How to Clean a Meat Grinder

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Yes! Now you are in the best tutorial on how to clean a meat grinder. It is not uncommon for a meat grinder to get dirty after being used. Cleaning the grinder is not as complicated as you might think; the whole process is so simple. If you are a lover of ground meat dishes, it’s essential to clean your grinder before using it; otherwise, your food will not taste its best.

So this article is a guide on some tips and tricks of cleaning off that meat and oil mess on your grinder. Keep reading to understand more.

Step to step guide on how to clean your meat grinder

The cleaning tips below will help you achieve a clean and perfect-working meat grinder. Check out how to achieve that.

i. Clean immediately after use

Always ensure that you clean your grinder immediately after use. During grinding, a lot of oil and grease is left behind. When left to sit for long, the residues dry up and sticks to the blades, making the cleaning process much harder. You can ease the job by getting the grinder clean right after grinding your meat.

ii. Pass bread slices into the grinder

Passing bread through the grinder eliminates any stuck pieces of meat that could have been left behind. Just feed the bread into the machine, just like you feed the meat. The bread soaks all the oil on the blades, and that makes cleaning less tedious.

iii. Disassemble the grinder

Now your grinder is free from meat residues and oil. So the next step is breaking down the grinder into different parts. But before that, make sure your electric grinder is not connected to the power source.

Meat grinders are different, but most have the meat tray, feeding tube, hopper, blades, and cutting plates. Unscrew all the internal parts and the metal cover where meat exits through.

iv. Soak the parts in warm soapy water

Take a bucket and fill it with warm water, and pour some detergent into it. Having done that, take all the grinder parts and soak them in the water for 15-20 minutes. Avoid using cold water as it may not remove the oils properly.

You can also add some baking soda into the water to help eliminate any stubborn grease stains. If your grinder is electric, do not soak the electric mortar.

v. Wash the parts well

Take a sponge and clean all the parts well till there are no visible pieces of meat on them. You should not use an abrasive scrubber since it can wear out the grinder’s coating. Take all the time to wash the parts well and use a bottle brush to clean the feed tube, the hopper and the plate holes.

When cleaning the blades, extra care is needed, so you don’t end up having injuries from the blades. After that, you can rinse the parts. If there is some greasy feeling on them, then repeat the process to avoid the risk of bacteria breeding on your grinder.

vi. Dry the grinder parts

Once your grinder parts are clean, wipe them with a clean towel. Another drying option you can incorporate is air drying them on a rack. Ensure that they dry completely before storing them away to minimize the risk of rusting.

Other cleaning tips

• Do not toss the grinder parts in the dishwasher to avoid rusting. Blades tossed in the washer tend to get dull, affecting the performance of the grinder.
• Eliminate sinews in your meat for easier cleaning. The sinew strands easily clog the grinder and also fades away the blade’s sharpness.
• Always use chilled meat in your grinder. Warm meat makes messy grinds.
• Ensure that your grinder blades are sharp. Dull blades consume a lot of time and also smear meat pieces around.

How to clean rust off your meat grinder

After prolonged usage of your grinder, rust tends to form onto it. The rust comes by when the grinder comes into contact with air and moisture, usually brought about by poor maintenance and storage.

If the grinder is too rusty, it would be better to discontinue using it as it can contaminate your food. But if the rust spots are few, then they can be eliminated. Check out how:

i. Use a brush

A brush works well in removing the loose rust that hasn’t stuck onto the grinder. You can then clean it and use it to grind some meat. Later on, clean it again and apply some oil to prevent further rust formation.

Use Barkeeper’s friend.

The barkeeper’s friend powder helps clear the rust spots on your grinder, leaving it looking all new. You can then use water to remove any left powder, then dry and store the grinder.

ii. Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent rust remover. Just add some into a bucket of hot water and soak the rusted parts in the mixture. Soak the parts according to the level of rust spots. If the spots are rough, soak them longer.

After the parts are well soaked, remove them from the mixture and clean them with a soft brush. After that, soak the parts in a baking soda solution to get rid of any acidic residues that might have been left behind by vinegar.

With that, you can then rinse and dry the parts and apply some oil onto them to minimize further rusting.

iii. Use Cherry-Kool aid

Cherry-Kool is rust removing chemical that does excellent work in clearing rust spots. For best results, soak the rusted parts into water and Cherry-Kool solution overnight. When the day breaks, clean your grinder and store it appropriately.

iv. Use saltine crackers

Running saltine crackers into your grinder helps remove rust. This saltine cracker is made from baking soda, yeast, white flour and coarse salt. They are of dry texture and usually crispy.

v. Eucalyptus oil

Spraying eucalyptus oil on your grinder and leaving it to soak the oils for a while is one perfect strategy to get rid of rust. Ensure you clean off the oil with soapy water and rinse well before the next use.

Cleaning rust off the grinders disc

A grinder’s disc has holes fitted onto it, where meat exits through after grinding. If you notice rust on the disc, do this:

• Put on a pair of rubber gloves and disassemble the grinder.
• Remove any meat pieces stuck on the disc.
• Apply some vegetable oil onto the disc. Next, take a wire brush and scrub the disc properly in a circular motion until all the rust is removed.
• Apply oil onto the disc again and scrub the insides of the holes well.
• Lastly, clean the disc and allow it to dry completely before storing it.
• Using dawn soap
• A hot water and dawn soap mixture can eliminate those rust stains on your grinder.

How to prevent further rusting

Cleaning the grinder immediately after use is one secret to prevent rust from forming. The other important thing is how you store your grinder. Some brilliant storage ways that extend your grinders life include:

Store in the freezer

You can store the non-electric parts in your freezer. If you have no space left in your freezer, you can store them in a dry place. Ensure that the next time you want to use the grinder; you first chill the parts before you start to grind.

Store in a bag of rice

Rice absorbs moisture. You can place your grinder parts in a bag of rice then you can store it in your freezer.

Oil the metal parts

You can apply or spray oil onto the grinder parts most prone to rust, like the pusher and the screws. Sterilize the oiled parts with bleach to disinfect them, then clean with warm water. Rinse, and they are ready for the next use.

If you want to buy a meat Grinder Check this:

• Best meat grinder for deer reviewed and buying guide.

Related Topic:

• How to use a meat grinder
• How to grind meat in a food processor
• How to grind dee meat

Video: How to Clean a Meat Grinder

Conclusion

If you had tossed your old meat grinder because you thought it is impossible to clean, then it’s time to get it and bring it back to life! With the guide above, the process will not be a headache. So don’t waste more time; go pick up that grinder and make it look all new.