Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Game Processing Equipment

So a buddy and I are planning to build a meat processing building at his house and equip it with a decent variety of gear to process not only wild game but also domestic beef, pork, etc.

I have been looking at Cabelas electric meat grinders and while they have a lot of very good reviews, there are also a handful of poor reviews that suggest there could really be a performance issue with them. I understand that with any mass-sold product there is going to be a range of experiences and that some will simply be bad, either due to an actual problem with the product or often due to lack of understanding of how to actually use it.

In the end, I am wondering if you all have any recommendations for a good heavy duty/commercial grade meat grinder that enjoys a solid reputation of being able to perform reliably for a long time.

As well, any suggestions you may have for an ideal equipment list would be appreciated.

Are you available for brunch or lunch next Thursday (Dec 12)?

I'd kind of like to be involved, if nothing other than as an observer. Plus, I have a little bit of commercial experience going back to my childhood, when my dad ran our family butcher shop. I've also got my WV Extension Service friends and good friends at the WV Dept. of Ag., who can help advise.

Like legal moonshining, it is not real difficult. Unfortunately, there are just a lot of regulations and a lot of paperwork. Nothing we couldn't handle.

There is a lot of good used equipment available out there right now. Don't buy new stuff. Cabela's stuff won't make the grade. Things like scales must be on a USDA approved list, and they must be calibrated regularly. Commercial grinders are a lot different than sportsman's grinders.

I'm going to be out most of the rest of today (Wednesday afternoon), and from about noon tomorrow.

Give me a call early tomorrow, on Friday, or over the weekend.

I just made a bunch of delicious smoked turkey loaf, and I've got 7 lbs., of bones, skin, and pork/venison scraps, curing for some pig's knuckle loaf.

Time to go do some welding on one of the trailers.

As a matter of fact, I am, at least as of right now.

Just to be clear, we're planning to just build this for ourselves and maybe a few other family/friends type folks, not for anything commercial that would require licensing. We just both agreed that neither of us trusts any of the local processors to actually give us our deer (or whatever) back and we don't want someone else's when we don't know they've handled it after killing it.

We were talking a few weeks ago and thought it would be really nice to have a decently sized space with a good table or two and the right equipment to make cutting up a deer or otherwise an easier task.

My hearings for the next two days got moved so the rest of the week is open for me and I'll just be sitting here at my desk working on catching up. I'll holler at you later this week.

Ken, I'd be interested in your take on used equipment. Lots of it for sale around here also, and I'm curious about good brands.

When we were at Bruce's last month, I noticed that he had, IIRC, a double commercial stainless steel sink and table that tried to hop into the back of my truck. The used good stuff just makes a lot of sense.

Since it will not be for commercial use, that makes a huge difference.

As for grinders, if you are only doing 10-20 lbs., at a time, one of the LEMs or Kirchner's should be fine. Look for one with metal gears. Also, look for one that has commonly available knives and grinder plates. I have found that HP isn't all that important for the batches we do. Most have sausage stuffer attachments. Many times I'll use one of my old hand crank grinders, but I'm thinking of getting a vertical stuffer.

If you plan on doing a lot more than 10-20 lbs., at a time, look for a used Hobart at a restaraunt supply place.

A Sawzall is pretty handy if you need to do much cutting, like on pork or beef, but a couple of sizes of hand meat saws would be very good for bone in roasts, steaks, etc. As you know, I debone all my venison, but not the pork or beef.

Also look at getting a commercial grade vacuum sealer. We've gone through several home-use units. They also are very slow, especially between cycles. We finally got a Weston that was about $400, but very well worth it. It is very fast, easy to clean, and you really can use most any brand of bags or rolls.

They are pretty much all china made, but we bought a Thunderbird 300 and it's pretty impressive. There is a US flag associated at times with the brand, but it's NOT made in USA.

http://store.butchersupply.net/meat-grinder-electric-thunderbird-model-300e-p165.aspx

Bought it from a Southern Indiana Butcher supply Co

Most of the small gear reduction units are LOUD. This one is pretty tame. We processed pork and chicken through this to feed our dogs a raw diet. Chicken goes through bones and all. Easy no tools disassembly.

Expensive, but worth it.

Todd,I would take a serious look into a used Hobart buffalo chopper with a grinding attachment.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hobart-84145-Buf...=item33877ee0cb

If you do just be careful as a few of the older models are tough to find parts for.

