Fully frozen or partially frozen?

[RonB]

This is the reason I included the grinder I have. I'm not sure if it would survive frozen meat.

[Murdy]

Backroadmeats -- Gothca. That is a good question, how a non-commercial grinder would handle something fully frozen. I worked with commercial equipment too, once upon a time, and we'd stick whatever we were going to grind into the walk-in freezer for 45 minutes or so, so it was never frozen hard.

[RichieB]

I shared this back in February 19. It's an article from Food and Wine. It works for me.

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[Backroadmeats]

Murdy I understand the concept. I make sausage with a mn dept. Of agriculture meat inspector looking over my shoulder almost every week. My question is more if the kitchen aid grinder is capable of grinding fully frozen pork. Or the grinder hand grenading. I won't grind fully frozen meat and my grinder mixer has a 10 hp three phase motor. I am not concerned I don't have the power but more what will it break!! Partially frozen it will eat like butter but I can hear it make funny noise too

[Murdy]

I think the idea is to keep the temperature as low as possible to offset the friction in the grinding process so that bacteria in the meat doesn't get activated at a higher temperature, which can affect color and flavor (at least that's what the sausage makers I used to work with said).

That said, we'd grind it partially frozen. Or run some ice through with the grind.

[Backroadmeats]

I would be careful grinding fully frozen meat. I ground some partially frozen meat a couple weeks ago because it didn't thaw out over night as good as I wanted . I do not understand where this idea of freezing the meat and grinder parts. I grind thousands of pounds of meat every year and never freeze any of the meat or grinder parts. Get your knife good and tight on the grinder plate and it will grind..

[RonB]

Thanks guys. I think I will t ry a small piece or tw frozen, and if that works, I will continue. If it doesn't work, I'll let the meat sit out a while.

[RichieB]

Partially freeze and place the grinding attachments in freezer too till ready to grind.

[RickyBobby]

I’ve never done fully frozen per se, but I have ground venison that I would consider more than partially frozen….. if that makes sense. I have a stand alone STX Megaforce 3000 grinder with an 800 watt motor and haven’t had any issue. I’ve never used the KA grinder, but I’d certainly be curious to hear how it goes for you.

[barelfly]

I have not done fully frozen. That said, I have not grind all that much meat as well. But, interested to see how this works for you. I have the fancy equipment, need to get it out and put it to use!

Looking forward to some pics too

[RonB]

I am about to make pork breakfast sausage for the first time in a number of years, so I went to youtube to refresh my memory. I actually did remember how to do it but ran across one video that said using fully frozen chunks of meat was the best way to grind it. Everything else said partially frozen was the way to go.

I cut the pork into chunks, laid them on a parchment lined sheet pan and froze them. I then placed in a zipper bag removing as much air as I could. I'm hoping freezing first prevented the chunks from sticking together as that would make grinding frozen chunks a breeze. Grinding frozen sure would be easier because I wouldn't have to thaw and then partially freeze. Has anyone ground fully frozen meat?

Edit to add that I am using the plastic grinder attachment with my Kitchen Aide.