usable cuts for burger grinding

[DougE]

I see all these youtube videos with effortless second grinds, I thought for doing sausage a second grind was important?

I have no issue doing 2 grinds, but most times I do a single pass unless I'm making chicken sausage from thighs with skin and all going through. The skin likes to hang up behind my medium plate and jam things up, so I run once through the 8mm and run again through the 4.5mm


A second (and maybe a third) grind would come into play with running a fine plate for hotdogs and other emulsified sausage as well, but for the most part, one pass through the grinder.

 

[clifish]

I have no issue doing 2 grinds, but most times I do a single pass unless I'm making chicken sausage from thighs with skin and all going through. The skin likes to hang up behind my medium plate and jam things up, so I run once through the 8mm and run again through the 4.5mm


A second (and maybe a third) grind would come into play with running a fine plate for hotdogs and other emulsified sausage as well, but for the most part, one pass through the grinder.

maybe I am over thinking this with a second grind. It does haul ass on a single grind.

I am glancing at the STX

Amazon.com

or the cabelas one chopsaw has

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-pro-series-dc-meat-grinder?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Cabelas%7CShopping%7CPMax%7CProprietary%7CGeneral%7CNAud%7CNVol%7CNMT&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjeuyBhBuEiwAJ3vuoU2rC36ceGwW8ipXTkyT7lhMq69tS3sDGlnyq0VI0Spmw4-O4Pb2ohoCoA0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

although 2 - 3 times the cost? I can afford it but with only 2 people in the household is this just extreme overkill?

 

[fxsales1959]

maybe I am over thinking this with a second grind. It does haul ass on a single grind.

I am glancing at the STX

Amazon.com

or the cabelas one chopsaw has

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-pro-series-dc-meat-grinder?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Cabelas%7CShopping%7CPMax%7CProprietary%7CGeneral%7CNAud%7CNVol%7CNMT&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjeuyBhBuEiwAJ3vuoU2rC36ceGwW8ipXTkyT7lhMq69tS3sDGlnyq0VI0Spmw4-O4Pb2ohoCoA0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

although 2 - 3 times the cost? I can afford it but with only 2 people in the household is this just extreme overkill?

I just did 3lbs, mix of chuck steak and ribeye. did coarse, put in freezer, made turds when really cold. ran thru quick. i wanted medium grind as it will all be 1/3lb burgers and 3 oz smash burgers.
Mine s the weston#8. I'd give it another shot before spending money. I did find that grinding a butt was a PIA with fat globbing around the auger at the blade end. probably wasn;t cold enough.

 

[chopsaw]

maybe I am over thinking this with a second grind

No , you're just getting started and going through the learning curve .
A lot of talk about double grinding . I tried it , and it's not worth the aggravation or extra step for me .

Figure out which plate gives you the grind you want with one pass and go with it .

2 - 3 times the cost? I can afford it but with only 2 people in the household is this just extreme overkill?

It's a good grinder . I use it a lot , and have well got my money out of it . I think I paid $120 on sale 10 years ago .
Cliff , that Weston should do what you want . Take the advice given , mine included and do what works for you .
When I first started , it was a PITA . No fun . Once I figured out a batch size and a system that worked I never looked back .

 

[clifish]

On a better note, I just cooked up the breakfast sausage patties I ground over the weekend, sooo good. There must be a ton more fat in the Aldi ones I used to make, as I could pour the grease out of the pan, not much with mine. Thanks DougE for your recipe you posted!

 

[chopsaw]

Good deal . When I make sausage gravy with homemade the grease is the perfect amount . No need to drain .

Breakfast sausage , Italian and ground beef , the grinder pays for itself , and you're eating lower fat and salt .

 

[clifish]

I just did 3lbs, mix of chuck steak and ribeye. did coarse, put in freezer, made turds when really cold. ran thru quick. i wanted medium grind as it will all be 1/3lb burgers and 3 oz smash burgers.
Mine s the weston#8. I'd give it another shot before spending money. I did find that grinding a butt was a PIA with fat globbing around the auger at the blade end. probably wasn;t cold enough.

I have the same one as you, put through a packer, chuck roast, 2lbs bacon and 6 lbs of sirloin on Saturday. Then Sunday 2 full pork butts, all went through the first pass (both 8mm and 4mm) with no issues at all. I did the strip method that chopsaw mentioned and the machine ate it up. It was the second run that gave me the issues. I think I am going to take Rich's and DougE advice and just grind to size on the first pass.

I will try stuffing with this at some point, I am sure not ideal but one new appliance at a time...lol

 

[clifish]

Good deal . When I make sausage gravy with homemade the grease is the perfect amount . No need to drain .

