Sharpen Your Meat Grinder Plates and Blades!

[JakeSCH]

I am late to the game on something obvious but I have been using my meat grinder for 4 years and never sharpened the plate or blade. Last year I noticed that the second grind started getting mushy and mixing the fat into the meat. This produced a spongey / springy texture in all my ground and sausage.

Initially, I assumed I let the fat get to warm and started freezing the first grind to nearly frozen and it worked better but not like new. I was getting ready to order a new blade or get a new meat grinder, I decide to research around.

The obvious answer that I was missing: Sharpening your plate and blade...so simple and makes the world of difference. Second grind is 2 or 3x faster and nearly no fat rendered out in the process.

Took about 5 minutes to sharpen and produced a perfect product. All you need is extremely flat surface and wet/dry sandpaper. I got away using my granite counter top but will buy a piece of glass for the future.

Hopefully someone else can learn from my ignorance.

 

[Wrench]

I have a surface grinder and work mine and my friends plates and blades....makes a big difference.

 

[doc holiday13]

i have 4- 4" x 10" wet stones 600g 1000g 4000g and 8000g . I have a surfacer for the stones so i get 100% plate contact across the surface of the stone. Generally 1000g does good enough to keep my grind plate and knife sharp.

The sand paper method isn't great. Everyone should have a 600 and 1000g stone at minimum. The 4k and 8K stones will get your knife edge mirror edge. I'll use those 2 stones for my infrequently used knives and broadheads. A mirror polish edge will stay sharper longer.. My kitchen knives don't get beyond 1k grit because my wife is hard on knives

 

[dj1975232]

I use fine wet/dry sandpaper on a surface plate.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I have read to also get the plate and blade as cold as possible also.

 

[doc holiday13]

I have read to also get the plate and blade as cold as possible also.

this helps depending on how much you're grinding. Grinding meat generates a good bit of heat. You also need your meat to be partially frozen for it to be most efficiently ground

 

[Laelkhunter]

Yes, Doc I forgot to mention that Thanks !! Colder the better.

 

[highcountrymuley]

Cool video. Thanos for sharing

 

[WampusCat]

Thanks for sharing this. I will be putting it to use this year.

 

[Hans_Grimsgaard]

Good reminder, thanks for sharing

 

[Tod osier]

I am late to the game on something obvious but I have been using my meat grinder for 4 years and never sharpened the plate or blade. Last year I noticed that the second grind started getting mushy and mixing the fat into the meat. This produced a spongey / springy texture in all my ground and sausage.

Initially, I assumed I let the fat get to warm and started freezing the first grind to nearly frozen and it worked better but not like new. I was getting ready to order a new blade or get a new meat grinder, I decide to research around.

The obvious answer that I was missing: Sharpening your plate and blade...so simple and makes the world of difference. Second grind is 2 or 3x faster and nearly no fat rendered out in the process.

Took about 5 minutes to sharpen and produced a perfect product. All you need is extremely flat surface and wet/dry sandpaper. I got away using my granite counter top but will buy a piece of glass for the future.

Hopefully someone else can learn from my ignorance.

Additionally, new plates can need flattened. I worked on a new #22 when I bought it and it took quite a lot of material removal to get it flat edge to edge.

 

[Slick8]

Great info, going to sharpen mine prior to season.