Grinding our own for 1st time-suggestions?

[Hunter&Huntress]

We are borrowing a grinder so that we can save some $$ and we know that it's ours. I know adding fat or suet is common. What are your suggestions? We live in Bozeman, so if you know of a place to acquire fat or suet please share your knowledge!! Thanks!

 

[mdunc8]

I use the Meat Shoppe over on North Rouse. I usually go with 10%.

 

[cowboy]

Grinding your own meat

We add 7% beef suet in our burger and breakfast saucage. Just about any store that has a butcher shop can save you suet (Got mine from Albertson's for years) but you may need to call them in advance and give them an order as they may not butcher every day. I do not know what kind of grinder you are borrowing but a couple of hints that may make things go better. Put your ready to grind meat in a cold spot (freezer or whatever) for about 30-45 minutes and then run thru the grinder. Well chilled meat grinds much easier depending on the size and quality of your grinder. If you have different size plates (The little round piece with holes in it) for your grinder you might want to use a larger hole size for the first grind while mixing in your suet and then I would recommend regrinding a second time with a smaller size plate and it should come out looking like you bought it from the butcher shop.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Don't skimp, get at least a 3/4 HP. Usually they will handle other neat attachments you may wish to purchase in the future. John

 

[Khunter]

I do not add any suet for hamburger grind. The fat is the first thing to go bad in a freezer. Takes just a little extra care when grilling burger, but not a big deal, and I like my animal to be 'all' my animal instead of mixing in who knows what from some butcher shop.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Long time ago I quit grinding any wild game. Stew meat is much more preferred in our house, and so easy to make stews, chilis, tamales, burritos, spaghetti, etc....

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I use 50/50 pork from the Meat Shoppe...it's in the freezer in cubes now. I add @ 7% fat (so 14% 50/50) for "hamburger" burger, and don't add any for taco/speghetti/etc. use. For sausage I add approx. 10-12% fat. Lots of different ways to go, but that's what we like.

 

[Ben Lamb]

One thing also to consider is that pork fat or suet is much healthier than beef fat. Pork is full of mono-unsaturated fats and has higher levels of "good" cholesterol.

We generally go with about a 5% fat content on our burger, and about 15% on our sausage. Have worked well for us in the past.

I would second the recommendation to use a coarse grind plate for the first and then go to a finer plate for the second grind.

 

[Khunter]

One thing also to consider is that pork fat or suet is much healthier than beef fat. Pork is full of mono-unsaturated fats and has higher levels of "good" cholesterol.

.

Been trying to lose some weight, think I'll have bacon for dinner

 

[thecrittergitter]

I do all my own processing. Burger, steaks, sausage, pepper stix, jerky, etc.....

On any burger or sausage, you really need to add something, i use 10%. Otherwise, you pretty much can't even make a hamburger patty without it falling apart.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Been trying to lose some weight, think I'll have bacon for dinner

I'm not a doctor, but I've seen one on tv, and I approve of this plan.

 

[Gunner46]

I'm just a cheap-skate and usually lazy. I just go the the grocery and buy the cheapest sausage I can find. 1 part sausage, 3 parts Game works pretty good. Works for everyone who ever ate 9 burgers at one of my cook outs !

 

[ballmon]

grinding your meat

I use pork fat for burger and sausage and it works great for both. Have went through 2 cheap grinders in the past 4 years so take it easy if its a cheapy and its borrowed. I mix it in about 10 pound batches especially sausage and cook up a small piece each batch to make sure its what I want before i vacum seal it (?%). Its much easier if you have help. Its taken a few years but my wife is on board now and goes way faster. My wife had a brilliant idea this year and took some of the large muscles (roasts) to work where they had a slicer and sliced alot of it for stir fry, sandwiches, jerky, etc. and its turned out great with no effort or cost.

 

[Hunter&Huntress]

Thank you all for your advice. It was a process, but with four of us, it took way less time than I thought it would!

 

[mtmiller]

I used to go the suet route at about 5%. I now just get fatty burger and mix it that way.

 

[Zach]

Bringing this one back to the surface...

I know the ratio on game/fat, but how much does everyone remove of tendon and such. I've got some whitetail and there just seems to be some muscle groups that are laced with tendon or "silver" skin. My uncle doesn't remove much of this and claims his grinder picks most if it out and wraps around the blades.

 

[NChunter]

I try to remove all I can, but some is deep inside some of the muscles, and I leave it. It is really personal preference. You are the one that is going to cook and eat it.

 

[Summitthunting]

I remove all of it, use a sharp fillet knife and fillet it out like a fish. The grinder catches some of it but I think a lot of it will affect the taste of the burger.

 

[Goldtip]

I do exactly as mtmiller does, and have been doing it for years. Usually use one of the 5lb chubs of the fatty beef burger for every 25lbs of elk trim. For sausage I use the cheap "ends and pieces" 3lb packages of bacon. Usually mix about one 3lb pack of the bacon for every 10lbs of deer trim. When you decide to invest in your own grinder, I can highly recommend the 1hp grinder from Cabela's. That thing grinds through meat faster than you can feed it.

 

[CabinFever]

I've gotten beef and pork fat at Lee&Dad's in Belgrade. I've also used the really cheap, really fatty bacon as well. I liked stuff with Pork in it much better.