What Meat Grinder Plate Sizes Should I have? Guide & Reviews

Meat grinders are essential kitchen or butcher shops appliances you need for mincing meat. With the right grinder plate, you can customize your meat grinds depending on how you want to use them. It is great to have more than one plate to get the desired textures.

The size of the holes in the plates determines the texture of meat you get. If you are into meat grinding, you might be confused about which grinder plate sizes to buy. Frankly, there is no right size plate for you to pick. This is because the plate you choose depends on the activity you want to use them for.

There are different grinder sizes you can choose from with different holes. If you need fine grinds, choose a plate with smaller holes. Understanding the right size of meat grinder plates you need to buy can be tough, especially if you are buying for the first time. We have made this detailed guide to help you understand more about meat grinder plate sizes and how to pick the right one.

Is There a Difference Between a Grinder Plate & Grinder Blade?

These are two mainly confused parts, especially for beginners. While they seem to function the same, the two parts are different. It is good to understand the difference between the two parts to know the functioning of the grinder correctly.

If you have a closer look at your grinder, you will notice there is a disc-shaped part with different holes. This is the meat grinder plate. Its work is to give the meat the final shape. It doesn’t matter whether the meat is fine or coarse, the grinder plate gives the final look of the meat.

The grinder blade is the part that cuts the meat and then passes it to the grinder plate. After processing the meat, the blade passes it to the plate to get its final shape. The blade is important because, without it, the meat can be ground to the right size that can pass through the grinder plate. The size of the cutting place and the grinder plate affect the final product.

What Meat Grinder Plate Sizes Should I Have?

Most meat grinders come with various meat grinder plates. If you would like to buy other meat grinder plates, you should consider the size plate you need. You can check different meat grinder size charts to help you know the plate diameter, the hole diameter, and the type of ground meat it produces.

There is no specific size you should buy because it depends on your needs. It is worth knowing that you can use different plates in your meat mincer to get the meat you want. To get the exact grinder plate for your manual meat grinders, determine the type of meat you want to eat in your food.

For instance, if you would like to add ground meat to your diet, it is great to have different types of grinder plates to match your needs. Whether you need to make beef burgers, summer sausages, salami, or simply want to grind meat, choose various grinder plates. If you grind a particular type of meat frequently, then choose the right grinder size to meet your needs.

What Are Grinder Plates, Blades, And How Are They Used?

Meat grinder plates are simply circular discs featuring some holes around them. They have different hole sizes that determine the texture of your meat. These plates are mainly made of carbon or steel and they are available in unique hole designs.

The main use of meat grinder plates is to give your meat a final shape. After mincing and cutting, the meat is passed to the grinder machine to be put in the grinder plates. The plates are designed with holes of varying sizes based on the produce you want to get. After the meat passes through the grinder plates, it comes from the grinder in the right form.

When it comes to durability, grinder plates made of steel last three times longer than those made of carbon steel. Additionally, steel plates are expensive and are not prone to rust like carbon steel plates.

Meat grinder plate uses

Grinding plates work hand in hand with grinding blades to mincemeat. They cut the meat into smaller pieces and then the meat passes through the plate’s hole. If you experience mushy meat that doesn’t go through the plate, this is an indication of dull blades or plate.

Additionally, it can be a result of poor assembly. Therefore, always ensure you freeze your meat a bit for effortless grinding. Fresh meat can pose problems when grinding because it tends to be mushy. You should also check whether all the parts of the grinder fit well. If you still experience problems grinding meat, then consider replacing your blades and plates.

How Are Meat Grinder Plates Measured?

You might want to replace your current meat grinder plate with a new one. However, if you don’t know the measurements of the current plate, it can be hard to select the right size. You need to know the exact size of the plate in your grinder to prevent yourself from getting a smaller or a larger meat grinder plate.

The simplest way to know the size of your grinder is to take the measurements of the plates. After measuring the plate diameter, you can then match it with the grinder size chart. Below are some simple steps on how you can measure the grinde4r plates correctly.

• Get a ruler or a measuring tape for the job.
• Disassemble the grinder and remove the plates. Put the plates flat on the surface or floor.
• Take the ruler or measuring tape and measure the distance diagonally from the center of the plate.
• Write the measurement down because you will need them when buying a new plate.

How Do I Know What Size Meat Grinder I Have?

What is the meaning of numbers on meat grinders?

When buying a grinder for home or commercial use, you will find some unique numbers. These identification numbers show the plate diameter to help you determine the size of the grinder you need.

Understanding the plate diameter is crucial because it helps you determine whether you need to buy a smaller or a larger grinder. If you only need a grinder for home use, choose a small size.

