I Want To Make Snags !

[Renegade]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a cheap hand-powered mincer/grinder for the purposes of making our own snags, and looking at the clamp mounted aluminium ones with an attachment for filling casings.

Something like this: Link

Can anyone tell me what the reference of #5, #8, #10 etc is when these devices are mentioned? If this is the fineness of the grind, which one is most appropriate for sausage mince ?

 

[fraser_john]

Dunno about the one shown, lots of plastic on it. I'd suggest you go round the op-shops like Salvos, Lifeline etc. You are bound to eventually find one that would suit you and its probably going to be all steel or something more durable than plastic. Aldi's had one on sale that was $99, for $60 extra (after their postage), you could get an electric one!

Yes, the #5, #8, #10 are how the grind plates are numbered and it is an indication of the grind fineness (.sp? or is it even a word???). I don't know what the actual numbers mean though

I have a kitchenaid I use, rather than a hand one.

John

 

[tcraig20]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a cheap hand-powered mincer/grinder for the purposes of making our own snags, and looking at the clamp mounted aluminium ones with an attachment for filling casings.

Something like this: Link

Can anyone tell me what the reference of #5, #8, #10 etc is when these devices are mentioned? If this is the fineness of the grind, which one is most appropriate for sausage mince ?

The #s refer to the size of the mincer, the larger the number, the larger the bore of the screw chamber. I think 5, 8, 10 etc. are all clamp mounted, while the larger 22 and 32 are usually bench-mounted. However, there is no logic at all behind the numbering system. A 32 isnt six times larger than a 5.

I have a #32 hand mincer, it does the job for what I want. Ive got it screwed to an old cutting board, which I attach to the bench with a couple of C clamps when I want to use it.

If you are looking for a hand mincer, I have a couple of recommendations: first, Id suggest getting something decent, made of cast iron and not aluminium. I dont know, but I have serious doubts that aluminium would be strong enough to sustain the pressure and strain of mincing for long. Second, get a big one, for two reasons; it makes the job a lot quicker and they are easier to clean. Mincers need to be kept scrupulously clean, scrubbed throughly inside and out. If you are like me and have fat hands, you wont be able to get your hand down the screw to scrub anything smaller than a 32.

Edit: Im actually having some of these for lunch today: http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Beef&a...arlic-Frank.pdf

 

[Tony M]

I'm pretty sure that that number designates the physical size of the machine. 42 bucks landed on your doorstep is a cheap way of determining if you really want to become a sausagineer. My hand cranker is cast iron and extremely robust. It needs to be, for sometimes I need two hands on the crank so the clamp needs to be tightened much more than the little thumbscrew will permit, thus neccessitating the application of the universal solution----the 12" shifter. I dont know if an aluminium body will stand that sort of abuse.

edit: some one was reading my mind whilst I was phapping about.

 

[Renegade]

Thanks Guys.

There's a lot of vintage mincers that turn up on Ebay it seems, and they appear to be cast iron. Probably a better option than the aluminium option as i linked to earlier.

I wonder though, how to fashion an extrusion port suitable for case stuffing for an antique one? Compatibility with modern add-ons might be a drama.

On a completely different approach, Im going to see if my food processor does a good job at mincing chicken or beef, and if so think about another way i might stuff the skins. Anyone tried using an aluminium tube caulking gun ? I notice over at Country Brewer they sell a very similar looking 'stuffer' for a massive price tag.

 

[tcraig20]

Thanks Guys.

There's a lot of vintage mincers that turn up on Ebay it seems, and they appear to be cast iron. Probably a better option than the aluminium option as i linked to earlier.

I wonder though, how to fashion an extrusion port suitable for case stuffing for an antique one? Compatibility with modern add-ons might be a drama.

On a completely different approach, Im going to see if my food processor does a good job at mincing chicken or beef, and if so think about another way i might stuff the skins. Anyone tried using an aluminium tube caulking gun ? I notice over at Country Brewer they sell a very similar looking 'stuffer' for a massive price tag.

