Is a meat grinder necessary?

[Whitey Fisk 88]

I'm wondering if a meat grinder is 100% necessary. Do any of you forgo the grinder? One of the biggest reasons is I just don't want one more kitchen item to have to store. Between the instapot, dutch over, blender, air fryer, coffeepot, toaster, crock pot waffle maker, etc. the on the counter and cabinet space is pretty limited. I'm sure I'll get one eventually once we remodel our kitchen, but really don't want one right now.

I've got about 40 lbs of elk that my buddy gave me after I helped him pack it off the mountain this year. I'm thinking I can likely slow cook or smoke some pieces and cut up some pieces into smaller slivers and cook for fajitas.

I know I can take it to a processor, but just wondering for those who don't have a meat grinder, how do to process your meat and what are your recipes or methods for cooking it?

Get rid of your instapot, you have a slow cooker.

Get rid of your air fryer, your ancestors survived just fine without it. Bake in the oven or fry with good animal based fats.

Both are gadgets for lazy people(this will get people on here ass ravaged).

Theyre time savers and nothing else, youre obviously low on space so why have 2 unnecessary items when youre lacking one of the most important tools a hunter should have besides a pressure canner??

 

[Matthausarchery]

Couldn’t say it any better than Whitey… i use my meat grinder more than I thought I would.

 

[Snowwolfe]

I’ve never had one but my bunch don’t care for the ground deer so I never bothered.


What’s your secret? I’ve not had any like better than beef.

IMO if you add 15% pork or beef fat to well cared for venison it is impossible for the average person to tell the difference between beef and venison burger.
I would bet $100 on what I just said.

PS: Life would not be complete without a good grinder.

 

[KoolBreeze]

IMO if you add 15% pork or beef fat to well cared for venison it is impossible for the average person to tell the difference between beef and venison burger.
I would bet $100 on what I just said.

PS: Life would not be complete without a good grinder.

I’ll have to try it. What I’ve had is either pure venison or mixed with some type cheap bacon ends & pieces. It was ok for using for tacos or stuff like that but I didn’t care for it as a burger.

 

[Dark timber]

If you do an even halfway thorough job of butchering, you’ll have lots of small bits and strips of meat that can really has no application other than becoming ground. I can’t even imagine not having a grinder. We use deer/elk for any recipe that calls for burger.

 

[couesbuck22]

Before I had one we would just bag it in ziplocks and take it to the local butcher and have grind it for a small fee finally bought one for ourselves and won’t ever look back.

 

[Snowwolfe]

I’ll have to try it. What I’ve had is either pure venison or mixed with some type cheap bacon ends & pieces. It was ok for using for tacos or stuff like that but I didn’t care for it as a burger.

Bacon ends can mess up some really good burger unless you precook the bacon pieces. We like our burgers medium rare. At medium rare the bacon pieces aren't even cooked halfway thru. Some people love it this way, we do not.

 

[highcountrymuley]

I have a cheap Gander Mountain grinder. I typically get an average of 1.5 deer a year and an elk or half given to me for helping out. I cannot imagine not having a grinder. I too would toss the insta pot... I have a crockpot , a grill, fry daddy and cast iron skillets for all my cooking. I'm sure u can find a place to store it when not in use.... Do u keep all your dishes out on the counter too? C'mon man!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I used my wife's kitchenaid for a number of years and nearly destroyed it grinding meat. I went big then, 1 HP Weston. I couldn't live without it now.

 

[raycer171]

A grider is the second best processing purchase I've made, first is a chamber vacuum sealer. However, only you can decide if it's necessary for you.

 

[long hunter]

Yes

 

[OneGunTex]

Folks keep saying grinder = burger, but I grind for sausage more than burger. Your meat processing world opens up so much when you start making your own sausage - not just your regular processor "venison links" or summer sausage, but any variety from around the world can be made well with venison cut with either pork or beef fat.

Literally life-changing and you'll get a lot more variety out of your game meat (rather than buying kielbasa, brats, chorizo, whatever from the store)

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[TheGDog]

I don't wanna fuss with trying to make sausage links. So if you're somebody who wants to enjoy your own sausage creations... and not have it being shoved into links.... what's the best long-term storage option technique in terms of storing the freeform, not-enclosed-in-casing sausage end-product? Just plasticware containers I guess, or stuffing it into vacuum-packaging? ...or....??

 

[WCB]

I've made meatballs using a Ninja food processor. So if you want to do what you are saying and maybe have a couple burgers or make meatballs...no a grinder is not needed. You can make small batch "grind" type products without a grinder.

 

[OneGunTex]

I don't wanna fuss with trying to make sausage links. So if you're somebody who wants to enjoy your own sausage creations... and not have it being shoved into links.... what's the best long-term storage option technique in terms of storing the freeform, not-enclosed-in-casing sausage end-product? Just plasticware containers I guess, or stuffing it into vacuum-packaging? ...or....??

Just use the game meat bags that processors use for ground meat!
I agree stuffing links is a labor of love and hard to get right. I "bulk pack" all of my breakfast sausage, chorizo, and usually some other stuff as well. Then just form into patties to cook or break up into your dish like ground meat.

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[Lone Duck]

I store my grinder in a rarely used cooler, which also makes a good travel container while heading North for bear hunting. We process our bears before leaving camp, which makes it nice for loading the freezer when we get home.

 

[Rich M]

You use the grinder a couple times a year at most - usually we use it processing big game or the free range cows we buy. Other than that, it goes in a tote in the garage.

 

[z987k]

Folks keep saying grinder = burger, but I grind for sausage more than burger. Your meat processing world opens up so much when you start making your own sausage - not just your regular processor "venison links" or summer sausage, but any variety from around the world can be made well with venison cut with either pork or beef fat.

Literally life-changing and you'll get a lot more variety out of your game meat (rather than buying kielbasa, brats, chorizo, whatever from the store)

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This is so true. Especially considering the usual suspects that the game processors offer are rather crap to be honest.

 

[Boarmaster]

I don't wanna fuss with trying to make sausage links. So if you're somebody who wants to enjoy your own sausage creations... and not have it being shoved into links.... what's the best long-term storage option technique in terms of storing the freeform, not-enclosed-in-casing sausage end-product? Just plasticware containers I guess, or stuffing it into vacuum-packaging? ...or....??

I make a lot of bulk sausage. I use the grinder to put bulk in meat bags. They are cheap and they work great. I bought a taping device to seal them up. I use a large tube and a plate in the grinder designed for that application. Before that I vac packed the bulk sausage in one lb packages. Sort of flattened them so they stacked good in the freezer and easy to thaw out. I have several stuffers but I dread stuffing and making links. Once I made bulk bratwurst and just cooked them on the grill or cast iron pan and they were really great on a burger bun.

 

[Boarmaster]

Folks keep saying grinder = burger, but I grind for sausage more than burger. Your meat processing world opens up so much when you start making your own sausage - not just your regular processor "venison links" or summer sausage, but any variety from around the world can be made well with venison cut with either pork or beef fat.

Literally life-changing and you'll get a lot more variety out of your game meat (rather than buying kielbasa, brats, chorizo, whatever from the store)

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I refer to it as grind or ground rather than burger. But your spot on with opening up so many options.