Need Meat Grinder Recommendations

[HolyDiverScallop]

If you want better adhesion, use a 3-mm disk. That's what supermarket mince is typically ground with. I generally don't bother going through a larger plate first. Directly from chunks to 4.5 or 3 mm works fine.

Ah, the difference in plate aperture explains the difference in adhesion? Interesting. I’m absolutely trying a burger made with 10mm grind then.

I was speculating that it was related to the freshness of the grind or the lack of any compression of the ground meat.

All the stuff I read said to double grind but if that’s not necessary, that is fantastic.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

are you doing small batches? will your food processor work? that is what i use.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

i love my butcher...if they quit doing custom grinds, i would probably move on to someone else.

 

[HolyDiverScallop]

are you doing small batches? will your food processor work? that is what i use.

I’ve done food processor before and didn’t like the texture. I generally need 3-4 pounds at a time, at least historically.

 

[Chips]

This one has received good reviews from several sources: STX Turboforce 3000

Another option would be the LEM Mighty Bite.

Either will be more than adequate for domestic use.

Yikes, that Turboforce 3000 is a POS. I'm floored by the high reviews it has, and those reviews are what made me choose it years ago. It broke after 4 uses over 2 years. The internal gears are likely plastic and wear out really easily. It made a banshee-like screaming noise when running on its last leg. It got tossed and replaced with a commercial grade grinder (this one, and it was only $430 2 years ago)

https://www.meatyourmaker.com/process/grinders/1-hp-grinder-22/1159179.html#start=1

Small price to pay in my opinion when you notice how much faster and overall better the results are too.

 

[Rangen]

I’ve done food processor before and didn’t like the texture. I generally need 3-4 pounds at a time, at least historically.

Same. I was astonished when I ran the commercial grinder the first time, and thought "that looks just like the supermarket stuff, long thin smooth ribbons!"

The grinder taunts me though. "12 pounds? Is that all? You set me up for just that? Wuss."

If you are ever tempted to make Steamed Pork Hash with Salt Fish, coarse ground pork shoulder is perfect for it, and not something I've ever seen available commercially.

 

[HolyDiverScallop]

Same. I was astonished when I ran the commercial grinder the first time, and thought "that looks just like the supermarket stuff, long thin smooth ribbons!"

The grinder taunts me though. "12 pounds? Is that all? You set me up for just that? Wuss."

If you are ever tempted to make Steamed Pork Hash with Salt Fish, coarse ground pork shoulder is perfect for it, and not something I've ever seen available commercially.

I honestly feel like I now have a superpower. This is not unlike how I felt when I bought a repinning kit for my house locks.

“I can do ANYTHING!”

 

[Michi]

Yikes, that Turboforce 3000 is a POS. I'm floored by the high reviews it has, and those reviews are what made me choose it years ago. It broke after 4 uses over 2 years. The internal gears are likely plastic and wear out really easily. It made a banshee-like screaming noise when running on its last leg. It got tossed and replaced with a commercial grade grinder (this one, and it was only $430 2 years ago)

Thanks for letting us know! Unless your unit was an outlier, I suspect then that the reviews might be purchased
My apologies for suggesting that grinder. I was going by the reviews, too.

I have seen the LEM in action many times, so at least I can feel good about having suggested that one!

 

[Michi]

Ah, the difference in plate aperture explains the difference in adhesion? Interesting. I’m absolutely trying a burger made with 10mm grind then.

I was speculating that it was related to the freshness of the grind or the lack of any compression of the ground meat.

All the stuff I read said to double grind but if that’s not necessary, that is fantastic.

If you do the double grind, you'll get a slightly finer texture than you would by going through smaller plate directly. You can easily compare next time you grind some meat. Just double-grind half, and single-grind the other half. You can do a side-by-side comparison then.

In general, the smaller the grind, the better the meat sticks to itself. But that's not the only factor. In particular, if you knead the meat after adding some salt, you'll get protein extraction. The salt unravels proteins in the meat, which then form long strands that bind together. You can watch this as you mix the mince: after a while, you see little threads pull away that are formed by these strands. The longer you mix, the tighter a bind you will get in the cooked product. Mix long enough, and you can make meat patties with a very firm rubbery texture.

The mixing thing is important for sausage making because it controls the final texture. Depending on the recipe, you may want very loose, or very rubbery, or something in between. The eating experience ends up dramatically different, even if you use identical ingredients for the farce.

 

[Rangen]

If you do the double grind, you'll get a slightly finer texture than you would by going through smaller plate directly. You can easily compare next time you grind some meat. Just double-grind half, and single-grind the other half. You can do a side-by-side comparison then.

In the hell that is grinding with the KitchenAid, you must double grind to get fine texture, or you will hear a lot of expensive protesting noises from the motor, and get horrible results.

I still double grind on the commercial grinder, though, when I want fine texture, because it's easy, and why not.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Late to the party, but I have a Waring Pro grinder that is very nice. Nothing fancy, and as @Michi noted, it does not work well for stuffing sausage, but it's a solid meat grinder.

 

[Chips]

Thanks for letting us know! Unless your unit was an outlier, I suspect then that the reviews might be purchased
My apologies for suggesting that grinder. I was going by the reviews, too.

I have seen the LEM in action many times, so at least I can feel good about having suggested that one!

I only wanted to reply considering the crap Turboforce grinder to protect potential further purchases. Everything else you've added is so much more valuable and accurate for others to read and consider.