~patches~ wrote:
>
> wff_ng_7 wrote:
>
> <snip>
> > But I'm still not sure what the correct method is, with how screwed up my
> > efforts were. Do you grind once and only once, with the large holed disk? Or
> > two passes, both with the large holed disk, or two passes, first with the
> > large holed disk and then with the small holed disk? I'm looking for a
> > result similar in texture to packaged ground beef at the supermarket.
>
> Ask nimbnuts aka Shel--. He supposedly grinds all his own meats
> >
> > This particular batch of ground beef went into stuffed green peppers... the
> > classic recipe with a ground beef and rice filling, with tomato sauce. That
> > came out very good in spite of my grinding errors. I couldn't resist making
> > them... green peppers were on sale quite cheap this week (as was the bottom
> > round roast).
>
> Seriously though, I'm glad you posted this. I'm looking at getting a
> meat grinder so was wondering how it would work. I have a very good
> butcher that will do meat up as I request. DH figures that we should
> just let him do it and forget about the meat grinder.
>
> >

The main reason for grinding your own meats isn't so much to get the
exact grind or amount of fat, it's mostly a function of time. All the
surfaces of the meat that are exposed to the air begin to oxidize and
clearly once ground there is a lot more surface area exposed to this
oxidation. When you grind right before cooking you greatly limit this
oxidation.

If the butcher grinds the meat and quickly wraps it very well and you
take it home and get it cooking quickly it will probably be ok,
certainly better than a poorly wrapped package of ground meat that has
been sitting in the display case all day.

As for grinders, I use the regular KitchenAid grinder attachment on my
Hobart mixer and have not had any issues with it though my batch size is
usually fairly small. I would think any quality grinder would do just as
well since they are all pretty much the same.

Pete C.