The form of mincers doesnt really seem to have changed over time. The ones you get now are much the same as the ones 20 or 30 years ago. I suppose that they work, and there isnt the market to justify reinventing the wheel. If you get an old #22 for example, the sausage stuffing fittings they sell today should fit.

Bake and brew (http://bakeandbrew.com.au/category33_1.htm) sell decent quality hand mincers if you did want to consider a new one, and they also sell the stuffing attachments.

Food processors generally arent suitable for mincing. They tend to emulsify the meat, which you dont really want for most kinds of sausages (some you do, like hot dogs, but they are the exception rather than the rule). As I understand it, the country brewer stuffer is exactly that: a caulking gun and aluminium tube. Ive never used one, but having used a caulking gun, I can see that you would need hands of steel to push a 3 kilo batch of sausages through one. It has RSI written all over it.

Edit: Where are you based Renegade? There might be someone near you who could lend you a mincer, or let you come along to a 'sausage day' so you can see if its for you.

 

[Renegade]

Here's a beauty on Ebay, shame it's pick up only, and I'm in Sydney (homebush bay area). This one looks so robust that it could double as a boat anchor.

Vintage Meat Mincer

I just emailed my dear old mum, there's a chance she's got one in the back of her cupboard that's been unused for 60 years along with all the other unused 'homemaker' junk that never gets used since she burned her bra and refused to be a kitchen slave (for example a couple of years ago I found an old '70's meat slicer in there, and ran my own home delicatessan for a month until I blew it up!) so there's a shout out for a grinder, will wait and see what the reply is.

Failing that, I might take John's idea up and start trawling (trolling?) the Op-Shops.

 

[tcraig20]

Here's a beauty on Ebay, shame it's pick up only, and I'm in Sydney (homebush bay area). This one looks so robust that it could double as a boat anchor.

Vintage Meat Mincer

I just emailed my dear old mum, there's a chance she's got one in the back of her cupboard that's been unused for 60 years along with all the other unused 'homemaker' junk that never gets used since she burned her bra and refused to be a kitchen slave (for example a couple of years ago I found an old '70's meat slicer in there, and ran my own home delicatessan for a month until I blew it up!) so there's a shout out for a grinder, will wait and see what the reply is.

Failing that, I might take John's idea up and start trawling (trolling?) the Op-Shops.

I believe that style of mincer is known as a 'Corona mill' around here. Some members use them for cracking grain - gluttons for punishment IMO. This type is quite small, and Im not sure whether a sausage attachment can be fitted to them at all. I dont think that they would really do what you want, but if you are intent on getting one I seem to remember that there was one in a pile of junk from my missus' late grandmother. I'll see if it is still about, or if anyone has claimed it if you like.

There is another way of looking at the whole problem: you dont need a mincer to make sausages. Minced beef is dead easy to get, and any good butcher will mince pork roasts if you ask. All you really need then is a stuffer. You could either get a dedicated one (they are a bit exy), or perhaps those cheap little aluminium things (with a sausage attachment) will do the job - most of the stress that you put on the thing is when you are mincing, feeding mince into casings doesnt cause much stress.

 

[Renegade]

And 'already minced' meat wouldnt be too soft & gooey, and get caught up in the corkscrew device being that there's nothing 'solid' to work with ?

It's a good idea, but as I want to make a lot of chicken-based sausage (I have a terrible addition to them), chicken mince is quite expensive compared to say thighs. I think keeping an eye out for a #32 is the way to go. I am patient enough, hell Ive lived my whole life without making sausages, Im sure I can hold out for a little while longer.

But yes please, take a look at your old junk gathering dust if you have an opportunity. Dont know where you are (or where New England is exactly!) but if its anywhere near Dungog I'll be up that way for a holiday in a couple of months. I reckon cast iron would be very expensive to post.

