OT: Meat Grinder

[RBnSC]

Does anyone out there grind there own meat? I have used My Grandparents old grinder hooked to an electric motor and another modern one that was used and both did not work well. The sinews wrap around the knives and clog the holes in the plate. I have sharpened the blades and sanded the plate flat on both and they both acted the same. I found out yesterday that I can get a grinder attachment to go on my wife's big mixer fairly reasonably. Mainly it will be used to grind venison.I guess I am asking if I am doing something wrong and or if anyone has had any experience with the attachment for the mixer?
Ron
 

[DannyE]

Both of your grinders are probably good, both the knife and the blade have to be very,very sharp. The local butcher sharpens mine. I put rub some fat on both pieces when I assemble the grinder, turn it on, put some meat in it, and then turn the ring as tight as I can get it by hand. mine has to be tight, and still binds up sometimes. Good luck !!
Dan
 

[Greg1959]

Rb- I have fought that problem for years. Usually I spent more time cleaning the sinew off the blades than grinding meat.

I have found you have two choices...#1-use your existing grinders but trim the meat really good. Removing all traces of sinew before grinding (his takes a lot of time), #2- Get an Industrial Meat grinder. I'm looking at a Hobart brand (I grind a lot of meat). Industrial grinders are kind of pricey.
 

[Brian Allen]

In my humble opinion "most people" cannot sharpen meat grinder parts properly by hand.
 

[BCnT]

i have an older Hobart and it will clog if i dont remove the gristle first...you could try grinding with a coarse plate first and then run meat thru your final grind.
 

[Walt Davies]

I have a meat grinder on my kitchen Aid mixer f it does a fair job but as you say you need to clean out the cutter now and then. I also trim the meat very good before starting.
Mine no doubt needs to be sharpened now I have used for over 20 years now.
Walt
 

[tomtirediron]

Bought a higher end Cabela"s few years back, does the same thing with the sinews. I found best outcome for me is same as Greg. Feed as clean a meat as possible. Forgive the stupidity but never realized blade had to be that sharp...How do you properly sharpen the blades? I"m sure mine needs some work after 7-8 years of 3-5 deer/year.
 

[TomH in PA]

Pay attention what dannye said, the blade has to be tight in order to shear correctly.
 

[TomH in PA]

Pay attention what dannye said, the blade has to be tight in order to shear correctly.
 

[RBnSC]

Thanks Guys sounds like my problem is fairly universal. I Work the plate and the flat side of the knives on a belt sander. Then the beveled side of the knives with a stone. I just wonder if removing metal that I may need to shim them tighter. I think I will try the attachment on the mixer. It doesn't cost very much.
Dad had a friend at the local Piggly Wiggly and we would bring the venison already trimmed up and in small pieces and they would grind and mix in steak trimmings or smoked jowl. The meat with the jowl was delicious but did not keep as long in the freezer. Does any one put anything special in their ground meat?
Ron
 

[Dahlin WI]

I have ground all of our meat for years, first with a hand grinder then with the Kitchen Aid attachment(I would never do without this again). I found the best way is to partially freeze the meat first this helps hold the fat and sinew in place so it can be ground easier.
 

[Dachshund]

As stated before = make sure the meat is in grindable sized chunks, and cool the meat down overnight brfore you grind it. Makes a WORLD of difference.

I have a Hobart restraunt size mixer with the grinding attachment. We loaned it to a family member and it came back pretty much junk. It had set in a dirty, moist shed for 4-5 years, gathering rust. We loaneded it out in near perfect condition, and it came back in pretty poor condition. So - if you DO get a good grinder - don't loan it out!
 

[Russ from MN]

We have a little one from Gander Mt and it works great, but we always have the chunks partially frozen.
 

[Ed the wine farmer]

I owned and managed my own food store for 20 years. I also cut most of the meat which we sold. I took every opportunity to learn from retired butchers that worked for me. Different meat grinds differently. Fascia - the silver - is what is giving you problems. Cut it off. Next, cut the meat in shorter peaces. You can not sharpen the knife and plate. Take it to a machine shop and have them do it on a surface grinder. You can order on line - WALTONSinc.com Another trick is to add a washer on the worm first, then the knife and last the plate. One more thing, the knife must be used on the same side of the plate. It"s the little things that give you problems. Happy Butchering Ed