Meat Grinder

Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
1,252
Location
Fort Myers , FL
I have a LEM 1 hp big bite. Hands down the best money I spent on processing. It takes big strips that cut down on labor and time and I have never had to grind twice. After I cut up the meat in strips I do get it very cold and firm. One and done.
 

Read1t48

WKR
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Oregon
LEM 3/4 Big Bite for me. Does dual grind which saves a lot of time. It will grind meat as fast as I can stuff it.
 
Joined
May 26, 2022
Messages
304
I have an old Turboforce 3000 by STX International and that thing is a beast. I have had it for almost 10 years now and use it mostly to grind chicken to make cat food. That thing will power through chicken thigh bones and even chicken drumstick bones. Eventually the grease dried up and it started making a loud noise so I opened it up and re-greased all the cogs and its running like new again. For $160 it has been one of the better tools I have bought.
 
Joined
Sep 28, 2018
Messages
2,197
Location
VA
The 32 will eat it as fast as we can feed it.

I don't even cube meat now. I cut stuff into 2" thick strips and drop them down the hole. I timed myself grinding an entire deer worth of meat using the 3/16" plate and it took 3 minutes. Me dropping the meat down the hole was the choke point
 
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
2,413
Location
Idaho
You might check out Waltons. I get all of my spices and sausage supplies from them. I know they have a pretty decent black Friday sale on their processing supplies. I have an older 1hp Cabelas grinder. It's an absolute beast! That is the only thing branded with their name that I will claim to own.
 

Snowwolfe

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 28, 2016
Messages
250
Location
Alaska
I had a 3/4 hp grinder for years. It worked great on the first grind. Not so good on second grind. I went to great pains to make sure the meat was partially frozen when doing the second grind but it took a lot longer than the first and more effort with the plunger. Mind you, the 3/4 was OK and did what I asked but I always like more power:)
Sold the 3/4 and bought a Lem 1 1/2. Love it. I don’t have to cut the meat in small pieces and the bigger grinder pieces are easier to clean and grinding both the first and second grinds is way faster. For me the upgrade and extra cost was worth it.
 

Loebs

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
140
Location
Florida
I have a #22, 1hp. It is an older cabelas model. Had some additional features that others didn't at the time. It runs very cool and quiet for its size. It' more that I need, but when we grind, we do multiple animals at a time. It really takes two guys to feed it with how fast it grinds. I just did 65 lbs of antelope last week. Timed it and had it all through in under 3 minutes. Pricey but one of the better investments I have made in my processing equipment. The bigger the grinder, the easier it is to clean, you can actually get your hands into the throat and clean it all out.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk
 

Weldor

WKR
Joined
Apr 20, 2022
Messages
1,832
Location
z
I use a Amazon special 1 hp, it works great Denili brand. Run abount 40 to 60 pounds a year through it. It will stuff burger bags no worries or make sausage. I think I paid around $200 bucks or less.
 
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
713
Location
Mount Airy, NC
I have the 1HP bought last year during Black Friday. I did a couple smaller deer with it and used the stuffing horns for one of those. You can’t beat the deal and it did great (I had a cheaper 1/2hp non commercial by Cabels for a few years) but something to consider is size and weight. It’s very heavy and large. Be sure you have a place to store it.
 

HiMtnHntr

WKR
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
626
Location
Wyoming
I use the Meat 1.5 hp #32. It's fun to try to keep up with. We do half dozen or more animals per year with the kids now tipping them over...
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Messages
674
Location
Boulder, Wy.
Lem big bite #12 I can't keep up with it, wish I would have done the dual grind though
keep the meat cold and I will process a elk in short time, ive ran a mule deer antelope and elk so far, have my wife elk in the cooler ready to be ground up as well this week, I like the bags and the tape machine from Lem super easy to use and the stainless stuffer works great too, also the foot pedal I ordered too,, that is awesome im very glad I got the foot pedal,,,,,,, keep them all cold!
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
910
We do multiple deer/elk on our old Cabela‘s 3/4 HP, #12. Plenty fast for our use. The only feature I miss is reverse, could have used it once when a grinder knife got run through the grinder, but that’s a story for another time.

We also stuff sausage right off the grinder with no issues. When it dies, we’ll get another 3/4HP, hopefully with reverse, because we have all the #12 attachments.

What ever one you get, buy the foot pedal and replace any cheap plastic nozzles with SS.
 

sram9102

WKR
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
1,036
Location
IN
I recently got the 1hp MYM grinder and the biggest difference for me in processing time is the size of chunks you can run through it. With the #12 I used to borrow 1" was about right for it. I did a batch of duck sausage just too see how it ran. Whole mallard breast went through no problem. Going to really cut down on time at the cleaning table.
 

Margoot

FNG
Joined
Sep 13, 2019
Messages
41
This is my suggestion... Cabelas 1/2hp commercial unit .. Attachments can be purchased .. It's not terribly expensive... If not in a hurry you can catch them on sale... It's a well liked line of grinders ..
 

Rich M

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
5,576
Location
Orlando
I have a 3/4 hp LEM big bite and do the same as someone above said - cut the meat into strips and let it chew. Have done 200-250 pounds of beef in one session. It is nice and quiet too.
 

GT1

FNG
Joined
Oct 19, 2022
Messages
14
Location
Alaska
I finally broke down and got the cabelas 1.5 this year and its a beast, i'd recommend getting the cooler pack accessory as well.
 
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
60
Thanks for the info here. I wanted the #22 MTM, but guess I’ll be fine with the #12. Just starting out processing my own and have a lot of start up costs.
 
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