Are you a burger chef? Sausage fan? Meatloaf expert? If yes, this one is designed just for you. We go to the grocery store to pick up our meat, but is it healthy? Well, it’s not. Rows of the pre-packaged meat shine dully in pastel Styrofoam trays in the meat coolers of the grocery store. These pink scribbly lines of meats such as those of the pork or turkey are pressed against the plastic wrap just like a kid’s mouth against a car window.
A more high-end meat variety might offer a dose of chemicals which are used to sanitize the mechanized slaughter and extend its shelf life. Sometimes these high-end products might have a mix of sirloin or chuck which are unknowable numbers and parts of animals going into your dishes and meals.
Now consider a different scenario, you walk up to the butcher counter and select a fresh cut of meat which is healthy, moist, whole lot red as contrasted to appear as sickly droplets of condensation on plastic wrap. When you get home, you cube the fresh meat and clamp your stainless steel meat grinder to the counter. Then you load the meat in the grinder, turn the crank, and feel the superiority that comes with the quality and diligence.
Why use a Meat Grinder?
There are many motives to substantiate why you’ll buy your meat grinder, and some of them have nothing to do with the evasion of secreted horsemeat. They are as follows:
- Control: If you grind the meat yourself, you can have precise control of fatty meat, which means you get to make your meatballs, sausages, burgers and other dishes.
- Flavor: If you bought ground meat from the grocery store, it is sprayed and sealed for preservatives to extend its shelf lifespan. On the other hand, if you grind your meat by yourself, you would get a fresh product which would be quality driven, tasty and hygienic.
- Safer: Chances of contamination are higher when you buy pre-packaged meat. They can contain meat from a number of animals that are not necessarily the nicest. Hence, when you grind your meat, you can be extra careful.
- Cost savings: If you grind your meat in a meat grinder, it will end up saving your money, which means it is much cheaper to buy and grind massive cuts of meat.
- Texture: Pre-packaged meats are vacuum compressed and oxidized. Grinding meat fresh when you cook with it keeps the moisture and gives you excellent quality and texture.
- Attachments: Meat grinder helps you to take an inexpensive cut. To add a sausage stuffer to make your sausage, you could grind your meat, repurpose different cuts and also be able to mix and match different burger blends.
How To Assemble A Meat Grinder?
A grinder is a sturdy and timeless piece of metal with a certain rugged appeal. It is an object of culinary art that closes the distance between you and your food. Stated below is the way to assemble your meat grinder
- You should wash, rinse and sanitize all the components of the grinder before you assemble it
- Keep all the pieces for air dry
- Check if the power chord is disconnected before assembly
- Place the t link with the locking screw in front of the meat grinder
- The screw pushing bar should be inserted into the t link
- Then add the blade onto the screw pushing bar with the flat side
- The end of the screw pushing bar is placed with the help of the round knife
- Then make sure that the edges of the screw are pushed bar is flush with the sides of the knife
- Attach the blade to the t link and tighten
- Add the stainless steel square plate to the top of the t link and then it is ready to start grinding
Though these methods take quite a bit of your effort, it will help you grind your meats.
The Basic Parts Of All Meat Grinders
All meat grinders consist of the same essential parts; they are as follows
- The pusher and hopper
The pusher and hopper is the part of the meat grinder where you can add cubes of meat. The pusher is used to put force on the meat to go down to the feed tube and to keep the meat moving.
The meat grinder has a large tray to store extra meat before being pushed into the feed tube. This larger tray is more convenient to grind larger batches of meat.
- The screw
The screw is the central working part of a meat grinder. It pushes the meat down the shaft and towards the blade to cut or grind the meat into the shape you wish.
- The blade and plate
The blade is a small and cross-shaped piece with sharp edges on each side that rotates against the plate. These blades come in different shapes. The screw forces the meat into the hole of the plate, and the blade cuts it into a fine mince. The flat plate has holes cut into it which finally grind the chunks of meat. The fitness of the meat depends on the size of the holes it determines.
- The cover
As the blade chops, the cover will keep the blade and plate in place.
Types Of Meat Grinder
Although the essential parts are the same for all meat grinders, you have a number of options when it comes to obtaining a meat grinder. The good news is that none of them are bad.
- Manual meat grinder
Manual meat grinders are standard and straightforward. The manual meat grinder functions only when churned with your hand, but can chop a small quantity of meat at a time. This grinder is designed with the use of epoxy coated cast iron and stainless steel. It is the best option for someone who is searching for the less budget manual meat grinder.
- Electric meat grinders
Electric meat grinders are better than manual meat grinder when it comes to applying your manpower. This meat grinder chops down the meat in a short span of time. It is faster than the manual meat grinder and helps in grating large amounts of meat all at once. These meat grinders come with a variety of settings in blades or plates. These meat grinders are the best buy for large families and restaurants.
- Commercial meat grinders
Commercial meat grinders come with plenty of settings and options which can chop large quantities of meat at a time. These grinders are not for domestic use but are instead meant for restaurants or people with a similar profession. They are also designed for people who sell meat in any form. These meat grinders play an essential role in the speed and accuracy for professionals but are quite expensive.