 

[tcraig20]

Shop minced meat is fine. I usually only make beef sausages when I can get mince on special (Coles had it for $4.75 a kilo last week), the commercial stuff is no different to what I would make myself. Premade pork mince is a little trickier. Ive had some frozen pork mince that is unsuitable mush (I brought this before I started making sausages), but if you go to a butcher and get them to grind it to you specifications on the spot it will be fine. After all, all the butcher will do is what you would do when you got home. As for chicken, I dont know, Ive never used chicken mince.

New England is a ways north of Dungog. Im in Armidale, about an hour north of Tamworth, and and hour or two west of Coffs Harbour. Postage wouldnt be too expensive. Those little corona mills are probably only 3 or so kilos. I think the shipping on my #32 that I got from Grain and Grape was under $20, and it weighs about four metric tonnes.

I'll have to have a look at the one I saw, I remember that it was ancient and well loved - they are galvanised when new, this one had only a few traces of it left. It may well be too old and worn out to be useful, but we'll see what happens. My understanding was that it was bound for St Vinnies if noone claimed it, so Im sure that noone would mind if you took it off our hands. That said, I dont think it will solve your problem, because I cant see how you would fit a sausage stuffing attachment to one.

 

[Tony M]

I think keeping an eye out for a #32 is the way to go. I am patient enough, hell Ive lived my whole life without making sausages, Im sure I can hold out for a little while longer.

I use a #10 and it can take all my meagre strength to turn it. It will swing thru 5kg of meat in no time at all. It's a bit like a grain crusher; I could do my grain in 5 minutes instead of 8 if I went more hi-tech, but what's the point.
The #10 has a 55mm dia. feed screw. I also have a vintage "grandma" type and those are only 35mm dia screw and cant be fitted with a spigot. They are only good for mincing the bait.

 

[jdonly1]

I made these last week.They were my first attempt at sausage making.They worked out pretty well but I didnt add enough fat and they were a tad dry,will fix that with the next lot
The orange ones are lamb witha vodka bbq sauce and the others are lamb with cheese and mixed herbs

 

[AndrewQLD]

I made these last week.They were my first attempt at sausage making.They worked out pretty well but I didnt add enough fat and they were a tad dry,will fix that with the next lot
The orange ones are lamb witha vodka bbq sauce and the others are lamb with cheese and mixed herbs

They look great! Were you happy with the flavor?

Andrew

 

[jdonly1]

Flavour was great,will be definately making them again

 

[Eggs]

Gday all,
first post to the forums. I'm also looking to get into making snags at home. I've just bought
a mincer from ALDI curently on sale for $69. My local shop had piles of them. I havent powered it
up yet, let alone minced anything, but the mincer itself looks well made, all stainless steel. It comes
with three blades and a sausage stuffer. Ill be seeing the butcher for some pork and some skins on
the weekend, ill report how it goes.

Cheers.

 

[Mercs Own]

When I started making sausages I would buy mince from the butcher mix through the spices etc then feed the skins on to a funnel and push the meat through the funnel with my thumb and stuff the skins! Crazy! I then bought a stainless steel hand cranked mincer which was terriffic - I also bought a variety of mincing disks etc much faster and easier to use and stuff the skins with a variety of different diameter stuffing tubes - although having a helper made it a lot easier you could do it on your own. Doing a 15 kilo batch was fun but hard work.

I then bought an electric mincer and havent looked back. Much faster, much easier, just as much fun, easy to clean etc etc If you can afford it I would recommend one. Saddly after 6 years of solid work my sunbeam blew up - yeah I know what some pureists are saying hand cranks dont blow - anyway I bought another sunbeam last week - $161 at Myers and will be cranking through 2 pork legs on the weekend probably about 17kilos of meat for my first batch of salamis.

