What changed in this update
Fixed grammar and errors (sausage "blade" is really a stuffing tube, cheese and cookie-dough tips, duplicated vegetables); added bone-grinding, pet-food and food-safety cautions, USDA burger temperature, a bones FAQ and a cleaning note.
There are many uses for a meat grinder that most of us are not aware of, and plenty to discover with this versatile kitchen appliance. It is a widely popular kitchen tool and good for preparing amazing dishes.
Different Uses for the Meat Grinder
It is a versatile machine that lets you grind fresh meat in your house, but here I am going to talk about other different uses for the meat grinder. Let us start with the list-
Grinding Vegetables
Generally, this tool is used for grinding meats, but what if you can use it with the opposite kind of food? Some people may not guess it, but yes, vegetables!
The meat grinder isn’t good for just hamburgers and falafel─ it’s also great at grinding vegetables. You can use your meat grinder on firm vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions and peppers with ease; very watery ones such as tomatoes and cucumbers come out wet and pulpy. It is possible with a heavy-duty meat grinder.
Even if you love meat very much, it is unlikely that you eat them every day. If you have a meat grinder that you do not get to use very often, you can use it to grind vegetables neatly.
Some chefs prefer a meat grinder rather than a vegetable mixer because they can throw in some spices while grinding vegetables for extra flavor. You can use it to grind onions, peppers, garlic, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers for relishes, salsas and other homemade dishes.
Grinding Bones
A lot of people use their meat grinder to grind bones alongside meat. There could be kind of meats which are full of bones, and sometimes they prefer to grind bones for their pets,
Most standard home grinders are not built for bones, so check that the manufacturer states yours can handle them. Look for a strong motor, or a sturdy, larger-size grinder if it is manual. You can grind raw bones from animals like duck, rabbit, chicken, turkey, goat and sheep; large, dense beef bones are best left to a grinder specifically rated for them.
It helps pet owners who want to reduce the risk of large bone fragments getting stuck in a dog’s mouth or throat. Bones dull blades and plates quickly, so it helps to keep a spare compatible blade and plate set for your model. Never feed cooked bones to pets, and ask your vet before switching to a raw diet.
To Make Sausages
Sometimes we often wonder how sausages are made, mostly for those who are not much familiar with kitchen secrets. You can use your meat grinder to make sausages.
To stuff sausages, you need a sausage stuffing tube (funnel) attachment. If one does not come with your meat grinder, you can buy a compatible one separately. Keep the meat and fat very cold while grinding and stuffing so the fat does not smear.
You will need meat, fat, flavorings and casings for making sausages.
Grinding Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough
There are so many unimaginable things that you can grind in your meat grinders. It never ceases to amaze me. Surely, some will say it is very unorthodox to use the meat grinder that way, but you cannot help much when it actually works. You will make the best out of it with what you have, isn’t that right?
You buy a lot of bakeries from outside, but when you find out that you can prepare delicious cookies at home, will you not take a pass on that chance? Plus, it just increased the new range of projects to work on with your expensive meat grinder, which you barely get the chance to use.
Mix the cookie dough as usual; if your grinder came with a cookie or spritz-style attachment, you can then press the dough out into shapes. A meat grinder does not replace a dough mixer. It does not end with just making cookies. You can use your meat grinder to make peanut butter!
Making peanut butter from a meat grinder was supposedly a rumor, but then it was proven to be true. Use shelled, roasted peanuts and run them through the grinder twice. After the first pass, the ground peanuts will be crumbly and slightly grainy; they only turn buttery on the second pass. A pinch of salt or a little peanut oil can help, and be sure to clean the grinder well afterward if anyone in your home has a nut allergy.
When you are done with your second round of ground peanuts, they will come out smooth and shiny. This is a fine way of getting homemade peanut butter and utilizing your meat grinder. Don’t you think!
To Grate Cheese
Believe me or not, you can put your meat grinder to use to grate cheese. If you want to do it yourself but you do not think you have the proper equipment for grating, you can just go ahead and put your meat grinder to that use.
First, chill the cheese and cut it into small pieces before putting it in the meat grinder. Firm cheeses such as cheddar or Parmesan work best; soft cheeses tend to clog the grinder. Then it will grind the cheese into bits, but there can be some leftover sticking onto the grinder; do not worry much about it.
Making Burger Patty
Another use for your meat grinder is making burger patties. Grinding your own beef lets you choose the cuts and the fat content for your homemade burgers.
While doing it, you can add a few drops of oil and spices according to your preference. You will be choosing the coarseness of your ground patty. All you have to do is make the shape of the patty after you are done.
Then cook them to an internal temperature of 160°F (the USDA recommendation for ground beef) and put them in the buns. This way, you can easily enjoy homemade burgers just by knowing the trick of twitching your meat grinder’s use.
F.A.Q
Can you grind cheese in a meat grinder?
Yes, you can grind cheese if you have the right meat grinder attachment.
Can you grind potatoes in a meat grinder?
Yes, you can grind potatoes in a meat grinder.
Can you grind vegetables in a meat grinder?
Yes, you can grind vegetables in a meat grinder. Firm vegetables work best; watery ones turn pulpy.
Can you grind carrots in a meat grinder?
Yes, carrots grind well in a meat grinder, especially with a coarse plate.
Can you grind bones in a meat grinder?
Only in a grinder the manufacturer says can handle bones. Standard home grinders can be damaged by bones, so check your manual first.
Bottom line
Many of the uses mentioned above are unknown to most people. The general appliance for a meat grinder is processing meat, but it just feels astonishing to put it on so many alternative uses.
Not only the meat grinder is beneficial, but it also makes it possible for you to prepare so many dishes at home. Many of these dishes were not easy to make, and the meat grinder can take you one step closer to have many more dishes you wish you could make at home.
See also:
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- How to Grind Bones
One last tip: whatever you grind, take the grinder apart and wash the parts by hand with hot, soapy water right after use, then dry them completely. This matters most after raw meat, bones or nuts, so that bacteria, allergens and rust do not carry over to the next job.