Breakfast sausage , Italian and ground beef , the grinder pays for itself , and you're eating lower fat and salt .

I know, it was not really a cost reduction decision. When you look at the sodium on sausages you buy it could choke a horse. I even halved the salt level on the breakfast sausage and will half that on the next run.

 

[Fueling Around]

I know, it was not really a cost reduction decision. When you look at the sodium on sausages you buy it could choke a horse. I even halved the salt level on the breakfast sausage and will half that on the next run.

Cliff
I run 1/2% salt on my breakfast sausage recipe for my wife. Started that for her high blood pressure and @*&# if i didn't go there myself after gaining about 15 pounds.
Funny thing, dropped the 15# and BP got back to acceptable range. I still prefer the ultra low sodium. Just add a touch of MSG to amp up the low sodium.

 

[Hijack73]

I have the same one as you, put through a packer, chuck roast, 2lbs bacon and 6 lbs of sirloin on Saturday. Then Sunday 2 full pork butts, all went through the first pass (both 8mm and 4mm) with no issues at all. I did the strip method that chopsaw mentioned and the machine ate it up. It was the second run that gave me the issues. I think I am going to take Rich's and DougE advice and just grind to size on the first pass.

I will try stuffing with this at some point, I am sure not ideal but one new appliance at a time...lol

The gang with your model can weigh in here, but I'd cut off my left big toe with a butter knife before I'd try stuffing with a grinder again. YMMV

 

[Brokenhandle]

The gang with your model can weigh in here, but I'd cut off my left big toe with a butter knife before I'd try stuffing with a grinder again. YMMV

Use my 1 1/2 hp Cabelas grinder to stuff 2 lb burger bags but that's it. That's usually 70 to 90 lbs at a time. But Use a dedicated stuffer for everything else.

Ryan

 

[chopsaw]

You should use that grinder to stuff . See how it works for you . That's the only way you'll know the difference between a dedicated stuffer or using the grinder .

Dedicated stuffer ,,,, way better . I used the grinder for some time before I bought it . Before that I used a hand crank to grind and stuff .

 

[DougE]

Use my 1 1/2 hp Cabelas grinder to stuff 2 lb burger bags but that's it. That's usually 70 to 90 lbs at a time. But Use a dedicated stuffer for everything else.

Ryan

I can see using a grinder to fill meat bags, but even with the bags, I'd want a foot pedal control.

 

[Brokenhandle]

I can see using a grinder to fill meat bags, but even with the bags, I'd want a foot pedal control.

Good point! Forgot about that... ground once and only once without one.
And chopsaw is right... try it once with the grinder to see how ya like it.

Ryan

 

[DougE]

Good point! Forgot about that... ground once and only once without one.
And chopsaw is right... try it once with the grinder to see how ya like it.

Ryan

I did enough reading to know I didn't even want to try it once lol. I went with a dedicated stuffer from the start.

 

[DougE]

I believe I have seen some do one grind with a horn in front of the plate and stuff it into bags as it comes out of the grinder. One step operation.

 

[chopsaw]

I did enough reading to know I didn't even want to try it once lol. I went with a dedicated stuffer from the start.

I did it hands on learning experience . That way I know the difference . It works , just not as productive as a dedicated stuffer .

 

[DougE]

I did it hands on learning experience . That way I know the difference . It works , just not as productive as a dedicated stuffer .

I'm sure it works, and I'm sure I could manage it if I had to. I just never have had the need to stuff off my grinder

 

[Fueling Around]

A grinder will perform OK as a stuffer if you have a platform to catch the casings.
I despise plastic stuffing horns. See if you can find SS ones to fit the grinder. I haven't looked myself.

 

[fxsales1959]

So the Weston #8 grinder will probably be ordered this week after following some recent threads about them. My question is what cuts are good to grind for burgers? Opinions on a mix or ratio, any input will be appreciated. Anyone use bread crumbs or egg in the mix?

Perusing Costco today I saw the following:

Beef eye round @$5.29/lb (can sometimes get cheaper on sale)
Chuck Roast @$5.99
packer brisket @$4.09
Flat part of brisket @$7.25
London broil @$2.99 (supermarket and occasionally for $1.99)
pork shoulder @$2.49

Any of these cuts discouraged? How much should a packer or chuck be trimmed of fat? If using pork does that mean I need to bring the burgers to 145 for them to be safe?

Thx everyone

I'm a liitle late. WD has beef shoulder roast for $3.99/lb.
was a good choice.