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Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: sirmissalot on September 20, 2012, 11:30:25 AM

Title: Meat grinding question
Post by: sirmissalot on September 20, 2012, 11:30:25 AM: I just got a new fancy meat grinder, having some troubles with grinding some burger. At least I think I am. I've ground the chunks using the plate that has the bigger holes, and added the suet along with it as I ground it. I was told you grind it twice, which seems like a good idea so it mixes the suet in a little better, and this time I used the plate with the smaller holes. It seems much harder, I'm finding I'm having to push really hard on the meat to get it to go through the second time and its goes much slower... is that normal? Am I doing something wrong here? Sorry for the complete newbie question... just doesn't seem like it should be this hard. The first time through it grinds the meat faster than I can shove it in, this is the 1 horse cabelas grinder. Thanks for any input.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: 270Flat on September 20, 2012, 11:32:38 AM: Add ice while grinding?
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: GUscottie on September 20, 2012, 11:33:45 AM: When we did my 4 antelope, we only used the big plate. Everything came out fine. One thing I did was I got rid of much tendons and "trash" as possible. I ground it twice and it came out perfectly. I can't really give much input since I'm pretty new myself, having this be my first grinding go as well with the Cabela's 1 horse....
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: KopperBuck on September 20, 2012, 11:33:55 AM: Helps if the meat isn't too warm. IE - I make sure it's sits in the freezer a bit before it goes into the grinder.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: DoubleJ on September 20, 2012, 11:36:28 AM: Check the cutting part of the grinder, the blades right before the plate. If the tendons and silverskin gets bunched up around there, it really makes it difficult
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 20, 2012, 11:40:09 AM: Quote from: DoubleJ on September 20, 2012, 11:36:28 AM
Check the cutting part of the grinder, the blades right before the plate. If the tendons and silverskin gets bunched up around there, it really makes it difficult
:yeah:
Make sure the cutting blade is actually touching the grinder plate as well, if there is any separation between the two it will get gummed up
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: Kowsrule30 on September 20, 2012, 03:08:41 PM: Quote from: bearhunter99 on September 20, 2012, 11:40:09 AM
Quote from: DoubleJ on September 20, 2012, 11:36:28 AM
Check the cutting part of the grinder, the blades right before the plate. If the tendons and silverskin gets bunched up around there, it really makes it difficult
:yeah:
Make sure the cutting blade is actually touching the grinder plate as well, if there is any separation between the two it will get gummed up

These are both very common.... :yeah: I don't have this style but my Dad has this same one that I've used. Or it's a 1 1/4 horse... Not sure but doesn't matter.... We have yet to use the small holed plate... Just double gring with the big holes and it whips it right out just fine....
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: billythekidrock on September 20, 2012, 08:04:56 PM: As stated, make sure your meat and suet is chilled or partially frozen.

Grind once seperately.
Hand mix the two and grind again.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FawebLayersIMG_7897.jpg&hash=d70c4435768556efa7543aea27d586c27c4ad765)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FbwebSecondGrindIMG_7898.jpg&hash=1e4086044fb6f1ecd23027864884386f08ec14d8)
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: dogtuk on September 20, 2012, 08:11:09 PM: on the edge of your plate it should tell you what size holes are in the plate I use the 7MM plate for burger and grind twice no problems the plate that is 4.5MM is too small for burger and it will be harder to push the meat threw
your meat should be cold when you grind it when you grind meat that is room temp it tends to mush up on ya and if using the 4.5mm plate it will really get warm pushing the meat threw the plate so the meat should be ice cold to use the smaller plate
if your plate and knife are dull it will make grinding harder too I try and get my plate and knife sharpened once a year I also buy an extra set to have in case something happens and one set gets dull
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: Wea300mag on September 20, 2012, 08:13:21 PM: Quote from: billythekidrock on September 20, 2012, 08:04:56 PM
As stated, make sure your meat and suet is chilled or partially frozen.

Grind once seperately.
Hand mix the two and grind again.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FawebLayersIMG_7897.jpg&hash=d70c4435768556efa7543aea27d586c27c4ad765)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FbwebSecondGrindIMG_7898.jpg&hash=1e4086044fb6f1ecd23027864884386f08ec14d8)

You need to get your crew some aprons. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: billythekidrock on September 20, 2012, 08:14:34 PM: Too hard to wipe your hands on an apron. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: deerslyr on September 20, 2012, 08:15:57 PM: Is that game or beef BTKR? Looks like a good time to me :chuckle: I feel like im in minority for actually liking to butcher my own game, make my own burger and sausage these days.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: billythekidrock on September 20, 2012, 08:26:52 PM: Quote from: deerslyr on September 20, 2012, 08:15:57 PM
Is that game or beef BTKR? Looks like a good time to me :chuckle: I feel like im in minority for actually liking to butcher my own game, make my own burger and sausage these days.

It was elk.
About every other year we seem to do ok and grind about 400 lbs of game burger.

We have a glass bowl that when lightly packed weighs out at two lbs so we package burger at that weight.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FcwebBurger-SausageIMG_7928.jpg&hash=66c89ba976e44675e6c0490607f97204bc46a7ea)

In thirty plus years of hunting I can only remember one time that we took an animal to a butcher for burger. Did sausage twice at Stewarts Meats and both times it sucked so for the last 15 years or so we have done our own.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: BB on September 20, 2012, 08:27:58 PM: Make sure you screw the cap as tight as you can. Sometimes if the meat is not pushing out it is clogged bc there is not enough friction between the cutting blade and the grinding disc to cut up and extrude.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: deerslyr on September 20, 2012, 08:33:44 PM: Yah we took our game to stewarts once and never again. If some one wants outstanding pepperstick go to tom dick and harrys in yelm. We make our own but always have tom make 30 lbs or so of it because we cant come close to the stuff he makes. Everything else we do on our own. I usually buy an extra doe tag or 2 over here in MT and wack one before I go home to have pops and I make it into burger.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: Axle on September 20, 2012, 08:51:49 PM: I've used several grinders over the years and found that the meat will grind nicely if it is about 50 percent frozen. If it is not partially frozen, then it will be a test of endurance to push it through and the grinder will clog constantly.
Title: Meat grinding question
Post by: sirmissalot on September 21, 2012, 10:25:38 AM: We did notice yesterday having it very cold nearly frozen did make a huge difference. That was probably most of our problem
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: NRA4LIFE on September 21, 2012, 11:01:43 AM: You're beef suet may have been real stringy with a lot of silver skin in it. I grind only once with a 3/16" plate and then usually just mix in some cheap store bought burger. I use a small (20 lb I think) SS meat mixer to do this. Works great. Having the meat a tad frozen helps a lot and it keeps your grinder from overheating. With that HP, that thing should chuck it out as fast as you can feed it.
Title: Re: Meat grinding question
Post by: sirmissalot on September 24, 2012, 03:45:49 PM: Well the problem definitely seemed to be the temperature of the meat. After I ground it the first time with the bigger holes, I stuck the tote of meat in the freezer for a while, defintiely seemed to help not gunk everything up with fat and I was able to grind it the second time much faster through the smaller holes.

I made one batch with about 5% beef suet, and the next batch with about 10% bacon, the bacon stuff is awesome, best elk burgers ever I am realy happy with it, holds together great and the bacon isn't at all overpowering.