If you think you are going to be making sausages alot then I would recommend an electric mincer they come with extra disks and filling tubes and the sunbeam also has a kebbe attachment - dont ask google it, it is a Lebanese meat snack bloody delicious. I reackon the electric cuts down the time by close to half.

Any way good luck Renegade!

 

[saccarin63]

When I started making sausages I would buy mince from the butcher mix through the spices etc then feed the skins on to a funnel and push the meat through the funnel with my thumb and stuff the skins! Crazy! I then bought a stainless steel hand cranked mincer which was terriffic - I also bought a variety of mincing disks etc much faster and easier to use and stuff the skins with a variety of different diameter stuffing tubes - although having a helper made it a lot easier you could do it on your own. Doing a 15 kilo batch was fun but hard work.

I then bought an electric mincer and havent looked back. Much faster, much easier, just as much fun, easy to clean etc etc If you can afford it I would recommend one. Saddly after 6 years of solid work my sunbeam blew up - yeah I know what some pureists are saying hand cranks dont blow - anyway I bought another sunbeam last week - $161 at Myers and will be cranking through 2 pork legs on the weekend probably about 17kilos of meat for my first batch of salamis.

If you think you are going to be making sausages alot then I would recommend an electric mincer they come with extra disks and filling tubes and the sunbeam also has a kebbe attachment - dont ask google it, it is a Lebanese meat snack bloody delicious. I reackon the electric cuts down the time by close to half.

Any way good luck Renegade!

merc post 22 in beef curry and beer

 

[Renegade]

Thnaks Paul. $160.00 sounds like a great price, much less than I expected for an electric mincer (sure, the Aldi specuial is cheaper, but who knows the quality of their electrical goods?) . Can you let us know how it goes after you use it, and if it appears to be comparable to your old sunbeam ? And what's the model 9PM me if you dont wish to make a public endorsement)

I 'did' quite fancy the idea of hand-cranked mincing, there's something very organic about processing stuff the old-fashioned way. But I am also quite a lazy bloke at times, so a modern version might be the go. And for such a cheap price, it will pay for itself in well under a year.

And Kibbe ! I love that stuff (the cooked version, not the raw version) so a machine that spits them out is an unexpected bonus.

 

[tcraig20]

feed the skins on to a funnel and push the meat through the funnel with my thumb and stuff the skins! Crazy!

I still do that with the tails that wont come through the mincer. Its a bugger of a job. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to do an entire batch that way!

When I first got into sausage making I deliberately went for a hand crank mincer. There were a couple of reasons behind this, first, I wasnt sure if I'd really get into it, so I didnt want to outlay too much money for a decent electric one (although I like what you've had to say about the sunbeam), and second, if I did get into it seriously, I'd buy an electric one and have the hand one as an emergency spare.

So far Im still chugging along with the hand mincer, Ill get to the electric one one day.

 

[Mercs Own]

I have already expressed my thoughts re the Sunbeam on my salami 101 post but am happy to publicly endorse the mincer as I reackon it is terrific. http://www.sunbeam.com.au/Pages/Browse/Pro...l.aspx?pid=1158

I have a Kitchen Aid mixer which is fanbloodytastic which also has a mincing attachment which is good for a kilo of snags every now and then but 18 kilos of pork to mince up and then stuff them is not really it's forte. I saw a plastic juicer/mincer in a health food store the other day but I cant really imagine that handling 10 - 20 kilo's being pumped through. You can buy taiwanese/chinese/Chzec stainless steel models for $400 to 1000.00 that say they can pump out 25 kilos an hour but unless you want to do that a couple of times a week what is the point?

I have the hand cranker in the cupboard but to be honest when my 6 year old sunbeam blewup I tried using the Kitchen Aid but gave up and I left the hand crank in the cupboard and went out and bought another sunbeam. I reackon at $161 over 6 years is not a bad investment at all and if the $1000 mincer motor blew up then I reckon that would be a bad investment.

If you buy one Renegade you wont look back.