There isnt a ton of info out there on bowl choppers,but once you use one you will be in love.Combine that with a #12pto and you can run just about any commercial kitchen attachment you can imagine.We used to make quite a few different hot dogs at one place I worked and at $6 a pop we couldnt make them fast enough and that was years ago;)

Thanks for that info. We've got a cheap FoodSaver, and have been underwhelmed with it's performance. I was beginning to think vacuum sealer's were like printers. $100 to buy, then $400 a year in ink.

For sinks, trays, racks, shelves, etc, you might check out scratch and dents from retail outlets like Boos or from Amish suppliers. We bought a huge, brand new 3-bay stainless steel sink w/overhead sprayer for our future shed for $300---normally $4100.

Every one of these points are spot on and need to be mentioned again...




I have had a Cabela's commercial 1/2 HP grinder ($300) for the past 5 or 6 years and it regularly does 30-40lbs of burger a year for me without any problems and still runs like it's new. I am still using the same knife and plate that came with it. I wouldn't be afraid of getting another if needed, but stay away from their plastic gear "Heavy Duty" one ($100).

My brother and his buddy bought the commercial 3/4 HP model and it is overkill unless you are planning on doing way more than two or three deer at a time.

Wow, thanks for all the different info, guys! Obviously there is a lot to consider, likely beginning with the design of the space, when we start choosing what equipment to get and how it will all work together.

Keep the ideas coming!

Ok Todd here you go, I know this is a very personal choice, but I like Dexter knives (restaurant knives Dexter, not Showtime Dexter) when I'm cutting a lot of meat. Softball thrown. They're easy to keep sharp and I like the plastic handles. Also, if I ruin one they're pretty cheap to replace.

Day to day cooking, I use Globals.

Dexter

Global

Add my name to the Dexter fan club.....love my carbon steel, (non-stainless), Dexter fillet knives!

I got an Advance Tabco 4 bowl pot sink, brand new in the crate at an online auction from one of the big pharmaceutical companies. It was around 400 bucks, and that included freight shipping. Its a 7K+ sink, and still in the crate.

The bowls are 32 gallons each, and its going in my fish room when it gets built. I'll use it for quarantine, treatments and such. The scrap value of the stainless is well over what I paid for it.

Auctions aren't the same anymore

Thanks, Al. I won't swing at that softball lob about you working your meat. This is a family friendly site, after all!

I appreciate the recommendation. I'm not familiar with that brand but will definitely check it out.

Dexters will last a LONG time,just about every commercial kitchen I've ever been in has a SaniSafe from Dexter somewhere
I probably have more kitchen knives then most from working in the industry.
For home I have a nice global set,for work here (still cater and fill in for friends)I have a mix of Wusthof(rigid boning),Henkels(chefs and paring knife),Global(go to fillet knife),Dexters (mainly use them for when I need a flexible blade) and lastly I have a few high end damascus steel bladed ones(makes a scalpel look dull).

For what you need Dexter is tough to beat,especially since they are made in the USA,but I should warn you knives can be addictive

Are you going to have a walk-in cooler? They are almost a necessity if you process in warm or hot weather. If so, you might consider a Cool Bot, which uses an ordinary window air conditioner. That's what we will have. All my market farming friends are really impressed with this device.

Tony I have a buddy who is a fire station cook, and also cooks at home, so he basically cooks 3 meals a day, 365 days a year.

He swears by Old Hickory knifes just because of the carbon steel. He says they're much easier to keep sharp.

Al, I'm with your buddy. Please leave the chromium out of my fillet knives!

Stainless will hold an edge once sharp, but they're a pain in the butt to sharpen. A steel blade will sharpen much easier, and quicker.

I too primarily use/prefer Old Hickory knives. Two or three slides on a steel, when they aren't razor sharp, gets them dangerously sharp very fast.

When my really good knives need a real resharpening, I only sharpen them with one of these: Smith Diamond Sharping Kit.

For the more generic knives, I use Chef's Three Stage Sharpener and Strop.. I keep it on my butchering bench, and if I am doing a lot butchering with several other people away from home, I take it with me.

And one more thought. Get several good cutting/butchering boards, and a good cleaver. More about this later.

My pig's nuckle / venison shank loaf coldcuts are ready for stuffing into 2-1/2 inch casings and hanging. (Only a boning knife, cleaver, and pressure cooker is needed for this.)

Ive got to get my fish cages emptied, and the get fish filleted. I've also gotta go get my driveway and equipment ready for a potential nasty ice/snow storm starting tomorrow.