Grinding our own meat on a regular is not one of those tasks we consider possible, and frankly speaking, most people prefer to get their meat already ground at the butcher’s. While it seems convenient and time saving, you cannot always be guaranteed of good quality meat. It is practically impossible to tell what cut of meat was ground, and also, getting the same grind every time can be quite a task, and this could explain the reason why taste and consistency changes with just about every cook. So, can you use your food processor to grind your own beef at home?
The answer is yes, you definitely can. Food processors are built to handle a good deal of food production tasks, and a good lot of them are fitted with powerful motors that enable them to power through different foods. They make excellent tools for grinding meat, and you can actually be able to determine how fine you want the grind on your meat to be. This way, you can have perfect patties, stews and sandwiches with every grind, and you also get to choose the exact cut of meat you want.
So, why should you use a food processor to grind your own meat?
Choice of cut
As earlier mentioned, getting ground meat from the butcher’s does not always guarantee that you are going to get the best cut of meat. When using a food processor to grind your meat, all you have to do is go to the butcher’s and select the part of meat you need. Whether you intend to buy beef, venison, mutton, pork, turkey, fish or chicken, you will actually have the option of choosing the best cuts and best looking meat.
Quality grind
Getting your meat ground at the butcher’s does not always guarantee that your meat will be ground to the right consistency. Sometimes, you get larger chunks than others, a consistency that almost always results in an unevenly cooked meal, or one with a bad consistency. When you grind your own meat at home, you will be able to get the right consistency for your dish, and see to it that you do not over or under-process the meat.
Meat-to-fat ratio
Again, like the choice of cut, you can also choose the perfect meat to fat ratio depending on what exactly you want to make. At the butcher’s, you may not be able to take away blends of meat that include the right amount of fat needed for a certain type of food. For this reason, buying your own meat cuts and choosing the amount of fat you want goes a long way in delivering the quality of taste you want.
Grinding your meat in a food processor – What you need to know
Before grinding your meat in a food processor at home, here are a couple things you need to know.
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Size of meat
If you want to make incredible grinds and blends with your food processor, you would have to make smaller cuts of your meat. For perfect size, dice the meat into one inch cubes. You need them to go swiftly through the food processor so that you do not over process it.
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Meat temperature
Chilled meat tends to firm up quite a bit, especially when it has a considerably large quantity of fat. This makes it a lot easier to grind, and keeps it from slipping unnecessarily in the processor, allowing for a perfect grind. Once it has been diced, toss it into the freezer and allow it to chill before grinding it. to achieve the optimal texture, spread the diced meat out on a flat tray and allow it to freeze so that the edges are still, but the idle still soft.
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Blade temperature
While this may sound absurd, this step actually goes a long way in making sure that the grind on your meat is perfect. It helps the meat maintain its temperature as it is being frozen, allowing for better consistency. To maintain the temperature, use a scoop to collect the meat so you do not end up warming it up with your hands.
How to grind your meat in a food processor
Step 1: Prep your meat
Remove all bones and hard pieces of meat from your cut of meat. Also, get rid of all tough membranes and sinew, but make sure to leave all the fat intact. Proceed to dice your meat.
Step 2: Freeze the meat and blades
To make sure that you get the right size of grind on your meat, it is important that you freeze the meat cubes and blades. Make sure that your meat is laid out properly on a flat tray, and ensure it is all in one layer. To achieve the right temperature for both, have them in the freezer for twenty to thirty minutes.
Step 3: Assemble your food processor and grind
When the meat has been in the freezer 20 minutes, proceed to install the blades, and remove the meat from the freezer. You may have to grind in batches to maintain the right temperature. Place the diced meat into the food processor, making sure that you do not fill it past halfway. Make sure the remaining cubes are in the freezer. Once that batch is done, proceed to add another until all the meat is ground.
Step 4: Cook or re-freeze your ground meat
Once all the meat has been ground, proceed to cook it, and if some is left over, be sure to wrap it up properly and toss it bac into the fridge for later use.
The Best Cuts for Grinding from various Meat Types
Type of Meat | Best Cut | Can be used for: |
|---|---|---|
Beef | Chuck steak | Burgers |
Mutton | Loin | Spicy lamb patties |
Chicken | Skinless breast | Chicken mince fritters |
Pork | Brisket | Burgers |
Conclusion
That is as easy as it gets. Grinding your own meat at home using a food processor makes sure that you can achieve s god a consistency as you hope to, and it also allows you to learn a new skill. one thing is for sure, store bought ground meat may not always be from your preferred cut, and it may not have the exact blend of meat you want.
