Been a deer hunter all my life including the butchering. Got lazy these last few years and took my deer to a local processor because they make summer sausage. They got into some legal trouble recently and weren’t allowed to produce any sausage or jerky this year. So I got into it myself.

I started with a grinder from one of the big box sporting goods stores simply because I had gift cards and credit card points. Looks like a rebranded Weston 22 butcher series. It’s done very well. Ground about thirty pounds worth in less than five minutes.

So far I’ve made two batches of 5 pounds each for snack sticks. Used the jalapeño seasoning with carrot fiber binder in 19mm casings. First batch went well except the casings didn’t stick well after sealing and freezing. Research here suggested I’d sealed them to soon the second batch dried up in the fridge over night and did much better.

Going to Missouri with some friends in a few weeks snow goose hunting. Planning to turn them into sticks also. I’ve been stuffing with the grinder attachments but that ain’t going to fly for the kind of pounds we are hoping for. Thus, I just ordered the 11# stuffer.

Still borrowing a vertical smoker for now. Plan to pick my own up in spring. Just trying to spread my costs around some. Easier to explain to the wife that way too.