In the last year or so, I’ve tried to grind meats at home for hamburger and for loose pork sausage to throw on my pizzas, etc. . But, I’m about ready to give up.
I’ve gotten two hand grinders (and partly ground my hand in one of them!). I have regularly created clogged machines and messy counters…with ground meat sprayed all over them (and the floor). Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing in butchering the cuts I’ve used to put into the machine (and would welcome tips here.)
But, having read the article in the NY Times this summer on creating the perfect burger…and then going to the local butcher to buy freshly ground chuck, as recommened…and following their methods…http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/25/dining/how-to-make-a-great-burger.html?_r=0 I’m ready for one more battle, as the results of that 80-20 chuck, made in the Times’ method were terrific.
Can anyone recommend a powered machine that is not too costly or too bulky that they’ve used for a while? (I’d prefer to keep the cost around a $100 max, but…am not rigid if there’s a reason to go slightly higher.
And, while you’re thinking, how bout some tips for cutting the meat so the machine doesn’t get clogged…and the kitchen splattered.
I’ve been eyeing the kitchen-aid grinder attachment but since i found a butcher who will grind the meat for me in small amounts, i haven’t yet had the need.
i’d be interested to hear if anyone has use the kitchen-aid with success.
for burgers, unfortunately, you need more than 20% fat - but a lot of that will cook away. 70/30 is ideal.
also, you want a much coarser grind than what you’re used to from the supermarket or butcher.
if you keep it course and very cold, the consistency will resemble the dry crumble of a good pie dough where the butter is still big chunks and it feels like gravel in your and.
the main thing that article got right is that a flat top is the only way to make great burgers - not grilled.
I use the KA grinder and while it is OK I find the grind to be a bit fine for beef burgers. Do prep you meat into 1" cubes and place in freezer for about 20 min. Don’t grind to fast
I use the grinder attachment for the (big) KitchenAid mixer. Works great. Never have a problem with sticking/clogging. For hamburg, I cut the meat into ca. 1" by 2" lengths and feed vertically into the hopper. I use the finer of the two discs… coarse sounds like a groovy idea, but in my experience it results in sloppy burgers that tend to fall apart .
I start with 1 pound of beef for 2 burgers. Some of the meat does not make it all the way through the grinder… if you share your home with four-footed types, they will be happy to take care of this for you. Sometines I cook burgers outside on a grill, but usually I use a cast-iron skillet indoors. Both ways are good, but indoors is juicier.
If you are not already to doing it, put the cubed meat and any part of the grinder that will come into contact with it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. At a temperature where it is not quite frozen, the meat is more likely to be cut rather than smeared and the liquid that is splattering around will be more solid so less splatter.
david - try the courser grind, but put it through twice (though make sure to keep it cold). that will likely make the grind a little more sticky and it will hold its shape better.
also, take the cast-iron skillet and put it on the grill. gets hotter and you’ll get that nice crust without the inside smoke.
It’s been a while since I tried the coarser plate, but I’ll give it another whirl. I do chill the meaat and grinder beforehand. FWIW, when i use the finer plate the resulting grind seems a tad coarser than supermarket stuff. I’ve always attributed this to the meat being very cold and not stretching/smearing. One easily-noticed difference is that the home-ground beef has larger, discrete, crisp-edged flecks of white fat.
I make a lot of sausage in the winter. I make a lot of jerky year round.
when I say a lot, i am working in 25 lb batches usually.
I started with grinders that some of you are mentioning, or ones similar. in my opinion they were all junk more or less.
I bought the smallest pro model from cabellas…belive it was the half horsepower and have not had an issue since. As long as I cube the meat to reasonable sizes, and do the 20 minute freezer trick, I have perfect grinds, even regrinds without doing the freezer trick again.
I dont remember the exact cost, but they do run those on sale twice per year and I want to say I paid a little under 200…which by the way was about 50 more than the junk ones I tried first.
I use the Kitchen Aid grinder also.
All of the above plus I wrap the grinding attachment with plastic wrap to deal with the spatter. The meat just hit the wrap and drops into a bowl below.
If you want to give the hand grinder another go, try placing it in the freezer too. Cold everything is best.
FWIW, I’ve seen sausage makers add dry ice pellets to the mix as it is going thru the grinder to keep the fat cold, really cold…
I don’t have a KA mixer, so that is not an option.
Have tried a food processor…but…am not convinced that it can be ground consistently enough…before it is too fine. (Tried that last week. The reason I don’t have a KA mixer, though, is that I think a food processor is just fine for making pizza and other dough, so I am open minded on grinding meat in it, just wasn’t that good the times I’ve tried…either too inconsistently ground…or too fine by the time it was consistent.)
Still looking for a $100 machine reco if anyone has one. (The Cabela 1/2 HP is $330!)
I have a grill in my kitchen (Blue Star…and had one before that, too), but I do think…after reading that article in the Times , that a flat top/griddle is the way to go. Grease is a key component in a good burger, I think. Not health food.
Will try the “freezer trick”…but still need the appliance to grind it in. (Maybe will give it another try with the hand grinder.)
Still think I need pointers on cutting up a chuck steak to avoid trying to grind stuff that won’t…
Just like all the comments above, I use a big KA with the attachment and have no issues. The hints of keeping everything as cold as possible is paramount as is uniformity of portioning on the initial prep of the substrate to be ground.
Stuart: I started grinding my own meat this summer. As far as your question about machines, I got this from Amazon for 85 or so:
Maverick MM-5501 Mince Master 575-Watt Meat Grinder, White
It does what I want done as far as grinding the different cuts of meat. I’ve not heard of the freezer suggestions made in this thread, but I will try that next time.
I’ll echo a lot of what was said. I use short rib meat with added beef fat. I just ask the butcher at the supermarket and they give me a hunk of it for free. I cut into cubes, fully freezing the fat, just chilling the rib meat. I also toss the KA grinder attachment into the freezer for half an hour or so.