Grinding meat

[AK Bearcat]

We process most all of our own game meat. We had acquired an 'older' model (1960)grinder and had been using it for several years. It has always been a little challenging to get it all done. Well we bit the bullet, so to speak and went to Alaska Butcher Supplies for help. I thought that we were going to have to get a new grinder, thinking that they were going to tell us that we were not able to get parts for the old one. One of the first things they asked was when the blade and cutter were last replaced. As far as we knew they were never replaced, just sharpened once in a while. Well we bought a complete set of NEW blades and WOW what a big difference they made. We ground and packaged 80lbs in a hour! We were very surprised and happy.
So, if anyone as grinding their own game meat, and your blades/cutters have not been replaced for a while. check them out. It might make a big difference!

[ChugiakTinkerer]

Thanks for the pointer. Alaska Butcher Eqipment & Supply also rents grinders, did that a few years back when my buddy wanted to cut and wrap the meat himself.

[stid2677]

Grinds better SOFT frozen. Good tips

[anchorrivercrowds]

For the last three moose, I've used a hand crank grinder..

When cutting meat we freeze the meat to be ground in like 30 pound bags. We get one or two out a night depending on how we feel, and start cranking. Typically I sharpen the blade before each session. It grinds best yup... soft frozen.

Kids complain at first then really get into it..

[BrownBear]

Quite a few years back we quit having a big grinding session each fall. Grinding mixes a whole bunch of air into the burger, and we were never happy with the quality a year down the road.

Since then we vacuum pack all the chunks and label it "stew." It's great to thaw and hack up for stew, but any time we want burger we just grind it before cooking. Dandy, and much better burger down the road.

As for grinders, we've run the gamut. Then about 10 years back my mother-in-law gave us a KitchenAide mixer for Christmas with lots of attachments, including a grinder. Dang if that thing doesn't work great, and it's about the easiest to clean I've used. Still going strong after lotsa grinds since then. If you already have a KitchenAide mixer hanging around the kitchen, check into the cost of a grinder attachment. You won't be sorry, whether grinding as needed as we do, or grinding big batches as we've done for friends.

[Happily]

hey brown bear do you have the plastic or metal attachment for the kitchen aide. They only make plastic now and the reviews haven't been to good for durability

[BrownBear]

Ours is metal, so maybe I spoke out of turn. Didn't know about the plastic version, and don't want to get acquainted!

[Dirty Swede]

I have nothing but good to say about the kitchen aid grinder as well.... ours has a plastic body but metal blades and plates. No problems with durability using the same one for approx. 8years. That being said I do take care to remove most silverskin

[Hoyt-Hunter]

I don't have any experience with a Kitchen Aid, but my LEM 3/4 Grinder works exceptionally well. Just got done grinding up about 125 pounds of moose and pork fat to make hamburger and sausage. With the meat just thawed enough to cut into chunks, not once did it begin to bog down and there is no way you can keep up with it if you are cutting and feeding at the same time with two people.

Dont know what issues there are with the air in the burger, but I normally chunk, 1 gallon zip bag, freeze and then latter grind the meat. Each bag comes out to about 8 lbs of meat and then you figure in the 20 or 30 percent fat ratio. Usually do about 100 pounds(about 3-4 hours of work) a go around to try and keep the meat as cold as possible. I also never worry about silver skin or grissly parts while trimming, the LEM grinder eats it the same as clean meat.

[kwikfish]

Great tips, nothing better than home processing

[anchorrivercrowds]

Grinding and canning today..lol I was going to buy an electric grinder(we hand crank..lol)..

but ya know.. we started with the hand crank, and it's just fine. e'll knock out the grind of the whole moose in three nights(let's the freezer catch up)..

I looked at buying this.,.. any thoughts?>.STX INTERNATIONAL STX-3000-MF Megaforce

also I canned met and fish for 90 minutes at 10 pounds for years, then they said go 100.. I just read for pint jars of meat go 70? I may try 80, hope no one dies.

[ChugiakTinkerer]

There's this beast being surplused at JBER:

http://www.govliquidation.com/auctio...&convertTo=USD

[ak_cowboy]

That sucker has two 230v motors!

[SmokeRoss]

Someone posted in another thread about using a drill motor on the hand crank grinder. maybe like a right angle hole hawg.

[CapnMike]

Someone posted in another thread about using a drill motor on the hand crank grinder. maybe like a right angle hole hawg.

Tried that a long time ago. Cast iron parts of many hand crank grinders will break.