Grinding Burger at home
- Thread starter Ask-A-Butcher
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
OP
OP
Ask-A-Butcher
Senior Cook
by grinding the meat though the fine plate the first time around you are basically "smooshing" the meat and squeezing out the juices.
Try the larger plate, if you want to grind just once.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I agree, I have the same meat grinder, I love it.
Mystic
Assistant Cook
How do you clean the grinder? I would love to be able to grind my own meat but am concerned about keeping a grinder clean. If I were to grind chicken, turkey and pork would I be able to keep it clean enough to safely grind beef for a med-rare hamburger?
I use my food processor now but don't like the texture of the meat.
Michael
I use my food processor now but don't like the texture of the meat.
Michael
Barb L.
Master Chef
I just ordered one !! Dh is on his low sodium, and loves sausage pattie sammies - can't have too high - but I can make them !!!!
OP
OP
Ask-A-Butcher
Senior Cook
It's easily taken a part to clean in HOT SOAPY water, a HOT rinse and a sanitizing solution after that.
I've been grinding my own beef at home for years with a clean grinder, cook my burgers rare and I'm still here to type this
LadyCook61
Master Chef
OP
OP
Ask-A-Butcher
Senior Cook
sage™
Senior Cook
lol..I have an old hand crank meat grinder but I haven't used it in years because I don't have a good ledge to attach it to in this house. Now after all these years Alton Brown gave me a good idea so I can use it..he uses an ironing board. hehe
OP
OP
Ask-A-Butcher
Senior Cook
I've been asked to provide a few more tips on grinding burger and making sausage, so here goes.
Per the photo, I use the 'medium' plate for grinding hamburger and will grind the meat only twice, as this is sufficient. If I were making 'chili meat', I would only use the 'large' plate and grind just one time.
For sausage, I prefer the 'large' plate for the first grind and then will switch to the 'medium' plate for the second grind. If you prefer the coarser grind, then please feel free to leave the 'large' plate in without switching it out.
Before you start grinding any type of meat, make sure the ring (above) is screwed onto the head TIGHT, otherwise the hamburger meat will come out all squiggly shaped and the head will clog up. I usually use a knife steel or a wrench to tighten and untighten it with.
I like to cut the meat into strips first, about 1x1x6 inches and place it in the freezer until it's almost frozen. Keep the meat in the hopper so you don't waste time getting it to the feeder tube. This applies to the sausage meat, as well.
After the first grind, put a good amount of meat in the hopper for the second grind. When you run low, shut the grinder off and refill the hopper. DO NOT RUN THE GRINDER EMPTY!! This will burn what meat is in the head, plus metal against metal will result in a burning smell and add to early derterioation of the parts.
This what the Chuck Roast looks like after the first grind. Make sure to grab a pinch of the first grind and mix it back thru before you begin the second grind.
and after the second
After the last grind and you take the grinder apart, you will notice a few ounces of ground meat still in the head, near the plate and the knife. This meat is perfectly fine to use, just make sure there are no pieces of bone or gristle stuck in there.
When stuffing sausage.....this is important.....after the second grind, REMOVE the plate and knife from the head of the grinder. Place your stuffing tube in the head and replace the ring, making sure it's tight. It may feel loose, but once you start pushing sausage through it, it will tighten up.
Wash the grinder in hot, soapy water and then rinse in hot water to rinse. Do not let the grinding plate, knife or the ends of the screw air dry, or else they will rust. Hand dry all parts as quick as you can. Take a food grade Mineral Oil, found in the medical supply section of your drug or grocery store, and rub it lightly on all parts of the grinder that will be stored away, including the threads on the inside of the ring. This inhibits rust from forming and also to keep the parts lubed for best use.
The above tips are specifically for the $89-99 grinder from Northern Tool, but some of it does apply to all grinders.
Per the photo, I use the 'medium' plate for grinding hamburger and will grind the meat only twice, as this is sufficient. If I were making 'chili meat', I would only use the 'large' plate and grind just one time.
For sausage, I prefer the 'large' plate for the first grind and then will switch to the 'medium' plate for the second grind. If you prefer the coarser grind, then please feel free to leave the 'large' plate in without switching it out.
Before you start grinding any type of meat, make sure the ring (above) is screwed onto the head TIGHT, otherwise the hamburger meat will come out all squiggly shaped and the head will clog up. I usually use a knife steel or a wrench to tighten and untighten it with.
I like to cut the meat into strips first, about 1x1x6 inches and place it in the freezer until it's almost frozen. Keep the meat in the hopper so you don't waste time getting it to the feeder tube. This applies to the sausage meat, as well.
After the first grind, put a good amount of meat in the hopper for the second grind. When you run low, shut the grinder off and refill the hopper. DO NOT RUN THE GRINDER EMPTY!! This will burn what meat is in the head, plus metal against metal will result in a burning smell and add to early derterioation of the parts.
This what the Chuck Roast looks like after the first grind. Make sure to grab a pinch of the first grind and mix it back thru before you begin the second grind.
and after the second
After the last grind and you take the grinder apart, you will notice a few ounces of ground meat still in the head, near the plate and the knife. This meat is perfectly fine to use, just make sure there are no pieces of bone or gristle stuck in there.
When stuffing sausage.....this is important.....after the second grind, REMOVE the plate and knife from the head of the grinder. Place your stuffing tube in the head and replace the ring, making sure it's tight. It may feel loose, but once you start pushing sausage through it, it will tighten up.
Wash the grinder in hot, soapy water and then rinse in hot water to rinse. Do not let the grinding plate, knife or the ends of the screw air dry, or else they will rust. Hand dry all parts as quick as you can. Take a food grade Mineral Oil, found in the medical supply section of your drug or grocery store, and rub it lightly on all parts of the grinder that will be stored away, including the threads on the inside of the ring. This inhibits rust from forming and also to keep the parts lubed for best use.
The above tips are specifically for the $89-99 grinder from Northern Tool, but some of it does apply to all grinders.
