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HOW TO GRIND MEAT
1. Choose which grinding plate you wish to use and install it into the
grinding head (see Grinding Head Assembly on page 4).
2. Cube or strip your chilled meat and put the meat into the meat
hopper on the top of the assembled grinder.
3. Turn the switch to II (high speed) to start grinding the meat.
Always grind meat using the high speed (II). The slower speed (I)
is used when stuffing sausages or making kubbe.
4. Use the meat pusher to direct the meat into the feed chute of
the grinding head. DO NOT apply excessive force with the meat
pusher (referred to as Hogging the grinder). Once the meat
engages the auger, it will be carried forward to the cutting blade/
grinding plate and the ground meat will extrude from the front of
the grinder.
5. If the unit jams and stops while grinding, the red Reverse button
is available. To use the Reverse button the power switch needs
to be turned to the OFF position and then the Reverse button will
engage. The unit is not made to run in Reverse except for short
bursts to clear a jam, so it must be held down while wanting the
unit to Reverse. If the power switch is not in the OFF position, the
unit will stop when the Reverse button is pushed, but it will NOT
reverse.
TIPS:
• Attempting to grind to a very fine level or excessive grinding may
produce a mushy textured result.
• Many consumers Double Grind for a better mix of lean and fatter
meat. For example, if making hamburger out of chuck roast, initially
grind the meat with the wagon wheel, then grind a second time using
one of the smaller diameter plates (1/4" or 5/32").
• Remember to keep the temperature of the meat as close to 34°F as
possible during the grinding process. It may be necessary to re-chill
meat prior to an additional grind.
• Typically an 80/20 mix (80% lean - 20% fat) or an 85/15 mix (85%
lean – 15% fat) are the two best mixes for grilling hamburgers. When
grilling at high temperatures, 5 - 10% of the fat content from the meat
is typically lost. If you are grinding meat for something like chili where
the fat is not all being cooked out, then you might wish to increase
the lean meat content and not add as much fat to the mix.
• A single grind with the Wagon Wheel grinding plate is often preferred
for making Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage or Kielbasa Sausage.