife. i used a lanski pocket knife that's served me well. it's used from field to freezer. also a i use a smith's carbide and ceramic sharpener with "v"s you pull the blade through.

regular surgical gloves are good to keep your hands clean and stuff out from under your nails. also you will knick your fingers at some point.... so a Rapala fillet glove or something similar is a good idea for hand not holding the knife.

meat tubs or pans are handy but in a pinch cheap foil disposable pans also work to separate ground stuff and different cuts.

also you'll need a good electric grinder. i use a commercial Hobart grinder that'll grind a rifle down, but cabelas commerical series grinders are affordable and work great 3/4 horse is all you need. http://www.cabelas.c...80;cat104364180 it's good to have a larger port size 7mm plate to grind once and then a small one 4.5mm to ground through a second time.

sharpie black marker to date and label stuff.

i use 3lb weston ground meat bags for ground venison. they've got markings in 1lb increments on them.

also for everything else a good vaccuum sealer/food saver is a must!!! i used to package in commerical plastic wrap and freezer paper but not anymore. nothing gets freezer burn when i've vaccuum sealed.

.....cutting board and some other obvious stuff too

Thank you for the detail. It'll definitely help me being new to processing

[Fletch]

I picked up a relatively cheap electric grinder last year to start making my own sausage. I did 40 pounds last time and had no issues at all. I even used it to stuff the casings. You can spend more but for a 1 to a few times a year use why?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451267_200451267

I will be picking up a stuffer this year so this may be a purchase soon.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200449319_200449319

Next item is good casings...

http://www.makincasing.com/x/home.php

I picked up some plastic tubs to mix meat and spices to set in fridge and already had a vacuum packer which is a must item for any hunter/fisherman.

Then the number one tool the Weber Grill!!