- Mixer attachment meat grinders
The mixer attachment meat grinders improve the functionality of a mixer by attaching an extra part in the meat grinder. This meat grinder is twice expensive than any other meat grinders. This mixer attachment is a real time saver in restaurants and is an excellent option if you make a lot of sausages.
How To Choose Your Meat For Grinding?
Firstly consider your fat ratios and then choose your meat accordingly for grinding. The choice is yours, and all the meats are allowable for grinding. They can be ground and combined to your desire. However, when choosing to consider your fat ratios, the preferred ratio is 80/20 as cheaper and greasier cuts of meat are ideal for grinding. Once you have selected your meats, then it is time to get that meat for grinding using your meat grinder.
How To Grind Your Meat?
Cut your meat into 1 to 2 inches slices by making sure they can fit into the grinder spout easily. Then store it in a large baking sheet. Cover the meat in plastic and freeze them for 30 to 40 minutes. This will help you to reduce the gumming up of meat while grinding it in the grinder head.
Subsequently set up the grinder and feed the meat at the top with the handled attachment. Remember to place a pan or bowl below the spout to let the ground meat spill into it.
How To Use A Meat Grinder?
Meat grinders are more convenient pieces of equipment used in restaurants but are most commonly used in settings like delis and grocery stores. These grinders can help them to cut their meat fast.
Some of the tips for maintaining meat grinders
- Remove skin and bones from your meat as the grinders hate them
- Cut it into smaller chunks which fit into the feeding hole of the meat grinder
- Feed the meat into the hopper by using the feeding bar in the grinder
- Place a pan or bowl to catch the ground meat when it falls out from the blade and plate
- Disconnect the power chord when you finish grinding your meat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjWQHkXq4q0
How To Clean Your Meat Grinder?
Whenever you deal with raw meat, it is a necessity to avoid the germs and bacteria that comes from the residue. Following are a few pointers
- Run bread through the grinder
- Detach all the parts of the grinder and wash them in hand
- Air dry them thoroughly after the wash
- Finally, place all the accessories in a zip bag with rice
- Store them in a safe place
How To Care For Your Meat Grinder?
There are a few pointers to keep in mind while grinding your meat
- Keep everything cold
Place all the parts and the grinder in the freezer for at least one hour before grinding. This keeps your meat well chilled until you are ready to grind them.
- Cut your meat well
Bits around the blade most often causes smearing. Rather than chopping meat, you can end up smashing it through the holes on the plate; this gives you a chewed-up texture.
- Lookout for smearing
Keep an eye on the meat such as beef or pork when it falls out of the grinder. If your grinder has a reverse function, use it and see if it fixes itself. Otherwise, disassemble the mechanism, clean the blade, and start again.
- Preserve your blade sharp
The blade is the sheer part of your grinder that needs your utmost care as the meat grinds based on the efficiency of the blade. Always have a gaze on your blade as you would occasionally need to get your blades re-sharpened if they have gotten way too dull.
- Keep your plate clean
If the meat dries and sticks to your blade, it would get you sick as the die-cast material would tarnish if you stick it in the dishwasher. The best bet is to make sure to remove and wash all the parts by hand in warm foamy water and cautiously dry it with a clean towel between grinds.
- Place a pan or bowl below the spout
Place the pan or bowl below the spout when the meat falls from the blade.
- Salt meat for sausages
When you add salt to your meat before grinding them, it gives you a significant impact on the finished texture. As it dissolves some of the proteins of the meat allowing them to cross-link more easily into a tight matrix, this leads to a springier and sausage-like texture.
How To Get The Best Of Your Meat Grinder?
Meat grinders are the useful equipment’s for domestic needs or restaurants, but there are a few pointers that you can follow to acquire the maximum out of your machine.
- Prevent your meat from spoiling by keeping them in the refrigerator until it’s time for grinding
- Never use frozen meat in your grinder as it won’t grind well and would damage your blade
- Submerges the t link, screw pushing bar, blade and other components in the freezer before grinding your meat
- Never overload your meat in your grinder as it would jam up
- Place a vessel of ice under your catch pan or bowl to ensure the ground meat stays cold
- Before you take the grinder to take a couple of wadded up paper towels and pass them through the grinder
- Try to push out the stray bits of meat from the grinder as this would help to clean out the feed tube
- Never store a meat grinder in an open space in your kitchen
A Final Word
Meat grinders are an easy piece of product which can help many food establishments save money on their food costs. These meat grinders are simple to use, clean and with a few easy steps can get you healthy meats.
Reference Links:
- https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/how-to-buy-use-clean-and-maintain-a-meat-grinder-attachment-recommendations.html
- https://www.webstaurantstore.com/article/271/how-to-use-a-meat-grinder.html
- https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a20310/how-to-use-a-meat-grinder/
- https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/grinding-meat-with-a-meat-grinder-the-why-and-the-how/
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