What is wrong with my meat grinder if the meat doesn't come out in strings?  If the meat is "mashing" and does not come out in strings during grinding, the grinding knife may be dull.  Change grinder plates and knives at the same time for optimum performance.  Remember that keeping your equipment clean is important!  To thoroughly clean your game processing equipment, use hot water, soap and a brush to reach into nooks and crannies.  Be safe!

What should I know before I begin to mix sausage?  Before mixing, spray the tub with vegetable oil to assist in the clean-up.  It is recommended that you use at least 1 ounce of water per pound of meat when mixing. Stop mixing when the meat mixture becomes tacky. Be sure not to over mix!  You will have better results if the meat covers the paddles. 

What should I know before I stuff the casings with sausage?  You will want to soak the fibrous and natural casings for 30 minutes prior to using.  Collagen middles need to be soaked in saltwater. You should check for nicks in your casings before filling.  Add 1 ounce of water per one pound of meat when mixing sausage meat before filling your casing.  Once you have filled the casing and you see there is an air pocket, you can use a pin to remove.  Hog rings and pliers work well to close both ends of the sausage casing.  Be sure to add your seasonings into the meat and blend well before putting into your sausage stuffer.  Meat mixers will blend more evenly and take half the time, than by doing by hand. 

What do I need to know about jerky making?  Using a jerky cannon or gun is the easiest way to make jerky, but you can also cut the meat into strips and marinate.  If you are slicing jerky from cuts of meat, always cut with the grain.  This will allow you to bite into the jerky across the grain to make for easier eating.  Place the meat onto a rack and pan and cook at a low heat in the oven or place in a food dehydrator.  If the seasoning you use while making your jerky, does not have cure already included, it is recommended that you add some.  Cure will reduce the incidence of botulism and other bacteria that can result from low temperature cooking. It also enhances the color and flavor of the meat.  Homemade jerky must be frozen after two weeks.  This is because there are no chemicals or preservatives like you would find in store bought jerky.

What can I do to protect my wild game from freezer burn?  After you have processed your big game into desirable cuts, it is important to properly wrap and freeze the packages.The most effective way to freezer wrap items is to use a quality freezer paper that is waxed or polycoated on one side.  The coated side of the paper should go against the meat.  You can also wrap freezer sheets around the meat to aid in the protection over freezer burn.  When you wrap items for the freezer, be sure to eliminate all the air from the package and have no holes in the wrapping material.  Inferior wrapping supplies or improper wrapping can contribute to freezer burn.  Freezer burn will cause the meat to lose its' flavor and nutrients.  Don't forget to date and mark your packages before putting in the freezer.  Try to avoid stacking freshly wrapped meat on top of each other.  By spreading the new packages in layers, it will ensure quicker and more even freezing.

What is the proper way to sharpen a knife?  When steeling a knife, you should steel at a 22 degree angle.  To help maintain this angle, stand the steel straight up, placing the tip on a cutting board, holding the handle of the steel.  With your other hand, place the left side of the knife's edge against the right side of the steel at a 22 degree angle.  Putting pressure against the steel with the knife's edge, push down the steel drawing the knife toward you at the same time.  Do this five times.  Then place the right side of the knife's edge on the left side of the steel at a 22 degree angle, and using the same pressure as before, push down on the steel drawing the knife towards you five times.  Always use equal number of strokes for both sides of the knife.

How do I know which grinder size is right for me? Start by asking yourself a couple of questions. It all depends on how much meat you will be processing and how quickly you would like the job to get done. If you just need it for kitchen use, we would recommend the #8 575-Watt grinder (1113). The larger stainless steel grinders are measured by the amount of meat they will process per hour. For these larger grinders you would choose the grinder for it’s speed in processing pounds of meat per hour. The more horsepower and the larger the grinder head size the faster the grinder will work. The #5 .25HP (W777) will process approximately160 lbs. of meat per hour, the #8 .35HP (W779) will process approximately 240 lbs. of meat per hour, the #12 .75HP (W780) will process approximately 360 lbs. of meat per hour, the #22 1HP (W781) will process approximately 550 lbs. of meat per hour, and the #32 1.5HP (W782) will process approximately 720 lbs. of meat per hour.

How do I figure out what size tube, knife, or plate I need for my grinder? Stuffing tubes, grinder plates and knives are ordered according to head size. LEM head sizes are standard.

The head is the “L” shaped piece in which the meat is put into and extrudes out of. Many heads have a number imprinted on the side. You can also find the head size imprinted on the edge of the plate or the side of the knife.

Standard LEM head sizes are #5, #8, #12, #22, and #32. There are larger grinders.

Approximate plate dimensions are in the chart below:

How do I determine what size tube I need for my stuffer?
To determine the size tube you need for your stuffer you would first measure the base of an existing tube. If you do not have a tube that fits your stuffer, measure the diameter of the interior of the retaining ring. (The retaining ring is the “nut” that holds the tubes on the stuffer.)

After the base size is determined you will have to determine the size of casing you will be stuffing and purchase a tube of the correct diameter to fit inside the casing.