Cleaning equipment

[Franco]

I have been asked to confirm the cleaning procedure for the Reber stuffers by Aris. When using any equipment for sausage making it is critical that a very high standard of hygiene is practiced at all times. This is a copy of my reply sent to Aris.


Hi Aris,

I have never had a problem with smells with my reber stuffer, and I have the same as you, after use I always clean the barrel with boiling hot water and washing up liquid, when it is dry I squirt some antibacterial spray on it from Sainsbury.

On the plunger I don't remove it from the shaft but leave it to soak in hot soapy water for a while then scrub it and use a toothpick to get any meat out that is stuck round the edges.


Cheers

Franco

[aris]

Yeah, I pulled my reber out yesterday to make some droewors and noticed a peculiar smell. It would appear that some juice/meat was stuck in the plunger and taking the center screw out with a hex key I was able to clean it properly. The plunger consists of three parts - two plastic and one rubber seal. The juices were stuck between the two plastic bits, and there was meat in parts of the rubber seal.

I would suggest anyone with a reber actually do this after each use.

I'm also still not 100% sure how to clean the inside of the tube though. The bit at the front where excess air bleeds out can get bits of meat stuck in it sometimes - certainly juices creep in and out of there. In the end I just let it soak in hot soapy water.

[Franco]

Just to hammer the point home... it is imperative that any sausage stuffing equipment is thouroughly sanitised after use, if you have a dishwasher use it whenever possible as the temperature reached will kill most bacteria.

Franco

[aris]

I'd be curious to know if anyone else with a reber finds anything nasty if they dismantle their plunger. It will certainly be part of my cleaning routine from now on!

[Fatman]

Aris

I have just today used my reber for the first time, retiring my old stuffer to the shed.
I must say it is a very good stuffer/filler , however if I have one point to raise, then it is your point on cleaning the head of the plunger. Not the best design there, but where there is a will there is a way.To make things easier I suggest we place clingfilm or greaseproof paper over the plunger and EH PRESTO !

[Spuddy]

I've had the same problem as Aris (though without the smell) in that the plunger end is difficult to clean. I've been dissasembling it with a hex key too.
I like Fatman's idea of lining the plunger with clingfilm. I'll try it next time.

[aris]

Yeah, the clingfilm idea is brillant! I'll give it a shot next time. My only concern would be bits of clingfilm getting into my sausage. Perhaps the wax paper idea is better - i'll have to experiment.

To be honest though, I don't mind dismantling it to clean - it's all part of the ritual of making sausage.

[Parson Snows]

I would be interested in any sketches/diagrams or photos showing the inside of the Reber stuffer and the piston area before I decide to purcahse one.

kind regards

Parson Snows