Bowl Chopper

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri May 25, 2012 16:04

Anyone have one or use or used one? For several years I've been making baby steps toward an expansion which would require making a fair amount of emulsified sausages along with things like chicken salad and coleslaw. It looks like this machine would be easy to clean and would save knife time and mixing time and would be perfect for wieners and stuff.

Unfortunately, not many people use bowl choppers in my area so my usual sources for used equipment isn't looking very promising so I'll be spending more than I prefer if I purchase one of these.

My other question is the best size to get. The table top models are smaller (8 liter), hold less but are not much less expensive than a larger upright units (40-50 lb capacity). In fact, I've seen some larger units that were actually cheaper than the table top versions.

I guess the first question you will ask is how much will you be making? I can't answer that because that will depend on how successful this venture will be. I think it will do well but you never know. Basically, after working seven days a week for 43 years I'm considering going into partial retirement and moving and expanding my small seasonal processing business and adding a restaurant and commercial kitchen on some property I purchased next to a recreational complex. The location is fantastic. Lots of hungry traffic leaving the events and with fans aimed in the right direction and onions on the grill and smokers going I think I can coax some tired and hungry families my way.

What I hope to do is offer fresh cut beef and pork along with specialty meat products from field to plate. Additionally, I plan on having a small eatery on site serving BBQ and specialty hot dogs along with some other homemade specialty items like relishes, jams and jellies. Basically, I'll be running a business similar to the old meat markets I remember as a child and offer homemade condiments like grandma used to make. Since most everything will be homemade I need to make preparation as efficient as possible. The only equipment I see I'd need for this expansion would be the bowl cutter, possibly a linker and a reliable idiot proof smoker for the sausages. I need direction on the smoker too. I really need something programmable - set and forget - so to speak since I don't think I'll be able to babysit it with glass in hand anymore.

But back to the bowl cutter, I'm leaning toward buying one with the 40 lb capacity rather than the table top 8 litre version. It would actually cost less and I think I'd rather have too much gun than not enough - if you know what I mean. I imagine resale would take a lick on the larger one though but failure isn't part of my plans.

Any thoughts or advice?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Fri May 25, 2012 18:15

Perhaps Story28 aka Jason would be the man to talk to here. The technical end of a business is the easy part. Logistics and administrative requirements are the hard parts.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sat May 26, 2012 03:40

Hi Butterbean. Great idea about the business. You'll have to look into state and federal regulations and be inspected by the health department and FSIS. It's a pain in the butt, but lots of folks pass their inspections each day. I've always found them to be helpful and courteous in my neck of the woods.

A bowl cutter is also called a "Buffalo Chopper". (The Hobart Corporation makes them). It's a real serious machine for real serious sausagemaking and it has to be cooled with ice. Our pal Story28 has one in his new business and he swears by it. Rytek had one and the blades in the thing were just awesome. Just watching the big bowl cutter in action will send chills down yer' ol' spine. You can see one in action at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUOAVSOTvQ (It's about a one minute video.)

If I were you, I'd contact Jason Story for his advice. He's a great guy with a heart of gold and a real desire to help others. Good luck pal, and let me know if I can help in any way.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Post by **Butterbean** » Sat May 26, 2012 06:20

Yes, its been real fun messing with the government so far. Never really realized what a big government we have till now.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sat May 26, 2012 06:49

Hmmmm.... look at it this way, Butterbean: We should really be glad we're not getting ALL the government we're paying for!

Post by **Butterbean** » Sat May 26, 2012 14:51

Don't tempt me. Don't get me started.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sat May 26, 2012 17:39

Live life as a cat does. Be as inconspicuous as posible and attract no attention unless you want attention.

Post by **redzed** » Sat May 26, 2012 20:42

Ambitious plans! And you call that semi-retirement!? I'm sure you will do will if you offer the products you describe. I think that despite everyone wanting cheap food, there is a growing demand for quality, not mass produced meat products. Can't comment on the chopper, in my experience every time I buy something, I regret not having bought a bigger one.

Post by **Butterbean** » Sun May 27, 2012 01:29

Buying too small has always been a fault of mine as well. I hate to back up to fix something I could have done right in the first place. That's why I like to bat stuff off other people to get ideas so I can better make decisions.

[/quote]Live life as a cat does. Be as inconspicuous as posible and attract no attention unless you want attention.

Those are wise words and if I knew they would just leave me alone and let me do my thing then I'd already be up and going. I'm still teetering on whether I want to make this move cause when I do they will be on me like white on rice. I'm going to delay most everything until after the election to see what happens. Don't think I want to do this if some things aren't changed and I need some assuarance of stability and that a business will be welcomed and not punished. Believe it or not, one government agency offered me a chunk of money to start this thing a few years ago. It had something to do with the tobacco settlement money. It sounded good and I'm probably a fool for not jumping on it but I just don't think I want to partner with the gov't.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sun May 27, 2012 04:29

Just be sure to read the fine print. They hand it all to you on page one in large type and take it all away on page six in small type.

story28 · Post by **story28** » Mon May 28, 2012 17:03

Hi guys. I actually have the model in the video CW posted. However, for the type of operation it sounds like you are aiming for, I really don't think that machine would be large enough.

We have a repertoire of 150 items, and 25 items are in the case at a time. Emulsified sausages are a very small fraction of what we do. However, it sounds like you need hot dogs in mass quantities, or at least larger batches. I thought I read that the location is near a sports park or something similar. If you have lots of people coming all at once with a small menu - you will need volume.

If you buy the small model and try to compensate with batch cookery, you will drive yourself insane. With a hot dog taking two days to make at the very least, don't bog your time down making batch after batch after batch after batch, all day long.

We bought the koch/ultrasource GP3 smoker. Initially I thought the machine was far too big, holding 200# of sausage or 500# of whole muscle meat. Now we are already having some items requiring it to be filled to capacity.

My advice - buy the better equipment and push yourself to seize enough clientele to justify the cost.

You can do it.

Devo · Post by **Devo** » Mon May 28, 2012 18:08

A friend of mine and a few members on here know of him as pikeman_95 also has a good mixer/emulsifier. He make these mixers to order and people who have them just love them.
Here is a short video of the mixer in action
http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad27 ... ter=videos

And here are some pictures of the emulsify SS blade he came up with. Makes short order of the job at hand.

If your interested in one of these or maybe the Kirby Cannon for stuffing sausage you can contact Pikeman_95 here:
Kirby_campbell@yahoo.com

Great fellow to deal with.

Post by **Butterbean** » Tue May 29, 2012 06:46

Thanks Story. I think you are right about the size. Its easier to do small batches with a big machine than it is to do the other. I've talked with Koch and may go visit them in the future. I like what I've read about their smokers. Are they difficult to learn to use?

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue May 29, 2012 12:54

Jason said:

If you buy the small model and try to compensate with batch cookery, you will drive yourself insane. With a hot dog taking two days to make at the very least, don't bog your time down making batch after batch after batch after batch, all day long.

Wise words youngster! (That's my boy!)

Post by **Butterbean** » Tue May 29, 2012 15:00

Devo, I have something similar to the chopper you posted. Those are pretty neat.