Kitchen Aid Meat Grinder attachment

[Diva Q]

Does anyone use a Kitchen aid meat grinder and attachment?

If so could you please tell me what you think of it.

I have the heavy duty Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I was thinking about getting the grinder attachment instead of shelling out for a whole new grinder.

 

[cleglue]

When I first started making sausage I used the grinder attachment that came with my KitchenAid mixer. It takes forever to grind 20 pounds of meat. It does work though. I had to buy the sausage stuffer attachment to stuff the casings.

 

[bigwheel]

There aint no attachement for a KA mixer which works worth a flip..most especially the meat grinder part. Best bet is to use the beastes for its intended purpose which is to make mereingue for chocolate pie.

bigwheel

 

[wittdog]

I think the KA grinder is close to 50 USD here in the states...a small grinder runs close to a 100....if you are making small batches the KA grinder will get you by.....but my theory on sausage is the clean up is the worst part..if your going to make ten lbs mine as well make 50 lbs...

 

[Diva Q]

Thank you all. Points taken.

 

[Rich Decker]

I agree with everyone else. It seems the hand grinders work just as well if you want to grind small amounts. Ebay usually has bunches of the Kitchenaid attachments and they go for around $10 USD. I have the Wearever and it is a POS.

 

[boar_d_laze]

I have and use the KA grinder to make sausage. It's a meat grinder, just like any other meat grinder with the same size tray, tube, worm and plates.

In other words, it's smallish. The size and shape of the tray -- which should have been designed as a hopper -- make sausage making with the KA even messier than most meat grinders -- if that's possible.

I agree with everyone else. Fine for small amounts. Not only slow, but a massive PITA for larger. If you're going into charcuterie in a big way, forget it. 10# - 15# or less at a time, and what you save in storage space makes the extra trouble worth it.

Rich

ON EDIT:

Diva -- I should have added that despite its limitations, I like the quality of the KA toys. Also, if you leave your KA out on the counter, the attachments are convenient. Also, relatively speaking, it's a bargain. That's not a word you hear associated with KA very often, is it?

I suppose this is one of those things that separates the dabbler from the true hobbyist. To me, 15 pounds of sausage seems like a lot! For heaven's sake that will make two big picnics worth of meat plus enough fatback to make chaurice. Real sausage makers regard it as too small an amount to bother plugging the machine in.

OTOH, there are some very serious charcuterie people using the KA, especially to test new recipes.

-R