Proquip Solutions is the New Zealand distributor for Rühle, the family-owned German manufacturer of meat processing equipment, founded in 1966 in the Black Forest. Rühle machines cover injecting, tumbling, marinating, mixing and cutting, including brine injectors for curing, vacuum tumblers and mixers, meat dicers and slicers, portion cutters and frozen meat cutters. Known for German quality, precision and reliability, Rühle equipment is used by meat processors, butchers, poultry and seafood producers and food manufacturers across New Zealand, and is installed, serviced and supported by our team in Wiri, Auckland.
A vacuum tumbler rotates meat in a sealed drum while air is removed. As the pieces lift and fall, they're gently massaged, which works brine or marinade into the meat and draws out proteins that help it bind and hold moisture. The vacuum opens up the meat so liquids are absorbed faster and more evenly. Tumbling is standard for whole-muscle products such as ham, bacon, cured meats and marinated chicken. Proquip Solutions is the New Zealand distributor for Rühle vacuum tumblers.
A tumbler gently massages whole pieces of meat, such as hams, bacon sides and chicken pieces, keeping them intact while brine or marinade is worked in. A mixer blends smaller pieces, mince and ingredients into an even mix, for products like sausage meat and burger patties. Rühle MPR machines can do both, while a classic tumbler such as the TR 3500 is dedicated to tumbling. See Rühle meat mixers.
It depends on the product, piece size, injection level and vacuum, so there's no single answer. Short cycles suit marinated retail products, while hams and bacon are usually tumbled longer, often with programmed work and rest periods so the meat can absorb the brine between cycles. Programmable tumblers save the right cycle for each product, so results are repeatable on every batch.
Ask about tumbling programs: sales@proquipx.com
A classic tumbler like the Rühle TR 3500 is dedicated to tumbling larger batches of whole-muscle products such as ham and bacon. An MPR machine mixes, tumbles and marinates in one unit, which suits processors with a wider product range: the compact MPR 150 holds about 110 kg of meat, and the MPR 1500 handles industrial volumes with intensive kneading. Tell us your products and batch sizes, and we'll recommend the right fit.
Get a recommendation: sales@proquipx.com
A mushy or damaged surface usually comes from over-tumbling, running the drum too fast, or meat that's too warm. Overfilling the drum stops pieces from moving freely, while underfilling lets them drop too hard. Shorter or interval cycles, the right speed, keeping product cold and loading the right amount for your tumbler fix most problems.
Well-tumbled meat holds more of its brine during cooking, so less weight is lost and cooked yield is higher. The proteins drawn out during tumbling help pieces bind, giving firmer, cleaner slices of ham and cured meats with fewer holes or breaks. For processors selling by weight, that improvement goes straight to the bottom line. Share your current yields, and we'll help you estimate the gain.
Ask about improving yield: sales@proquipx.com
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