Production of ground meat is vast in the market. Grabbing some ground meat at the supermarket is a convenient option, but it does disappoint in most cases. Some of this meat might have stayed for long on the shelves tampering with the meats’ freshness, flavor, and color.
The fat content in the meat might not also match what you wanted, and that’s when you start wishing you had a way to grind meat by yourself. Well, there is a way you can achieve that ground meat just at the comfort of your home.
A food processor can save you the headaches of dealing with that greyish meat from the store. The good thing is that the processor can be found in almost every kitchen. It gives perfect grind and great satisfaction of ending up with ground meat as per your liking.
Let us learn more about how to grind meat in a food processor.
Things to Consider Before Grinding Your Meat
The key to ending with perfect ground meat is understanding the strategies incorporated when grinding the meat. Below is what you should do before grinding the meat.
- Freezing the meat
Clean cuts are better achieved when the meat is cold. To freeze the meat, first, cut it into 1-inch or 2-inch cube cuttings, then place them onto a baking sheet. Arrange them in such a manner that there is no piece lying on top of another, then place them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
The meat should not be frozen for a long time to prevent hardening. If by chance it overstays in the freezer, remove it and give it some time to thaw, then proceed to grind it.
- Choosing meat pieces
Getting the correct meat cuttings is very essential. Ensure the cut is not very lean but has some fat in it. Lean meats might end up with tougher ground meat. A 15%-25% fat content is good to go. Beef and lambs shoulder meat has the best fat distribution that’s perfect for grinding. For poultry, darker meats win it!
- Purpose of the meat
Ground meat can be used in several recipes. The grind you might want for your hamburgers might not be the same one you’d like for your cottage pies. Note that the meat grind doesn’t differ a lot but getting the right one brings out the best in your foods.
- Handling the meat
Avoid using your bare hands to transfer the meat into the processor. Use a spatula spoon to move the meat in and out of the processor.
Reasons you Should Grind Your Meat in a Food Processor
Wondering why you should grind your own meat? Simple. Here is why you should skip those trips to the store to get some ground meat.
- It is healthy
No one knows about the cleanliness of grinders in stores. Some meat grinders might have been left with meat residues sitting on them for long, attracting bacterial growth, which causes diseases. These meats also tend to have high-fat contents. Since meat grinding in processing plants is large, you can find that some meat was left to sit for long before being ground, which breeds bacteria.
- Meat is tastier
When grinding meat, you have the freedom of choosing your preferred texture. You can also season the meat with your favorite flavors.
- Better appearance
Sometimes you get to see greyish ground meat sitting on supermarket shelves. By visiting your nearest butchery, you can get that reddish-pink beef, which is quite livelier and gives a rich brownish color once cooked.
- Cost
Buying store meat is quite expensive. You get to pay for grinding convenience, packaging, and for the labor used to get those shelves in order. Grinding your own meat will make your pockets fuller as you will have saved some extra bucks.
- Gives you some sense of freedom
You have the freedom to control how fine or coarse you want the meat to be. Getting rid of the chewyparts of the meat will give you amazingly soft ground meat.
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How to Grind Meat With a Food Processor
A food processor is one excellent kitchen appliance that’s easy to use. It is versatile as you can chop, slice, and even grind your meat! Check out the process of grinding meat on a food processor.
What you will need
- Raw meat
- Food processor
- Baking sheet
- Freezer
Directions
- Assemble your food processor on your kitchen countertop. What you will be needing is just the S-shaped blade, so you can save yourself the hassle of assembling other cutting edges. Ensure the processor is clean before you begin the grinding process.
- Slice your meat into smaller bits for efficient grinding on the processor. Grinding the meat as a whole risks breakage of the blades.
- Place the chopped meat pieces on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes till the meat gets chilled. This prevents the final product from being mushy and helps you achieve finer ground and cleaner cuts.
- Remove the meat from the freezer and transfer them to the food processor. Do not fill the bowl to ease the grinding process. If you have lots of meat to grind, it means you will have to work in batches, one after another.
- Cover the processor with the lid and set the ”pulse” function to begin the grinding process. For a fine ground, set the pulse to 10, and for the courser grind, a 5-6 pulse can get the job done.
- Cook the grounded meat immediately or store them in the freezer for future use.
Tips to Follow When Grinding Meat
Avoid overfilling the processors’ bowl but instead, leave enough space for the meat to move around well.
- Do not over-grind the meat. Over-processing the meat gives a mushy end product that gets gummy after cooking.
- Always ensure the meat to be processed remains cold until its processed. Holding the meat with bare hands can generate heat which can tamper with the meat’s temperature. Ensure you hold the meat with a spatula.
- Clean the food processor immediately after use so that the meat doesn’t stick onto it and make cleaning difficult.
- Observe proper hygiene by ensuring your hands and the utensils you use are clean to prevent germ spreading.
- Do not use the blend function, so you don’t end up with a meat paste.
- If you are a beginner in grinding meat, use chuck roast for the process until you achieve your desired texture.
- Be consistent on the meat you grinding. Regrind any big chunks left that have not been appropriately blended.
- Ensure that the processors’ blades are sharp enough for the job. If not, you can try other alternatives like chopping the meat into smaller bits using a sharp knife.
- Do not use meat with bones in the processor as it destroys the processors’ blades.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQS)
- What are some of the recipes I can use ground beef on?
Meatballs, hamburgers, meat pie are great recipes you can try with your ground meat.
- Can cooked meat be processed?
Yes, it can! As long as the processor is powerful enough to attain the same grinding consistency. The downward side of processing cooked meat is that its flavor might diminish since all the seasonings will be ground.
- What meat should I use on my food processor?
Sirloins are the best for processing. Its low-fat content ensures that no meat remains stuck on the processor blades. Beef is also an excellent option.
Conclusion
Grinding meat in your kitchen leaves you feeling like a professional chef! And with all the benefits reaped from using a food processor, you can agree with me that it shouldn’t lack in our spaces. The whole grinding process is easy, so now you can go ahead and try out your favorite ground meat recipe.
Rita C. Donnell (Jennifer) has spent the last 26 years studying and practicing nutrition science. She has used a larger part of this time in improving people’s livelihoods. She has done so by coming up with unquestionable ideas on how to tackle food problems in her community. Readmore