Small batch protein extraction

[wdaly]

Has anyone tried using the paddle blade on a Kitchenaid stand mixer to mix a small batch of meat for snack sticks?
I’m looking at about 3# of meat.

[processhead]

I have not used this mixer for meat processing, but one of the fundamentals of good protein extraction is the physical contact of the meat with the paddles in the tub. Small batches in a large mixer may not get the amount of physical contact because the meat is out of reach of the paddle or clumps up in places that the paddle can’t reach.

Now, with a kitchenaid sized mixer bowl, 3 lbs of meat might fill the bowl up about right. Another thing you can do to avoid clumping in the mix bowl is to shut down the mixer occasionally and use a plastic scrapper to push the mix back to the bottom of the bowl until the meat shows signs of good protein extraction.

[twilliams]

wdaly just hand mix, no clean afterwards. Easy peasy. I hand mix 25lbs, no issues

[wdaly]

That’s what I’ve done in the past. Just wondering if the extraction would be better. Always like trying new methods. Thanks.

[ND Mike]

We have hand mixed 25 lb batches as well. My Dad didn’t want to clean the mixer so we hand mixed 25 lbs of summer sausage and 25 lbs of snack sticks. They turned out great! We did use sure gel with it though.

[wdaly]

Finished some Bloody Mary Pepper Jack snack sticks. I tried the paddle blade. Thanks for the tip processhead. Cleaning the blade was necessary. I think @NDMike is right. Hand mixing if probably the way to go and using suregel was a great idea. I did get did good protein extraction though. Thanks for the inputs. I appreciate them and the sticks are great.

[magician176]

processhead Interesting subject this, I was wondering about it, read a lot about people using the Kitchenaid, so I was wondering how much meat can one process in this mixer at a time? I have the British equivalent machine. I always use my hands, but I read that the proteins get released better in a mixer?

[wdaly]

I couldn’t get more that 4 lbs in my mixer bowl.

[processhead]

IMO it would be incorrect to think that mechanical mixing is the only way to get good protein extraction. Until you get up to a certain batch size, hand mixing will get it done, its just a little more work and and maybe cold hands.
Someone starting out in the hobby and on a limited budget would probably be better off spending their money on other equipment and supplies. As others have mentioned, small batches are really easy to hand mix and when it is time to clean up, it is one less piece of equipment to wash down.

[Mcjagger]

I use the dough hook on my kitchen aid and mix 6.25 pounds at a time…I get great protein extraction mixing on speed #2 for 8 minutes scraping down the sides halfway through.

[wdaly]

Mcjagger Hadn’t thought of the dough hook. Makes sense though.

[magician176]

Well, I must try the Kitchen-aid, I have hand mixed all the time. Just that the reading of some guys make me feel I am losing out by mixing with the hand!

[PapaSop]

I’ll have to agree with twilliams here. Since going from 4.5mm to 3mm plate for final grind and incorporating Sure Gel I’ve not used the mixer for less than a 25# batch. A lot less clean up and the meat gets sticky enough to pull the Nitrile gloves off your hand. Do have to wear a jersey glove under the Nitrile because the hands get cold pretty fast.

It’s all about less dishes and more time for a cocktail to watch the smoker work!

[wdaly]

PapaSop After having conducted the experiment, I will probably hand mix from now on. Your last sentence out it all in perspective!

[Gravity Storm]

Doing less than 5#, the Dough hooked has worked for me. But yes there is clean up. But I get better extraction than hand mixing. My opinion only, might not be the best solution.

[TexLaw]

Mcjagger I’ll have to give that a try for my 5# batches. Thanks for the tip.

[Joe Hell]

wdaly I use sure gel and do everything by hand…never had an issue.

[smokinbubba]

I use the 6qt ka mixer for 5lb test batches. I use the paddle. The bowl fits in the dishwasher. Wish my 20lb or 50lb tub would fit. Cold cramped hands isnt something that interests me anymore. Carpel tunnel sucks.

[craigrice]

smokinbubba I would like to design a 12 lb. mixer electric powered as many here do small batches ,I have bursitis in both shoulders and arthritis in my back hand mixing is difficult at times !

[smokinbubba]

craigrice your not alone. I have a 20lb manual LEM i would like to power. I just need to find the right gearbox. Direct drive is way to fast i figure i could do 5lbs in it successfully as my 50lb will do 15lb fine.