DaRiv18 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have interest in getting a meat grinder, and wonder if anyone would care to defend its versitility. Do you use it for anything besides meat? Obviously it's great for burgers and charcuterie and the like. Would you use it for steak tartare? I don't have pets, but I do have an infant, is it useful to make baby food? Is it appropriate for veggies, fruits, nuts, flours? I have a Vita-Mix already, but that's more for smooth textures. Would anyone buy a meat grinder over a food processor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Do you have a Kitchen-Aid mixer? If so, the meat grinder attachment makes sense, even if you only use it once in a while. The texture of meat ground in it is much better than grinding meat in a food processor. However, if you are forced to choose between a meat grinder and a food processor, a food processor is a much more versatile piece of equipment, since you can grind, chop, slice and shred as well as puree in it. The Vita-Mix makes superior purees, however. And I think the Vita-Mix would be best for baby food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Agree 100% on the Kitchen-Aid attachment. Extremely easy to use, and does a great job. I have no experience with non-Kitchen Aid meat grinders, however, so I can't really comment there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMango Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Another emphatic thumbs up for the KitchenAid food grinder attachment. We break it out all the time, including yesterday, when we ground beef to make grilled hamburgers for an appreciative crowd. I noticed you mentioned baby food, and if you don't already have a food mill, the KitchenAid fruit/vegetable strainer is another nice option to supplement the grinder attachment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyG Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Love my KitchenAid meat grinder. For baby food purees, why not use a stick blender? Even the low end ones do a really nice job, though you will need a little liquid in the mix. I've had my $20 model for over 12 years now and it shows no signs of wearing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Thanks for all the feedback, to tell you the truth I had written off the KA attachment because the Amazon reviews made me a little nervous. Thanks to this discussion and also with an extremely helpful member on this Board, I opted to pursue (and just won on ebay) one of those vintage Hobart meat grinders Kitchenaid attachments that are made of cast aluminum, which you can freeze along with the meat prior to grinding. Now I don't have a one-trick-pony appliance cluttering up my precious kitchen real-estate! Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 My KA is an old one, made back in the day when Hobart manufactured them. It's gotta be at least 30 years old, maybe even a few years older. And it's a total work horse. I'd love to have a metal Hobart meat grinder attachment that fits it. The KA grinder attachment I have has the plastic body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poivrot Farci Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Consider Ebay or Vintage KitchenAid for the metal attachments. $125 and well worth it. Candy Onions. Stuffed with ground lamb, rice and ararat spice. Ready to roast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrescentFresh Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Candy Onions. Stuffed with ground lamb, rice and ararat spice. Ready to roast. I saw those Candy Onions on Saturday evening and they looked mighty tasty. Unfortunately I had just finished eating or I would have arranged for dinner to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Consider Ebay or Vintage KitchenAid for the metal attachments. $125 and well worth it. Very cool! Thanks for the link. Mine is a Model K5A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Consider Ebay or Vintage KitchenAid for the metal attachments. $125 and well worth it. That Vintage KitchenAid website is down, you can't put anything in cart, can't buy anything, and no one has responded to my Contact Me email. Plus, their FAQ seems like it has been hacked. I ended up using eBay, hopefully VK gets back up. I saw those Candy Onions on Saturday evening and they looked mighty tasty. Unfortunately I had just finished eating or I would have arranged for dinner to go! Where do you see these things? I once went to the Grey Market but Worthwhile Meats and Provisions had already sold most of their wares by the time I arrived. Happy for Poivrot Farci, was disappointed for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Where do you see these things? I once went to the Grey Market but Worthwhile Meats and Provisions had already sold most of their wares by the time I arrived. Happy for Poivrot Farci, was disappointed for me. Society Fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuneBacon Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I would be interested in any reviews on a stand-alone grinder. I sadly opted for the Viking mixer and while I love it, the accessories are being discontinued, and they are not as widely available as the KA ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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