Making Fresh, Tasty Dishes With Meat Grinders
Of all the small kitchen gadgets that homeowners buy, meat grinders are probably one of those that don’t make the top 10 list. This is surprising, since many of the most popular dishes served at home — hamburgers, turkey burgers, meatballs and spaghetti bolognese to name a few, require ground meat.
A meat grinder is an excellent kitchen tool to have, allowing homeowners to take better control over the food ingredients they use and choose more healthful alternatives to the usual commercial options they face everyday. Having your own grinder also allows you to choose which ingredients go into your food, so you meet any dietary requirements and manage any restrictions you or your family members may have.
Why buy an electric meat grinder?
The main reason is convenience. An electric grinder can churn out meats in a fraction of the time you’ll spend on a manual grinder. It’s also more efficient and can grind a variety of meats, from small slabs of tender chicken breasts to tougher chunks of beef. You could also choose from coarse to fine settings, depending on your desired texture.
Choosing your meat grinder
There is a wide range of brands and models to choose from, ranging from stand-alone manual and electric models to hand-held models to attachments. Which one you pick will depend greatly on your specific needs, cooking and eating habits, available kitchen gadgets that are compatible with the grinder and your kitchen furniture. After all, you want a new kitchen tool to integrate seamlessly with the rest of your appliances.
A stand-alone model is an excellent choice for serious meat lovers, particularly since it usually comes in a variety of sizes. These models allow you to grind from a few grams of meat to several kilos. Handheld models are for light grinding work, perfect for homeowners who don’t cook with a lot of ground meat, while attachments are an excellent choice for people who have a brand favorite or an existing food processor. Kitchenaide for example, makes the kitchenaide meat grinder attachment that fits on their ubiquitous stand mixer.
Be careful about purchasing an attachment, though. Most manufacturers produce only gadgets that are compatible with existing models. Purchasing another brand may not guarantee that the unit can be used with a kitchen appliance you already have.
Features to look for
Other than size, a good meat grinder has to feature corrosion-free blades. Stainless steel is an excellent material, particularly since it doesn’t stain, warp or rust and can stay sharp for a long time, so it’s reliable to use many years down the line. Interchangeable blades or grind settings are also important features to look for, so you can choose coarse, medium and fine grinding. In general, cutting plates use 9.5mm sizes for coarse grinding and about 3mm for fine grinding. Extras such as an attachment that you can use for stuffing sausages, extra blades and funnels, for example, are also very useful.
The design of the grinder is also an important consideration. Look for a stable, no-flip design. Heavier models offer the extra assurance that they won’t tip over but if you prefer lighter models, there are many that can be attached to tables, kitchen racks, or counter tops using a bottom suction cup or an adjustable clamp. For convenience, make sure the grinder is easy to assemble and disassemble for easy cleaning and maintenance.
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Tags: electric meat grinder, food preparation, kitchen gadgets, kitchenaid meat grinder, meat grinders