Owning a meat grinder shows you want to take time to prepare your meat for healthy eating. Taking a few steps before you use the grinder and after each use enables you to have the product for years to come. I recommend certain steps that are common to those who hunt or truly love meat and the meat they consume.
Step 1:
It is very important to completely strip the grinder and wash it and all the parts meticulously after grinding meat. A bottle-brush works well with small grinders. After rinsing and hand drying, I recommend covering the cutting plate and knife lightly with vegetable oil or using a spray to prevent them from rusting. Assemble the grinder to keep all the parts safely together and cover with a cloth or plastic cover to avoid dust. Do not use a dishwasher to clean your grinder at anytime! You will ruin the product quickly.
Run bread through the grinder. Even if you use lean meat, a grinder becomes greasy no matter what your preference of meat is. Washing with soap and water may not remove all the grease and meat. A simple technique helping to remove grease is running a few slices of bread through the grinder. The bread cleans grease & meat stuck in the grinder.
Dry thoroughly as is important to dry each piece of the meat grinder by hand. Allowing the pieces to air dry could cause them to become rusty. After you clean all the pieces, take a dry towel and dry each piece by hand before you store it.
Store accessories in a zip top bag with rice. The blades and any other small accessories store safely in a zip top bag along with rice. The rice absorbs moisture that prevents rust. Store the grinder in a safe dry area. If moisture concerns you, store the unit in a plastic storage container surrounded by rice. We offer Articles and Blog posts on caring + cleaning your meat preparation products along with writing about diet, food and nutrition.
