Polly Esther wrote:
>
> Keep in mind that I am older than dirt and live too far away from 911 to get
> help if I get hurt, what's a best tool for grinding meat? I've been reading
> the "for $1 a day" thread and it crosses my dim little mind that I could
> achieve a better quality of 'ground' and better price if I did the grinding
> myself.
> Do you use the food processor? ( I don't have one but would consider
> it.) An attachment to the KitchenAid? Is there a way to grind that
> disassembles by dippy old great grannies and can be put in the dishwasher?
> Sounds like a worthwhile journey. I look forward to your experience. Polly

I have the KitchenAid grinder and use it regularly. It's easy to setup
and easy to clean and works just fine for modest sized batches. I don't
wash it in the dishwasher, but I think it would survive such washing as
long as you get the grinder plates out, rinsed and hand dried
immediately after the dishwasher finishes.

As others have noted, you don't grind small amounts of meat. I'd
consider about 2.5# to be the minimum batch size to be worthwhile. On
the other end, I'd consider about 10# to be the maximum routine batch
size for the relatively small KitchenAid unit. Certainly a larger batch
could be done once in a while, but if it's a regular thing look to a
larger dedicated grinder.

You won't really save any money grinding your own meats vs. the
commercial pre-ground floor scraps, but you will certainly improve the
quality.