Manual meat grinder – your irreplaceable assistant in the kitchen
Manual meat grinder – your irreplaceable assistant in the kitchen
Modern kitchen can well function without too many technologically complex appliances. But a meat grinder is a must-have in every woman’s kitchen.
Judging by a variety of these unique devices made by different manufacturing companies, people who are looking to buy a new meat grinder will have hard time choosing one.
Anybody would agree that choosing just one device out of all available models of meat grinders that differ in appearance, functionality, grinding capacity and assembly, really, quite difficult, especially if you are not sure which meat grinder will be better for your kitchen – electric or manual.
Modern kitchen can well function without too many technologically complex appliances. But a meat grinder is a must-have in every woman’s kitchen.
Judging by a variety of these unique devices made by different manufacturing companies, people who are looking to buy a new meat grinder will have hard time choosing one.
Anybody would agree that choosing just one device out of all available models of meat grinders that differ in appearance, functionality, grinding capacity and assembly, really, quite difficult, especially if you are not sure which meat grinder will be better for your kitchen – electric or manual.
Designation of a meat grinder
The main designation of a meat grinder is meat grinding. Apart from that, this simple device can grind fish, vegetables and fruits.
It is a well-known fact that mechanical, or manual, meat grinders were first used in the 19th century, and they have not lost popularity ever since.
By all means, modern universal models of electric meat grinders have almost completely ousted mechanical meat grinders, but, believe me, the best ground meat can only be produced with the help of manual cast-iron grinding, the model of the second half of the previous century.
Moreover, taste of meat grinded through a grid of a manual meat grinder is better than that of electrically grinded meat. It is the opinion of experienced chefs.
You must agree: meat quality is a solid enough argument that makes it worth competing with electric meat grinders. And if you top it off with simplicity of construction and use, reliability, durability, small size and, of course, low price…
More functional than it seems
For some reason people believe that functionality of mechanical meat grinders is limited: to prepare ground meat, tomato juice, berries…
You think this is all there is, but it is not quite true. A lot depends on the number of different grinder blades. You must know how to choose good blades because they play, probably, the most important role in the process. In stores you can find manual meat grinders by foreign manufacturers that can not only grind meat, fish, and vegetables but also prepare sausage, macaroni, vermicelli, baked goods and more.
The main drawback attributed to mechanical models is lack of electric motor; in other words, you must apply force to make it function. And, they say, it is tiring to grind meat when there is a lot of it. Maybe it is true.
However, first of all, a strong man who doesn’t find it shameful to help in the kitchen can always assist a woman with this task. Second of all, you should consider how often you will use it: if you need it once every two months for preparation of a meal for 2-3 people, then mechanical meat grinder will be sufficient. Otherwise you will have to break a sweat.
Its advantage is in its simplicity and reliability
The build of the mechanical meat grinder in spite of a variety of models is pretty simple.
The meat grinder consists of a grinding body, cutting knife, auger, grid and handle. You must apply force to the handle, therefore the grinder must be securely attached to the surface of the table. That is why manual meat grinders come with screw clamps.
Although, there are mechanical meat grinders that are attached to surfaces with suction device which secures the position as good as a screw clamp.
The meat passes through a grinding body to the auger and then it is pressed against the grid with holes and is cut with a special cutting knife that glides on the surface of the grid.
Inside the grinding body of the mechanical meat grinder there are threads designed to cut big pieces off the meat and make them smaller in order to run through the auger. Meat is grinded continuously, as you put it in. Grinded product comes out through a grid.
Manual meat grinders are usually made of cast-iron, stainless steel or alloys of food-grade aluminum. Lately, the models made of durable plastic have been gaining popularity among consumers. Please read a detailed overview of the best manual meat grinders available in stores today.
The main working part is the special blade. There are a few forms of blades and grids.
Blades vary in form, and grids – in diameter of holes. Texture of the ground meat depends on the diameter of the holes.
The sharpness of the blade and the way it is attached to the grid affect the quality of work of the grinder. Therefore blades must be sharpened on a regular basis, regardless of their configuration and quality of steel.
There are several ways to sharpen blades. First method: you can sharpen blades on corundum paper that is securely attached to an even surface. Second method: you can sharpen them with special sharpening devices that are installed in the meat grinder instead of the grid.
It is recommended to disassemble the grinder immediately after using it and wash it thoroughly. It is easier to wash the grinder if after grinding meat you grind a small piece of bread or a raw peeled potato. All parts must be dried, assembled and stored in a dry place. If you use and store the manual meat grinder properly, it will serve you for years.