Gander Mountain #12 Meat Grinder | Professional Home Processing
We designed our #12 meat grinder for hunters and home chefs who demand commercial-grade performance without the commercial price tag. This electric grinder processes wild game, beef, pork, and poultry with professional efficiency, handling everything from venison roasts to custom sausage blends.
The size #12 head delivers the power you need for serious batch processing while fitting comfortably on standard kitchen counters. Our grinder includes three grinding plates, a sausage stuffing tube, and a heavy-duty pusher, giving you complete control over texture from coarse chili grind to fine emulsified blends.
- Size #12 grinding head with 600-watt motor for continuous processing
- Three stainless steel grinding plates: coarse (8mm), medium (5mm), and fine (3mm)
- Aluminum alloy body with powder-coat finish resists corrosion and moisture
- Includes sausage stuffing tube, cutting blade, and meat pusher
- Forward and reverse function prevents jamming during operation
Heavy-Duty Construction for Field to Table Processing
Our engineers built the #12 grinder around an aluminum alloy housing that withstands years of game processing without flex or wear. The powder-coat exterior resists blood, fat, and moisture that would corrode lesser machines during deer season marathons.
The 600-watt motor delivers consistent torque through the hardened steel worm gear, maintaining grinding speed even when processing tough venison or wild boar. We sealed the motor housing completely to protect internal components from meat particles and liquids. The permanent lubrication system eliminates the maintenance headaches that plague budget grinders.
Grinding Performance and Processing Capacity
Batch Processing Speed
The #12 head size strikes the optimal balance between home-scale convenience and serious processing capacity. Our grinder handles up to 3 pounds per minute when processing boneless meat at room temperature, letting you work through a deer or half hog in a single evening session.
The forward/reverse toggle prevents the jamming that stops lesser grinders cold. When sinew or gristle binds the auger, tap reverse for two seconds to clear the blockage without disassembling the head. We’ve processed hundreds of wild game animals through our test units without a single motor stall.
What’s Included and Setup Instructions
Your grinder arrives with everything needed for immediate processing. The box contains the main grinder unit, three stainless steel grinding plates, one four-blade cutting knife, one sausage stuffing tube, one meat pusher, and a detailed instruction manual with game processing tips.
Setup takes less than five minutes with no tools required. Place the grinder on a stable counter surface and secure it using the integrated clamp base, which grips surfaces up to 2 inches thick. Slide the auger into the grinder head, position your chosen grinding plate against the head opening, align the cutting blade, and thread the head cap clockwise until hand-tight.
Complete Your Meat Processing Setup
What people are saying
Common Questions About the #12 Meat Grinder
The grinder performs best with cold but not frozen meat. We recommend partially thawing frozen meat until it’s firm but yields slightly to pressure—about the consistency of a semi-frozen popsicle. Meat at this temperature grinds cleanly without smearing fat. Grinding fully frozen meat can dull the blade and strain the motor over time.
The #12 designation refers to the diameter of the grinding plate opening, which determines processing capacity. Our #12 grinder handles 2-3 pounds per minute and accommodates serious batch processing without overheating. Smaller #8 or #10 grinders work for occasional use but bog down during extended sessions or when processing tough game meat.
Trim visible sinew and silver skin before grinding for best results. Keep meat cold—around 32-38°F—so fat doesn’t smear into the grinding plate holes. Use the reverse function immediately when you notice resistance building. Running a few pieces of bread through at the end of each session pushes out remaining meat particles and cleans the auger.
This grinder is designed for boneless meat processing only. The stainless steel blade and plates will not safely grind bones of any size. Attempting to grind bones will damage the cutting components and void the warranty. For bone-in grinding, specialized equipment with much more powerful motors is required.
With proper cleaning and normal home use—processing several times per month—customers report 8-12 years of reliable service. The sealed motor and permanent lubrication system eliminate common failure points. The cutting blade and plates are replaceable wear items that typically need replacement every 3-5 years depending on processing volume and meat types.
Yes, we include one sausage stuffing tube that attaches in place of the grinding head for basic casing work. The tube works well for small batches of breakfast links or Italian sausage. Customers processing larger sausage quantities often upgrade to a dedicated vertical stuffer for faster, more consistent casing fills with less air pockets.
We back the #12 meat grinder with a two-year warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty includes the motor, housing, and all mechanical components. Normal wear items like the cutting blade and grinding plates are covered for the first 90 days. We provide repair or replacement at our discretion, and warranty service includes shipping both ways.