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How to properly choose a meat grinder and what to consider before buying one?



After making this comparison of meat mincers, we have realized that these are the fundamental aspects to take into account before buying one:


1. The blades: probably the most important and what most affects the price of the meat grinder. They must be cross-shaped and made of cast iron or stainless steel. This material is the most resistant and durable.


2. Versatility: it is convenient to buy the best food grinder. By this we mean that, if in addition to shredding meat it is used to chop vegetables and nuts or make sausages and sausages, the better.


3. The motor: we only have to take this aspect into account when buying an electrical device. A meat grinder with a copper motor and a powerful suction base will make the job much faster.


4. The size of the inlet hopper: it must have adequate dimensions for the power of the motor. Anyway, it does not hurt that it has a system to prevent overheating.


5. The discs: these accessories are placed in the outlet nozzle and determine the size and shape of cut. The best meat grinders include at least a metal mole disc, a sausage horn, and a stuffer.


6. The dimensions of the tray: they will depend on the amount of meat that we usually chop at one time.


7. Easy to clean: meat mincers require cleaning after each use. Therefore, it should be easy to disassemble and wash. For example, aluminium or stainless steel shredders with a non-stick surface are the most practical in this regard.


8. Safety: the best brands of meat mincers sell models that have a non-slip base, dual safety switch and reverse function to preserve the good condition of the motor and the integrity of the user.


9. The price: nowadays, it is possible to find good deals on meat mincers ranging between € 15-30 for manual ones and € 100-150 for electric ones, depending on the case.


10. Structure materials: the best meat mincers on the market have a stainless steel or aluminium body. Likewise, the ABS plastic ones offer good resistance and an interesting value for money. On the other hand, the ordinary plastic ones are the cheapest but also the least durable.


What is a meat grinder and what types are there?

A meat grinder is a kitchen utensil that, thanks to a series of blades and mechanical components, grinds meat into smaller parts. It is usually found in butchers, although there are also domestic versions.


There are these types of meat grinders:


1. Manual or old meat grinder



it is the most common and the cheapest domestic meat grinder. Its design is based on the original by Karl Drais from the 19th century. They have an upper platform on which the meat is placed and a crank that, when turned, pushes the meat towards some blades. They admit the placement of accessories so that the minced meat comes out with a certain shape.


2. Electric meat grinder



they are the most modern and professional meat grinders. They have a reverse function in case they get stuck. They must be connected to the mains and have rotating blades that are operated by means of a button. They also usually have a pressure cap to force the introduction of the meat without user intervention.


3. Industrial meat mincer



it is used in factories and, to a lesser extent, in butchers. It is a type of large and powerful mincer capable of processing several kilos at a time.


4. Multifunctional meat grinder



it is one that, in addition to shredding the meat, also allows cutting and mixing it to prepare sausages. In addition, it is valid for other types of food, such as vegetables, nuts and vegetables.


How to properly use a meat grinder?

Using a universal meat grinder is very simple. These devices have a storage tray on top. In it you have to place the meat. Then, if it is manual, you have to push it through the inlet hole slightly and turn the crank. If it is an automatic meat slicer with a pressure cap, we will not worry about doing this since the device will take care of itself. In fact, there are mincers with an automatic shut-off system that detect when the meat in the container runs out and stop without user intervention.

We must place the appropriate disc in the exit mouth of the mincer to give the desired shape to the meat once it passes through the blades. We will also have to place a container underneath to collect the meat.


Accessories that allow the size and thickness of the meat to be adjusted in the mincer

The blade and the outlet nozzle are the accessories that allow the size and thickness of the minced meat to be adjusted by the device. Therefore, when buying an electric grinder with accessories, it is essential that it has several types.

In general, it is the small blades that allow for a finer and more precise chop. In fact, they are the ones that can be found in any meat grinder of this type. Meanwhile, large blades are better suited for less delicate cutting tasks.

For its part, we can find output discs with holes of different thickness. These, together with the blades, will determine the size of the pieces of meat. The ideal is to have at least one of small holes to make the minced meat that we will use, for example, for our Bolognese sauce, as well as another medium to prepare hamburgers. Finally, there is no harm in another with large holes to chop chicken, pork or beef to use in our stews.


Recipes to make with a meat grinder

With these recipes we can easily get the most out of even the best meat grinder of the moment. We have not gone into detail about the seasonings and spices to use and we can put them to our liking in all of them:

Viennese sausages

· We cool half a kilo of pork and another half kilo of veal in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4 ºC. We must protect them by wrapping them in plastic.

· We chop the beef using a thin disc and the pork with an intermediate disc.

· We need both meats in a large bowl until obtaining a uniform texture.

· We put it back on the mincer tray but, this time, we put the sausage stuffer accessory.

· We steam or fry the sausages and they will be ready to eat.


Argentine sausages

· Put 800 grams of pork and 200 grams of bacon in the fridge at 4ºC.

· We chop everything in the meat grinder using the disc with larger holes.

· Knead the mixture, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for a further 24 hours at the same temperature.

· We desalinate the guts with which we are going to stuff the chorizo, washing them in the tap. They should have a caliber of between 4 and 5 cm and a length of 15 cm per unit.

· We place the meat in the hopper and use the sausage accessory of the mincer to obtain the Argentine sausages.

· We can eat them directly or let them cure in a cool, dry place for a few weeks. In any case, the Argentine sausages must be cooked on embers or on the grill so that they are perfect.


What kind of discs and blades to use for a better cut in meat?

The best meat mincers have multiple discs and blades. But what are the most convenient manufacturing materials in each case? Here we are going to see them:

1. Blades: There are generally cast iron (iron) and stainless steel blades. The former are very resistant and suitable for working with especially tough meats and when you want to grind pieces with cartilage and bones. However, they are less durable, dull sooner, and can corrode. On the other hand, those made of stainless steel are designed for a finer and more precise cut even if they do not have the same level of hardness. They do not rust and take longer to lose their cutting ability.

2. Discs: there are those with small holes (between 0.2 and 0.5 cm in diameter), medium (between 0.6 and 1 cm) and large (between 1 and 1.2 cm). Generally, they are made of aluminium, although there is also stainless steel. The former is cheaper, while the latter offer greater resistance.


Tips and precautions to keep in mind when using a meat grinder

The fact of buying a cheap meat grinder or one of the best on the market is not relevant in terms of use and care. In fact, if we want it to last us in perfect condition as long as possible, we must follow the following indications:

1. The meat must be cold when you put it in the mincer: this is undoubtedly the most important thing when using it. If it's hot or at room temperature, it will come out with a similar texture to if it was cooked due to the leaked fat. In this sense, a peripheral ventilation system can be very useful.


2. Well-sharpened blades: the stainless steel or cast iron blades housed inside the mincer must have a good cutting capacity so as not to smear the meat. These blades, when they come into contact with the grinding plates, tend to become narrower, which does not mean that from time to time it is not necessary to use a sharpening stone or a sharpening stone to restore their properties.


3. Remove tendons beforehand: these cartilages present in some types of meat can cause the meat to be caked once minced. In case of detecting that the food comes out moistened and with a dough texture and if we have a meat grinder with a reverse function, it is best to go back and start over.


4. Cleaning the mincer: this is essential after each use. Also, it is very easy to do. First of all, we must crush a little bread in the device so that it absorbs the fat from the meat and prevents it from becoming encrusted. Afterwards, we have to disassemble the mincer and wash all its components with warm water before reassembling it. We must pay special attention to the blades.


This is more than enough to keep in perfect condition and get the most out of even the best meat grinder on the market.



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