Question on Equipment

I was lucky to find a PDF instruction data sheet on a 17 # manual mixer. Under the instructions on mixing it ask you to add 1 OZ of water per # with the seasoning dissolved in the water. Next it instructs to get the meat in the stuffer quickly. Since I am not planning to make sausage links do I need to add water? I will for the most part be using the mixer to make breakfast sausage and ground turkey jerky. When I make sausage, as soon as I grind it, I flatten the sausage and sprinkle the seasoning evenly and the mix by hand. Can I do this in the mixer without adding water? Just sprinkle and turn the handle.

Is this mixer the right application for the way I want to mix sausage and turkey? Will it make a even mix of seasoning without adding water? Am I making a big deal out of nothing, on the water? Would it be best to just add the water?

Does the mixer have any short comings when mixing a small 2 to 3 lb batch?

What purpose?

Mix for sausage and then stuffing in casings?

Do you have a stuffer?

(FYI, you can edit your original post if you ever want to, and combine them, just client on the folder/pencil icon).

Google Griswald meat grinder. You'll probably find a bunch of them on Ebay. I use one at home and for small batches (under 10lb) they work great and clean up's a snap. You can also get sausage tubes for them.

I have a Kitchen Aid 6qt mixer with a meat grinding attachment. It works well for small batches of meat but using it to stuff casing takes FOREVER.

How much meat do you grind? How often would you use the grinder? That would help a bit.

SmokinOkie...Thanks for your reply. As I stated in my post I am not interested in making links with cassing. I am just trying to determine if the manual meat mixer will work for my application before I spend $120.I just mixed up 2.5 # of ground Turkey that was 93/7. This time I used the water and it mixed by hand better and went through the gun better. I just put it in the dehydrator. I expect to have to add alittle more drying time. If the end result is the same or better than just mixing in the dry seasoning, then I will buy the mixer. I plan to do a test run on sausage with water before making my final decission. Do you own a mixer?
Thanks
JJ

Max...I have been making Jerky for about 20 years. The sausage is new to me. I have made two attemps over the last two weekends. I found that a Boston Butt over about 5.5 # has way to much fat for me. The 5 # one yielded alot better flovor with less fat.This weekend I bought two butts from Sams club at 7 # each. I gave most of it away because of the fat. As for equipment I have a Lem #8 grinder and a Weston SS large dehydrator. For smoking, I Built a plywood box with a very thick plexi glass door. It has 12 shelves about 1.5 inches apart. I use a smoke pistol for smoke.

I have a 20 lb manual mixer from Cabela’s.
It works best with 5 – 18 lbs, and it only mixes in one direction
The 3 times I have used it I thought it performed well (the last time I used it we mixed 80 lbs)

I have a LEM 25# mixer and it makes mixing a batch of sausage a breeze. It is a LOT easier than mixing a batch of VERY cold meat by hand!!