There are a host of reasons why everyone should own an electric meat grinder. I have to admit I had no idea before I started researching these machines why I might need one but it’s quite clear to me now that it has to be one of my next purchases. Here’s why electric meat grinders are so essential.
1. The Dubious Quality of Store Purchased Ground Beef
The ground beef which you purchase in a store is far more likely to be affected with E-Coli or other nasties than a piece of beef you buy and grind up yourself. For one thing the store bought ground meat may contain beef from any part of the cow including those parts which you would not find in a joint of meat. These parts tend to be nearer the hide or from the extremities of the cow and are more prone to contamination at the slaughterhouse. You may also find (where allowed by law) that the meat contains a proportion of mechanically recovered meat which has been scraped from bones as well as trimmings along with the pure meat which has been properly ground. The safety of ground beef has often been compromised in recent history with a number of product warnings and recalls.
2. Controlled Ingredients
You know the ingredients which are going into your burgers, meatloaf and meatballs and you can control them. You can reduce the amount of fat (although 15 to 20% should be allowed for taste) and you can add flavorings as you grind. You can use better quality cuts of meat to improve your diet. You can even add vegetables or beans to your hamburger mixture and bulk out the meat as well as improve your families health. The important thing is that you don’t have to add any of those things which are bad for you and your family that the giant food companies add to processed ground meat products like burgers and meat sauces.
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3. Reduced Cost
There are often much better deals on large pieces of meat than on smaller ones or on ground beef. With an electric meat grinder you need have no fear about being able to process any bargains you find and you will have perfect ground beef, turkey or lamb in no time from your purchase, ready to use or freeze. Take advantage of all the discounts and sales you can find on meat and save money.
4. Make Your Own Sausages and Burgers
You can have great fun with a whole set of new recipes available to you and your family once you can grind you own meat. You can experiment with various flavorings and the different textures available from your grinder and work with every type of meat as well as chicken, turkey and fish. The coarse texture from your grinder keeps some of the structure from the meat – a very different result from trying to create any dishes that need ground meat in a food processor.
5. Use Your Meat Grinder on Other Foods
Once you have a meat grinder, you will find that you can grind anything including nuts, vegetables bread for breadcrumbs and hard cheese using the various plates available with your grinder. This releases you from many kitchen chores.
6. Make Food with Better Flavor
Grinding home made meat gives you better, more enjoyable food. Your recipes will taste better than any shop bought sausages, hamburgers, meat sauces and even home made recipes made with ready ground meat as you will produce freshly prepared ingredients for your family.
If you’re convinced, take a look at our post on the how to choose an electric meat grinder, along with reviews of six of the best.