If you are not sure what size of meat grinder you have, you can easily find out depending on your manufacturer. Some manufacturers indicate the size of the meat grinder in the user manual while others indicate on the appliance.

If the two options are not available, you can take the measurements by yourself using a tape measure. Take the measurements of the diameter of the plate. Following the same procedure, take the measurements of the diameter of the plate’s holes. This information will help you find out the plate size of the grinder.

Most common sizes of grinder machines for home use range between 5,8,12, and 32. Grinders for commercial applications range from 20, 22, 32, 42 and 52 size. Small-sized grinders have small feeding tubes while large grinders are designed with a larger feeding tube.

How Do I Care for My Meat Grinder Plate?

Taking care of your meat grinder is essential for its overall durability. You should maintain it properly after use by cleaning and drying them before assembling them. You should also keep the unit in a moist-free and cool environment to prevent rusting.

Keep the blades and the plates away from oil. After grinding meat, feed the grinder with bread as you do with meat. The bread helps to remove grease and oil as well as other residues from the machine.

How to Sharpen Meat Grinder Plate?

Do you need to sharpen your meat grinder plates? Just like other cutting appliances, you need to sharpen the plates of your meat grinder. Some of the signs that will let you know your plate needs sharpening is by checking how the meat is ground.  When you experience shapeless or lumpy meat, this is a sign of dull blades or plates.

There are several ways you can use to sharpen the grinding plates and the cutting blade. The most common is using a knife sharpening stone or sandpaper. Let’s look at each method in detail.

Sharpening Using Sharpening Stone

Whether you have manual or electric meat grinders, you can sharpen the meat grinder plates with a sharpening stone. Sharpening stones work amazingly well when sharpening steel tool edges. You can find stones in different textures, sizes, and compositions to suit various applications. Below are some steps on how to use sharpening stones.

• Have two ceramic sharpening stones and soak each in a separate bowl for like 5 minutes.
• Use one stone is for sharpening the knife while the other one for the blade.
• Attach the square hole to your knife and the other one to the plate’s circular hole.
• Assemble the grinder to the ideal stone.
• Put the rings and let them be a little bit lose.
• Switch your grinder’s power for about 5 seconds.
• Switch it off and repeat the same for both sides.
• When you are through, you will notice a sharp burr.
• Take off the blade and remove the burr. After that, rub them on a cardboard paper gently.

Using a Sand Paper

You can sharpen the blades using sandpaper but it is quite some work. Follow these steps to sharpen successfully with sandpaper.

• Get sandpaper with 600 and 120 grits. Get gloves, wipe paper, and water.
• Wear your gloves and then spread your sandpaper on the floor.
• Hold your blade at about 40 degrees and then push it on the sandpaper following circular motions for 5 minutes.
• Repeat the process until you achieve the desired outcome.
• Get rid of excess burr between the sharpening intervals.
• If you want a smooth surface, use the 600 grit sandpaper.
• After sharpening, rinse the blade with water to eliminate particles.
• Dry the blade and then assemble it to the grinder.

What Are the Different Grinder Plates Hole Sizes for?

If you have use grinders for a long time, you understand that the plates are designed with different holes. The holes on the plates play a significant role in determining the outcome of your ground.

Hole Sizes

There are three different types of hole sizes you get in grinders. They include the following:

• Fine Ground
• Medium Ground
• Coarse Ground

Fine Ground

A meat grinder machine with a plate hole size of 1/8 or 3 3/32 inches produces fine ground because the holes are tiny. The size of the hole is smaller hence the fine ground. Such a plate hole size is ideal for bologna, franks, hamburgers, and beef jerky among others.

Medium Ground

Grinder plates with hole sizes of 3/16- 5/32 inches give a raw meat texture that is not too fine or too coarse. The medium grind diameter produces meat ideal for recipes that don’t need finely ground meat. The hole size is ideal for breakfast sausages and hamburgers among others.

Coarse Ground

If you need coarse grinds, then look for a plate with larger holes. They range between ¼ inches to 5/16 inches. Such plate size is ideal for coarse grinds if you need to make Salami, sausage, bratwurst, hamburger, and much more.

Conclusion

Grinding meats at home is easy if you have the right grinder models. You should consider different sizes of grinding plates to achieve the right texture for your meets. If you are a beginner, I believe the above information will help you pick the right plate sizes. There are many common sizes you can find to suit the type of meat you need. There are different brands of grinder plates you can choose from. We recommend the KitchenAid meat grinder plates because of their durability and exceptional performance. You can use your meat grinder for a wide range of uses but avoid grinding bones.